The California Water Boards' Annual Performance Report - Fiscal Year 2016-17

ENFORCE: NPDES WASTEWATER

GROUP:

ALL NPDES WASTEWATER FACILITIES

MEASURE: VIOLATION TRENDS. TOTAL BY YEAR

MESSAGE:

2016 continues the recent trend of decreasing violations at NPDES Wastewater Facilities.

*KEY STATISTICS*
Total Number of Violations in 2016:	3,022
Total Number of Violations in 2015:	3,512
Total Number of Violations in 2014:	3,957

MEASUREMENTS - Data last updated on: August 13, 2018

Regional Offices	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	Regional Office Total
1	525	432	434	928	320	338	222	332	478	636	465	418	5,528
2	241	339	295	239	194	207	352	577	334	244	207	198	3,427
3	385	349	429	133	155	138	149	232	287	309	201	199	2,966
4	2,038	2,442	2,161	2,328	2,136	1,892	1,958	1,486	1,250	1,013	1,158	867	20,729
5F	237	279	321	269	171	140	164	114	147	350	116	97	2,405
5R	145	159	109	61	145	196	200	159	290	115	112	120	1,811
5S	2,381	2,280	1,805	2,191	2,612	3,289	3,167	1,331	1,025	973	951	733	22,738
6A	3	1	3	33	101	36	26	5	1	0	0	2	211
6B	12	124	47	59	34	63	63	12	18	38	30	21	521
7	166	215	125	197	162	274	235	146	158	145	113	135	2,071
8	204	173	115	136	37	77	89	104	110	49	41	70	1,205
9	232	406	257	194	36	51	78	119	65	85	118	162	1,803
TOTAL	6,569	7,199	6,101	6,768	6,103	6,701	6,703	4,617	4,163	3,957	3,512	3,022	62,393

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

WHAT THE MEASURE IS SHOWING

The number of total violations documented in calendar 2016 has dropped significantly since 2011. The largest changes have occurred in Region 5S and Region 4 which have since a 77% and 54% drop in violations respectively compared to 2011.

WHY THIS MEASURE IS IMPORTANT

Violations are detected through 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. Identification and documentation of violations is important to ensure that water quality is protected and that serious and 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: Documented Violations. Violation date in calendar year 2016.
Data Definitions: Violations with status "violation".
References: The Water Boards' NPDES Program
Public Reports and Data
Office of Enforcement
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: 11/13/17 )