The California Water Boards' Annual Performance Report - Fiscal Year 2011-12
REGULATE: NPDES WASTEWATER |
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| GROUP: |
GENERAL NPDES FACILITIES |
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| MEASURE: |
NUMBER OF MONITORING REPORTS DUE AND RECEIVED
NUMBER OF FACILITIES WITH REPORTING REQUIREMENTS IN CIWQS |
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| MESSAGE: |
48% of General NPDES Facilities have reporting requirements in CIWQS. |
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MEASUREMENTS
WHAT THE MEASURE IS SHOWING
Approximately 48% all of the NPDES Wastewater facilities enrolled under a general permit have their reporting requirements now in the Water Boards database (CIWQS). This percentage varies among the regional boards and several offices are not fully tracking the self monitoring reports in CIWQS. Of the reports that were documented as required during fiscal year 2010-11, 58% were received of which 80% were recorded as reviewed.
WHY THIS MEASURE IS IMPORTANT
Self Monitoring Reports (SMR) contain the information required by the permits necessary to assess compliance and to measure the quality of the discharge from regulated facilities. Data reported typically include both data required by the permit and any additional data the permittee has collected consistent with permit requirements. The data typically contains an assessment of the conditions of the discharge and includes the values analyzed by a certified laboratory and other field measurements (such PH and flow). During the review of the self monitoring reports regional board staff compares the values reported with the permit requirements and determines if the self monitoring report is complete and all the reported values are within the permitted limits. In 2010 the Water Boards started to use the CIWQS database to track monitoring reports due, received and reviewed both in either electronic or paper form. This card shows the progress towards tracking the required reports using CIWQS. Self Monitoring Reports are the primary tool used to assess compliance with permit requirements. SMR are submitted with different frequencies and with different purposes. Most dischargers submit quarterly and annual reports. In some cases Minor dischargers may also be required to submit monthly reports and other technical reports. All regulated facilities must submit, at a minimum, an annual report.
TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS
GLOSSARY
- Self Monitoring Report
- The form used to report self-monitoring results by regulated facilities. Self Monitoring: Sampling and analyses performed by a facility to determine compliance with a permit or other regulatory requirements.
- CIWQS
- The California Integrated Water Quality System (CIWQS) is a web-based relational database for core regulatory data. Using this system, both staff and the public can access data related to places of environemental interest, permits and other orders, inspections and violations and enforcement activities.
- General Permit
- An NPDES permit issued under 40 CFR 122.28 that authorizes a category of discharges under the CWA within a geographical area. A general permit is not specifically tailored for an individual discharger.
- National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
- The NPDES permit program (Section 402 of the Clean Water Act) control 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 ermit; 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.
- NPDES Permit
- The Clean Water Act prohibits anybody from discharging "pollutants" through a "point source" into a "water of the United States" unless they have an NPDES permit. The permit contains limits on what can be discharged, monitoring and reporting requirements, and other provisions to protect water quality and public health. In essence, the permit translates general requirements of the Clean Water Act into specific provisions tailored to the operations of each person discharging pollutants.
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