The California Water Boards' Annual Performance Report - Fiscal Year 2016-17
REGULATE: WASTE DISCHARGES TO LAND - WDR
GROUP:
MUNICIPAL WASTE FACILITIES
MEASURE:
NUMBER OF INSPECTIONS
NUMBER OF FACILITIES INSPECTED
MESSAGE:
In FY 16/17, 16 percent of WDR facilities were inspected statewide.
Key Statistics for FY 2016-17
Number of Active Facilities
1,164
Number of Inspections
214
Number of Facilities Inspected
187
MEASUREMENTS - Data Last Updated on: 04-05-2018 (9:07 am)
Region
Facilities
Inspections
Facilities Inspected
Percentage Facilities Inspected
1
75
23
19
25%
2
48
7
7
15%
3
119
13
11
9%
4
65
6
6
9%
5
558
95
83
15%
6
87
26
25
29%
7
70
8
8
11%
8
36
20
12
33%
9
106
16
16
15%
TOTAL
1,164
214
187
16%
WHAT THE MEASURE IS SHOWING
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2016-17, 16 percent of WDR facilities were inspected statewide. Although the percentage of facilities inspected varies among the Regional Water Boards, 44 percent of all inspections occurred in the Central Valley Region (Region 5). 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
It is the Water Boards' policy to ensure that facilities comply with Water Quality Control Plans, National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits, and waste discharge requirements (WDR). This policy is implemented through the Regional Water Board comprehensive self-monitoring and compliance inspection programs. Inspections are a primary tool used in determining and documenting compliance with WDRs. Inspection frequencies for WDR facilities are based on threats to water quality, with high risk sites and registered complaints receiving more attention. In addition to inspections, the Regional Water Boards assess facility compliance by reviewing self-monitoring reports submitted by the discharger and responding to complaints. The conditions described by self-monitoring data are validated through periodic inspections, which are the Water Boards' only means to evaluate system maintenance and observe unreported activities.
TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Data Source: CIWQS. Period July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016. Extracted on September 21, 2016.
Unit of Measure: Number of inspections and number of facilities inspected 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.
Facilities discharging municipal waste serving a population equivalent to 1,000 people and with a design flow of greater than 100,000 gallons a day. This group only includes those facilities regulated with individual Waste Discharge Requirements (WDR).
Municipal Sources
Facilities that treat sewage or a mixture of predominantly sewage and other waste from districts, municipalities, communities, hospitals, schools, and publicly or privately owned systems (excluding individual surface leaching systems disposing of less than 1,000 gallons per day).
Small Municipal and Domestic Waste Facilities
Facilities discharging municipal waste serving a population equivalent to less than 1,000 people and with a design flow less than 100,000 gallons a day. Small municipal waste facilities are typically regulated under a general order and may include facilities discharging to subsurface systems such as septic tanks and leach fields or small wastewater package plants.
Waste Discharge Requirements Program
The Waste Discharge Requirements (WDR) Program regulates all point source discharges of waste to land that do not require full containment (which falls under the Land Discharge Program), or are not subject to the NPDES Program.
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.
