The California Water Boards' Annual Performance Report - Fiscal Year 2011-12

ENFORCE: NPDES WASTEWATER

GROUP:

ALL NPDES WASTEWATER FACILITIES

MEASURE: VIOLATION TRENDS. TOTAL BY YEAR

MESSAGE:

The total number of violations remained between 5,500 and 7,000 for the last ten years. Significant variations by Regional Board.

*KEY STATISTICS*
Total Number of Violations in 2011:	6,643
Total Number of Violations in 2010:	6,791
Total Number of Violations in 2009:	6,361

MEASUREMENTS - Data last updated on: December 31, 2012

Regional Offices	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011*	Regional Office Total
1	928	622	445	505	694	565	464	476	954	347	309	225	6,534
2	540	478	278	246	269	244	343	292	231	174	171	320	3,586
3	345	381	296	211	406	395	398	468	139	147	153	154	3,493
4	2,108	2,406	2,560	2,897	2,130	2,056	2,496	2,228	2,351	2,156	1,845	1,771	27,004
5F	494	758	995	765	351	241	284	327	277	164	151	161	4,968
5R	251	97	117	74	82	146	166	109	61	147	200	179	1,629
5S	1,158	847	1,055	1,027	1,743	2,381	2,282	1,818	2,203	2,687	3,328	3,201	23,730
6A	10	11	18	8	8	3	1	3	33	101	36	41	273
6B	5	10	21	25	22	13	124	49	65	45	74	69	522
7	148	207	231	327	175	180	244	262	251	174	289	229	2,717
8	463	296	204	122	229	243	168	143	222	84	118	120	2,412
9	557	221	160	256	652	236	406	458	277	135	117	173	3,648
TOTAL	7,007	6,334	6,380	6,463	6,761	6,703	7,376	6,633	7,064	6,361	6,791	6,643	87,580

*Data for 2011 are incomplete.

Click on a bar in the charts below, to show details for that region (third chart below).

WHAT THE MEASURE IS SHOWING

The trends in the number of violations recorded in the databases remained fairly stable over the last past ten years. There are significant differences by regional board ofice that may be due to differences in data entry procedures more that changes in numbers of violations.

WHY THIS MEASURE IS IMPORTANT

Violations are detected through reviewing of self monitoring reports, inspections and complaints. The enforcement policy requires that the Water Boards ensure that all violations are documented in the appropriate Water Board data management system. According to the enforcement policy all violations will be entered within 10 days of discovery of the violation. Identification and documentation of violations is important to ensure that water quality is protected and that serious violations and those high priority violations receive an adequate enforcement response. Tracking violations and compliance rates over time is necessary to assess the effectiveness of the Water Boards enforcement policies and actions.

TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Data Source: California Integrated Water Quality System (CIWQS).
Unit of Measure: Violations documented.
Data Definitions: Violations with status "violation".
References: The Water Boards' NPDES Program
Public Reports and Data
Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Information
The Water Boards' Enforcement Policy

GLOSSARY

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES): The NPDES permit program (Section 402 of the Clean Water Act ) controls water pollution by regulating point sources that discharge pollutants into waters of the United States. Point sources are discrete conveyances such as pipes or man-made ditches. Individual homes that are connected to a municipal system, use a septic system, or do not have a surface discharge do not need an NPDES permit; however, industrial, municipal, and other facilities must obtain permits if their discharges go directly to surface waters. US EPA has approved the Water Board's program to issue NPDES permits.

( Page last updated: 9/13/12 )