California Water Boards' Annual Performance Report - Fiscal Year  2017-18 

REGULATE: NPDES WASTEWATER

GROUP:
NPDES WASTEWATER

MESSAGE:  
Statewide, inspections of NPDES Major Facilities continue to make up the majority of the program's inspection workload. However, the number of all NPDES inspections performed annually continues to decline.
MEASURE: 
INSPECTION TRENDS

Key Statistics for FY 2017-18
Number of Major Inspections:123
Number of Minor Inspections:47
Number of General Inspections:48

MEASUREMENTS  - Data Last Updated on: 10-15-2018 (9:42 am)

abcdefhiklmnopqrstuvwxyz02605207801,0401,3002000-012001-022002-032003-042004-052005-062006-072007-082008-092009-102010-112011-122012-132013-142014-152015-162016-172017-1838538739734427323926825724928626723321518412616111812333529131620613390133232159158159151173893160824738352542329119913716523319611282119137144117973748NPDES Major IndividualNPDES Minor IndividualNPDES Minor General

NPDES Major Individual

Region 2001
2002
2002
2003
2003
2004
2004
2005
2005
2006
2006
2007
2007
2008
2008
2009
2009
2010
2010
2011
2011
2012
2012
2013
2013
2014
2014
2015
2015
2016
2016
2017
2017
2018
Grand
Total
1263537271626201615191510128866337
25862555060455058575430302429302728780
34239282424272126161717201671347402
4102100906131524337604228302936272932894
5F3376307778543053281
5R9121616122221720181620110759242
5S373635241730443541435644340171516557
5 all.495158463252724968697768480292327880
6A2111111001111101016
6B3222432118212222143
6 all.5333543119323323159
7202610378811181111101310341192
8493926383220201824242526232022314483
9364237213234203327222719161327197485
TOTAL3873973442732392682572492862672332151841261611181234,512

NPDES Minor Individual

Region 2001
2002
2002
2003
2003
2004
2004
2005
2005
2006
2006
2007
2007
2008
2008
2009
2009
2010
2010
2011
2011
2012
2012
2013
2013
2014
2014
2015
2015
2016
2016
2017
2017
2018
Grand
Total
14143222119213320251822181109115382
2541232491046441024698
3541232491046441024294
43631462014142322261720362024101110425
5F541232491046441024294
5R4143222119213320251822181109116383
5S37522218318382118301831606107375
5 all.839956422443805147544453180172515852
6A5243001002215220036
6B5540322241431302046
6 all.10783323243646522082
7333362464357115152343161
837522218318382118301831606105373
94143222119213320251822181109111378
TOTAL2913162061339013323215915815915117389316082472,845

NPDES Minor General

Region 2001
2002
2002
2003
2003
2004
2004
2005
2005
2006
2006
2007
2007
2008
2008
2009
2009
2010
2010
2011
2011
2012
2012
2013
2013
2014
2014
2015
2015
2016
2016
2017
2017
2018
Grand
Total
1000011320100100009
29342900457111208103108
32718646833023333111114
4235222201133122143208176104731091241351049233312,378
5F2120103000100000012
5R141043258761431000072
5S9030000000012010119
5 all.25119335117615430101103
6A4730000000000000018
6B052000000000001009
6 all.41250000000000010027
7130020000000000006
822011039562320120102032654
9413231111021320101046
TOTAL525423291199137165233196112821191371441179737483,445

WHAT THE MEASURE IS SHOWING

Since Fiscal Year (FY) 2000-01, the data show a downward trend in the number of inspections of NPDES facilities performed annually. For compliance purposes, some facilities are inspected more than once a year, so the total number of inspections performed may be 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 US EPA 2014 Compliance Monitoring Strategy provides inspection frequency goals for NPDES 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. Tracking the number of inspections by FY may help to improve the Water Boards’ performance.


TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS

GLOSSARY

Major Facility
Major municipal dischargers include all facilities with design flows of greater than one million gallons per day and facilities with approved industrial pretreatment programs. Major industrial facilities are determined based on specific ratings criteria developed by US EPA/State.

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.

General Facility
A general 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 (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.

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.