Plants with a design flow of more than what capacity must develop an industrial waste pretreatment program?

The correct answer indicates that industrial plants designed with a flow capacity greater than 19,000 m³/d are required to implement an industrial waste pretreatment program. This requirement is often set by regulatory agencies that aim to ensure that wastewater entering municipal treatment systems meets specific criteria regarding the composition and concentration of contaminants.

When a facility exceeds this capacity threshold, the potential for significant environmental impact increases, necessitating a more stringent approach to managing industrial wastewater. By implementing a pretreatment program, these facilities are able to remove harmful contaminants and reduce pollutant loadings before their wastewater is discharged into the municipal system, thereby protecting water quality and public health.

In contrast, plants designed for lower flow rates may not produce wastewater with the same level of pollutants or volume, making pretreatment less critical. Thus, establishing a flow capacity threshold helps identify facilities that could potentially pose a greater risk to wastewater treatment processes and the environment.