County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works

The Industrial Waste (IW) Unit of the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works (Public Works), Environmental Programs Division (EPD) permits and inspects industrial waste discharges into over 3,000 miles of local sewers within the unincorporated areas (PDF, 32 KB) of Los Angeles County and 38 contract cities. The Unit also regulates industrial wastewater collected and hauled to a legal point of disposal or discharged into the ground (where permissible).

Los Angeles County Code (LACC), Title 20, Division 2 (LACC) requires that any business which generates, handles, and/or disposes of industrial wastewater must obtain an industrial waste disposal permit. The Public Works, EPD, IW Unit reviews plans to determine if facilities have adequate pretreatment systems. Clearances and Industrial Waste Disposal Permits (IWDPs) are issued for the discharge of wastewater to sanitary sewers, private disposal systems, or offsite disposal. Compliance with applicable Federal, State, local domestic and industrial waste regulations is verified. The Industrial Waste Unit's goal is to ensure that facilities are designed so as to not create a nuisance, menace the public peace, health or safety, or impact the public sewerage system, soil, underground and/or surface waters.

If you have received a referral from Building and Safety or if you need to obtain clearance from our office, we have provided useful information and included the most common forms you will need. When you are ready to submit your package for approval, or if you have any questions, you may contact us at our public counter, via mail or phone.