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Publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) includes any devices and systems used in the storage, treatment, recycling and reclamation of municipal sewage or industrial wastes of a liquid nature as well as sewers, pipes, and other conveyances so long as they convey wastewater to a POTW Treatment Plant.
POTWs are owned by states or municipalities and regulated under the Clean Water Act (CWA). POTWs are subject to the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting system as well as National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) permitting in some cases. They are required to develop and implement pretreatment programs and subject to certain reporting requirements.
POTWs play an important role in ensuring water quality and pretreatment standards must be followed to prevent pass throughs or interference with POTW operations. To ensure compliance with pretreatment requirements, POTWs must: