The purpose of Clinton’s Industrial Pretreatment Program is to prevent the discharge of toxic substances into the municipal sanitary sewer system by local industries. Pollutants and toxins from industrial wastewater can interfere with the Regional Water Reclamation Facility's biological treatment process or pass through the system, potentially contaminating the receiving stream, the Mississippi River. Pollutants can also accumulate in biosolids, which are the solid materials removed during the wastewater treatment process. Biosolids are either applied to agricultural land or disposed of as a solid waste.
The Pretreatment Program sets limits on the level of pollutants each industry is allowed to discharge. By the use of specific treatment techniques and management practices, industrial plants can reduce or eliminated harmful pollutants present in their wastewater. This practice is known as “pretreatment”. Through a process of permitting, inspecting and monitoring, the undesirable effects from the discharge of industrial wastes can be prevented.