The California Water Boards' Annual Performance Report - Fiscal Year 2016-17
REGULATE: WASTE DISCHARGES TO LAND - WDR |
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| GROUP: |
INDUSTRIAL WASTE WDR FACILITIES |
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| MEASURE: |
NUMBER OF INSPECTIONS
NUMBER OF FACILITIES INSPECTED |
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| MESSAGE: |
In FY 16/17, 7 percent of industrial facilities regulated under individual WDRs were inspected statewide.
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| Key Statistics for FY 2016-17 |
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| Number of Active Facilities | 908 | | Number of Inspections | 70 | | Number of Facilities Inspected | 66 | |
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MEASUREMENTS
| Region | Facilities | Inspections | Facilities Inspected | Percentage Facilities Inspected |
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| 1 | 113 | 10 | 10 | 9% | | 2 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 17% | | 3 | 364 | 11 | 11 | 3% | | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0% | | 5 | 367 | 39 | 35 | 10% | | 6 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 71% | | 7 | 24 | 2 | 2 | 8% | | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 50% | | 9 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0% | | TOTAL | 908 | 70 | 66 | 7% |
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WHAT THE MEASURE IS SHOWING
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2016-17, 7 percent of industrial WDR facilities were inspected statewide. Although the percentage of facilities inspected varies among the Regional Water Boards, more than 56 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
GLOSSARY
- Industrial Sources
- Facilities that treat and/or dispose of liquid or semisolid wastes from any servicing, producing, manufacturing or processing operations of whatever nature including mining, gravel washing, geothermal operations, air conditioning, ship building and repairing, oil production, storage and disposal operations, and water well pumping.
- 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.
