Steve Gilbert, a consultant with Parametrix, reported to the Grants Pass City Council during their Tuesday workshop the all new or revised program documents for the city’s industrial pretreatment program has been approved by the Oregon Department of Environmental quality.

The process has been ongoing since the system was audited in 2006 with the delays primarily at the state level.

The levels of industrial pollutants allowed into the cities system have been approved with seven pollutant levels lowered: arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, molybdenum, selenium and thallium.

All local industrial users are well below the limits.

The council advised staff to send them an ordinance giving the Superintendent the authority to establish local limits, removing the local limits from the municipal code. It was made clear the Superintendent could not raise the limits but could lower them should the levels entering the treatment plant elevate.