Waste Discharges to Land
Overview
- Overview of Land Disposal (Title 27) Program
The Land Disposal Program regulates the discharge to land of certain solid and liquid wastes. These wastes include municipal solid waste (MSW), hazardous wastes, designated wastes, and nonhazardous and inert solid wastes. In general, these wastes cannot be discharged directly to the ground surface without impacting groundwater or surface water, and therefore must be contained to isolate them from the environment. The regulations applicable to these discharges are found in Title 27, for nonhazardous wastes, or Chapter 15 of Title 23, for hazardous wastes, of the California Code of Regulations. These regulations have both prescriptive and performance standards for waste containment, monitoring, and closure. The requirements are implemented through the adoption of Waste Discharge Requirements for the disposal facilities.
- Overview of Waste Discharge Requirements (Non-Chapter 15) 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), do not involve confined animal facilities, and involve no discharge of a pollutant to a surface water of the United States (which falls under the NPDES Program), but does include discharges to surface waters not subject to the NPDES Program. Each point of potential release of waste constituents, whether a feature for waste storage, treatment, disposal, or recycling, must be evaluated separately to determine under what program it must be regulated. Waste discharge requirements adopted under the WDR Program protect surface water by either proscribing discharge of a pollutant to waters of the U.S. or prescribing requirements for discharge to surface waters not waters of the U.S., and they protect groundwater by prescribing waste containment, treatment, and control requirements. Over 1200 discharges in this Region are regulated by orders adopted under the WDR Program.
Table of Contents
- Land Disposal (Title 27) Regulations and other documents
- Do I need a permit?
- Spill Reporting Requirements
- See "Consolidated Solid Waste Regulations" and "Hazardous Waste Regulations" under Laws, Regulations & Policies
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF TENTATIVE RESOLUTION R5-2026-XXXX APPROVING AN INITIAL STUDY AND NEGATIVE DECLARATION AND NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING FOR CONSIDERATION OF GENERAL WASTE DISCHARGE REQUIREMENTS FOR FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PACKING FACILITIES WITHIN THE CENTRAL VALLEY REGION
The Central Valley Water Board is seeking comments on the Tentative General Waste Discharge Requirements for Fruit and Vegetable Packing Facilities Within the Central Valley Region (Packing General Order) and Tentative Resolution Approving an Initial Study and Negative Declaration. The Packing General Order as currently proposed would cover discharges to land from fruit and vegetable packing facilities that discharge between 10,000 gallons and 180 million gallons of process wastewater annually. Please provide comments on the Preliminary Draft by 5:00 pm on 20 July 2026. Comments should be directed to centralvalleyfresno@waterboards.ca.gov and copy Katie.Carpenter@waterboards.ca.gov. For questions contact Katie Carpenter at (559) 445-5551.
The Central Valley Water Board will consider adoption of the Tentative General Order at a public meeting scheduled for 27-28 August 2026.
- Cover Letter
- Notice of Public Hearing - Packing General Order
- Tentative General Waste Discharge Requirements
- Notice of Intent Form
- Technical Requirements
- Monitoring and Reporting Program Template
- Standard Requirements for Monitoring Well Installations
- Owner/Operator Transfer Form
- Information Sheet
- Notice of Public Hearing - Initial Study
- Initial Study
- Tentative Resolution
Email Subscription List
Subscribe to the Waste Discharge Requirements (Non-Chapter 15) Program email list to receive notifications and updates.
Contact Us
- Land Disposal (Title 27) Program
John Murphy
(916) 464-4698
John.Murphy@waterboards.ca.gov
- Web page problems: webmaster5@waterboards.ca.gov
Facts and Information
- Program Overview
- Annual Report Videos for Fiscal Year 23/24
(Videos will open in YouTube)


