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

MEASUREMENTS  - Data last updated on: 

WHAT THE MEASURE IS SHOWING

WHY THIS MEASURE IS IMPORTANT

The Water Boards identify priority violations based on criteria identified in the Water Quality Enforcement Policy. A priority violation represents a greater threat to water quality than other violations. Violations are detected through reviewing of self monitoring reports, inspections and complaints. The enforcement policy requires that the Water Boards ensure that all violations are documented in the appropriate Water Board data management system. According to the enforcement policy all violations will be entered within 10 days of discovery of the violation. Identification and documentation of violations is important to ensure that water quality is protected and that serious violations and those high priority violations receive an adequate enforcement response. Tracking violations and compliance rates over time is necessary to assess the effectiveness of the Water Boards enforcement policies and actions. To the greatest extent possible, Regional Water Boards shall target entities with class I priority violations for formal enforcement action.

TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS

• Data Source: SMARTS.
• Unit of Measure: Number of violations documented by type of violation.
• Data Definitions: Violations with status "violation".
• References: Information on the Water Boards' NPDES Storm Water Program
  Public Reports and Data
  Office of Enforcement
  The Water Boards' Enforcement Policy

GLOSSARY

Construction Storm Water Program

Dischargers whose projects disturb one or more acres of soil or whose projects disturb less than one acre but are part of a larger common plan of development that in total disturbs one or more acres, are required to obtain coverage under the General Permit for Discharges of Storm Water Associated with Construction Activity. Construction activity subject to this permit includes clearing, grading and disturbances to the ground such as stockpiling, or excavation, but does not include regular maintenance activities performed to restore the original line, grade, or capacity of the facility. For more information, see the Construction Storm Water Program.

 

Industrial Storm Water Program

The Industrial General Permit is an NPDES permit that regulates discharges associated with 10 broad categories of industrial activities. The Industrial General Permit requires the implementation of Best Available Technology Economically Achievable (BAT) and Best Conventional Pollutant Control Technology (BCT) to achieve performance standards. For more information, see the Industrial Storm Water Program.

Municipal Storm Water Program

The Municipal Storm Water Permitting Program regulates storm water discharges from municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s). Storm water is runoff from rain or snow melt that runs off surfaces such as rooftops, paved streets, highways or parking lots and can carry with it pollutants such as: oil, pesticides, herbicides, sediment, trash, bacteria and metals. The runoff can then drain directly into a local stream, lake or bay. Often, the runoff drains into storm drains which eventually drain untreated into a local waterbody. For more information, see the Municipal Storm Water Program

Municipal Storm Water Phase I Facilities

The Municipal Storm Water Permits regulate storm water discharges from municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4s). Under Phase I, which began in 1990, the Regional Water Boards have issued NPDES MS4 permits to permittees serving populations greater than 100,000 people. Many of these permits are issued to a group of co-permittees encompassing an entire metropolitan area. These permits are reissued as the permits expire.

Municipal Storm Water Phase II Facilities

Under Phase II, the State Water Board adopted a General Permit for the Discharge of Storm Water from Small MS4s (WQ Order No. 2003-0005-DWQ) to provide permit coverage for smaller municipalities (10,000 to 100,000 people), including non-traditional small MS4s which are governmental facilities such as military bases, public campuses, prisons and hospital complexes.

Class I Priority Violations

Class I priority violations are those violations that pose an immediate and substantial threat to water quality and that have the potential to cause significant detrimental impacts to human health or the environment. Violations involving recalcitrant parties who deliberately avoid compliance with water quality regulations and orders are also considered class I priority violations because they pose a serious threat to the integrity of the Water Boards’ regulatory programs.

Class II Violations

Class II violations are those violations that pose a moderate, indirect, or cumulative threat to water quality and, therefore, have the potential to cause detrimental impacts on human health and the environment. Negligent or inadvertent noncompliance with water quality regulations that has the potential for causing or allowing the continuation of an unauthorized discharge or obscuring past violations is also a class II violation.

Class III Violations

Class III violations are those violations that pose only a minor threat to water quality and have little or no known potential for causing a detrimental impact on human health and the environment. Class III violations include statutorily required liability for late reporting when such late filings do not result in causing an unauthorized discharge or allowing one to continue. Class III violations should only include violations by dischargers who are first time or infrequent violators and are not part of a pattern of chronic violations. Class III violations are all violations that are not class I priority or class II violations.

( Page last updated:  11/9/17