Updated NPDES Compliance Inspection Manual Available

The recently updated National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Compliance Inspection Manual is now on the public EPA website.

Storm Water Permit Program For Transportation Facilities

To limit pollutants in storm water discharges from transportation facilities with vehicle maintenance shops and equipment cleaning, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Phase I Storm Water Program includes an industrial storm water permitting component.

Storm Water Permit Program Excludes Certain Facilities

Under the conditional no exposure exclusion, operators of transportation facilities have the opportunity to certify to a condition of "no exposure" if their industrial materials and operations are not exposed to storm water.

Vehicle Washing, Pressure/ Power Wash Discharges

Section 301 of the Clean Water Act prohibits a point source discharge of pollutants into waters of the United States without an National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit. To legally discharge its wash water, a pressure washer must obtain an NPDES permit for each discharge location.

Transportation Equipment Cleaning Effluent Guidelines

EPA has published a final Effluent Limitations Guidelines, Pretreatment Standards and New Source Performance Standards for the Transportation Equipment Cleaning Point Source Category. This regulation establishes technology-based effluent limitations guidelines for the discharge of pollutants into waters of the United States and into publicly owned treatment works by existing and new facilities that perform transportation equipment cleaning operations.

Certain Motor Vehicle Waste Disposal Wells Banned

During normal vehicle repair and maintenance activities, vehicle fluids may drip or spill or otherwise enter floor drains or sinks in service areas. These fluids may include: engine oil, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, brake fluid, hydraulic fluid, antifreeze, chlorinated or non-chlorinated parts-cleaning solvents and degreasers. If your facility has an onsite disposal system (e.g., a dry well or septic system), these fluids can introduce various toxic chemicals into sources of drinking water.

REFERENCE

U.S. EPA Regional, State Water Contacts EPA Office of Water EPA's NPDES Permit Program

Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans

Development, implementation and maintenance of a storm water pollution prevention plan will provide the tools to reduce pollutants contained in storm water discharges and comply with the requirements of the General Storm Water Permit.

Reportable Quantities

Here is a list of the reportable quantities of contaminants under the Clean Water Act.

The Clean Water Act

Growing public awareness and concern for controlling water pollution led to enactment of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972. As amended in 1977, this law became commonly known as the Clean Water Act. The act established the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States.

Pretreatment Standards For Waste Water

The General Pretreatment Regulations establish responsibilities of federal, state and local government, industry and the public to implement Pretreatment Standards to control pollutants from the industrial users which may pass through or interfere with publicly-owned treatment works treatment processes or which may contaminate sewage sludge.