Water Quality Enforcement Policy
Water Quality Enforcement Policy
The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) and the nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards (Regional Water Boards), (collectively, the Water Boards), have primary responsibility for the coordination and control of water quality in California. The Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act (Wat. Code sections 13000 et seq.), grants the Water Boards the authority to implement and enforce water quality laws, regulations, policies, and plans to protect the underground water and surface waters of the State. The goal of the Enforcement Policy is to protect and enhance the quality of the waters of the State by defining an enforcement process that addresses water quality problems in the most fair, efficient, effective, and consistent manner. The 2024 Enforcement Policy provides guidance that enables the Water Boards staff to expend its limited resources in ways that openly address the greatest needs, deter harmful conduct, protect the public and achieve maximum water quality benefits. The Enforcement Policy addresses the enforcement component of the Water Board’s regulatory framework, which is a critical element of a successful regulatory program.
