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

REGULATE: NPDES WASTEWATER

MEASUREMENTS  - Data Last Updated on: 03-27-2018 (10:28 am)

WHAT THE MEASURE IS SHOWING

The data show that facilities actively enrolled under a NPDES General Permit are not inspected as frequently as individually regulated facilities. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2016-17, 3 percent of general permitted facilities received an inspection statewide. Of the inspections performed in FY 16-17, 90 percent occurred in the Los Angeles Region (Region 4). For compliance purposes, some facilities are inspected more than once a year, which is why the total number of inspections is greater than the total number of facilities inspected.

WHY THIS MEASURE IS IMPORTANT

Inspections are a primary tool used in determining and documenting compliance with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits and waste discharge requirements (WDR). The Water Boards-US EPA Memorandum of Agreement specifies that minor dischargers will generally be inspected once a year, as resources allow, but not less than once during the five-year permit cycle. This translates to 20 percent of all minor facilities inspected each year. However, facilities regulated under a general permit have a lower threat to water quality than minor facilities regulated under individual permits, and therefore the recommended inspection frequency for general permit facilities is lower than that of individually regulated facilities. It is the Water Boards' policy to ensure that facilities comply with Water Quality Control Plans, NPDES permits, and WDRs. This policy is implemented through Regional Water Board comprehensive self-monitoring and compliance inspection programs.

TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS

• Data Source: CIWQS. Period July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016.
• Unit of Measure: Number of facilities inspected annually, including all inspection types, during FY 15-16.
• Data Definitions: Inspections: include inspections conducted by Regional or State Water Board staff, or US EPA contractors. Facilities Inspected: Count of facilities inspected one or more times during a fiscal year.
• References: Information on the Water Boards' NPDES program
  Public Reports and Data
  Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Information

GLOSSARY

General Permit

An NPDES permit issued under 40 CFR 122.28 that authorizes a category of discharges under the Clean Water Act (CWA) within a geographical area. A general permit is not specifically tailored for an individual discharger.

Minor Facility

A minor facility is a discharge with a design flow of less than one million gallons per day (MGD) that has not been determined to have an actual or potential adverse environmental impact classifying the discharge as major.

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)

The NPDES permit program (CWA Section 402) 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.

Inspection (Compliance and Non Compliance)

The Regional Board or State Board may inspect the facilities of any discharger at any time pursuant to Water Code, Section 13267. Compliance activities include all activities necessary to determine if discharges are in compliance with waste discharge requirements, NPDES permits, and related enforcement orders. Compliance inspections are classified as either Level A or Level B, with Level A being more thorough.

( Page last updated:  10/24/17 )