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Tribar given conditional approval to resume discharge to Wixom wastewater plant

Tribar Plant
Posted at 1:00 PM, Sep 01, 2022
and last updated 2022-09-01 13:00:32-04

(WXYZ) — The City of Wixom has given Tribar Technologies conditional approval to resume wastewater discharge to the Wixom Wastewater Treatment Plant, according to a statement from the city.

Tribar was issued a cease and desist after a chemical spill in August. Hexavalent chromium, a cancer-causing chemical, was reportedly released from Tribar in Wixom to the Wixom Sewage Treatment Facility the weekend of July 30. The state says the sewer feeds the plant, which then discharges to the Huron River system.

The City of Wixom says that processes at Tribar and the treatment plant were able to contain the chemical before the discharge from the treatment plant.

According to the city, there are improved processes aimed at preventing a similar occurrence in the future:

  • A requirement that at least two operators with wastewater treatment experience must be working whenever the Tribar is generating and processing wastewater;
  • Three additional probes to monitor compliance with the IPP requirements;
  • The addition of an automatic WWTP shut-off valve to stop discharge to WWTP and recirculate wastewater through the onsite Tribar treatment system in the event the probes determine non-compliance with IPP requirements;
  • The automatic WWTP discharge shut-off valve and controls are located in a locked, steel cage;
  • Only Tribar senior management team members will have the code required to resume discharge to the WWTP after the automatic WWTP discharge shutoff valve is activated;
  • Comprehensive documentation of existing and new process controls/processes and associated training of Tribar staff in order to maintain ongoing compliance.

“The process improvements that are required at Tribar Plant #5 address the non-compliance issues which led to the Cease and Desist order issued on August 1st and both the City and Tribar will actively monitor for ongoing compliance. Given these process improvements, we have issued a conditional approval for discharge to the Wixom Wastewater Treatment Plant for Tribar Plant #5,” said Wixom City Manager Steve Brown in a news release.