ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAM AT KSC

Permitting & Compliance - Water Quality Program - Domestic Wastewater Program

Overview

Kennedy Space Center (KSC) categorizes wastewater as either industrial wastewater or domestic wastewater. Domestic wastewater must be properly treated and managed to ensure public health, safety, compliance with regulations, and protection of the environment. Domestic wastewater is managed and treated in two types of systems at KSC. The main wastewater collection and transmission system consists of a series of gravity mains, force mains, and lift stations which collect and pump domestic wastewater to the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Regional Waste Water Treatment Facility (RWWTF). There, it is treated and returned to the environment via percolation ponds as described in Florida Department of Environmental Protection Permit FL0102920 (contact the NASA Environmental Assurance Branch for the latest version of this permit). In addition to the main collection system, there are a number of On Site Treatment and Disposal Systems (OSTDS) or “septic systems” throughout KSC that typically support small offices or temporary facilities. Only a small percentage of the existing OSTDS at KSC are permitted with the Florida Department of Health. The remaining OSTDS systems were constructed prior to the permitting regulations and do not require a permit.

Domestic Wastewater Impacts and Compliance

Discharges into domestic wastewater treatment systems should be consistent with the word “domestic” (e.g. routine cleaners, food wastes, and sewage from restrooms). Any other material discharged to the domestic wastewater system must comply with regulation for pretreatment limits for specific industrial sub-categories. Discharges into the wastewater treatment system must be approved through the Process Waste Questionnaire/Technical Response Package (PWQ/TRP) process described in KNPR 8500.1. Examples of discharges requiring the PWQ/TRP process would include:

  • Air conditioning blowdown or condensate,
  • Closed loop cooling water,
  • Oily wastewater,
  • Wastewater generated from a process or using any material not reasonably expected in the home,
  • Any material, hazardous or otherwise, used in any process or operation at KSC

Construction or Modification of Domestic Wastewater Collection/Transmission Systems

The organization responsible for a project that provides modification, maintenance, or emergency repair of the KSC domestic wastewater system, whether a permit is necessary or not, will ensure that regulatory criteria, best engineering practices, codes, specifications and standards are followed. Construction projects involving work on the KSC wastewater distribution system require varying degrees of regulatory oversight depending on the nature of the project and the work involved. KNPR 8500.1 lists the levels of regulatory action required for projects at KSC and the permitting process associated with each.

All correspondence with regulatory agencies regarding the KSC domestic wastewater management is to originate from the NASA Environmental Assurance Branch (TA-B1B). All NASA and contractor organizations (including design, construction, environmental, or O&M organizations) shall process all notifications, permit applications, requests for approval, compliance monitoring, reports, requests for clearance, and any other submittals to a regulatory agency through the NASA Environmental Assurance Branch (TA-B1B).

Domestic Wastewater Program Points of Contact

  • Doug Durham (321-867-8429)
  • Tom Price (321-867-8988)
  • Diane Ely (321-867-1083)