The Carson City ECA manages a Pretreatment Program, which is federally mandated (Under the Clean Water Act) and EPA approved, and designed to protect the city’s residents and environment from toxic wastewater discharged from commercial sources.

To control commercial wastewater discharges in Carson City, the ECA reviews all commercial building plans for the required plumbing and pretreatment systems and asbestos removal, issues wastewater discharge permits, and routinely inspects hundreds of businesses to determine if they are in compliance with the permit conditions, as well as their potential for illegal wastewater discharges.

The ECA enforces these permits, and non-compliance can result in criminal penalties. Authority is provided in Carson City Municipal Code Chapter 12.06, through an EPA Region IX approved Enforcement Response Plan, and Enforcement Response Guide (ERP/ERG).

The ECA also monitors businesses that store products with the potential to contaminate soil, storm water and groundwater, and samples two manholes twice a week that receive the majority of flow from most of the businesses located in the Industrial Park.

This program is similar to the Pretreatment Program, with a focus on monitoring businesses utilizing septic tank systems. The ECA monitors these businesses’ systems and the business owner must fix any contamination using Nevada Division of Environmental Protection standards.

The ECA also inspects businesses that generate a non-reusable by-product that form a hazardous waste. If the ECA finds hazardous waste, it works with the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection to ensure the waste is properly transported and disposed following Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulations.