HomeMy WebLinkAbout08.a. (Handout) California Water Boardhttp://www.swrcb.ca.govlwater—issueslprogramslowtsldocslproposed—owtspolicy20l2.pdf
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Water Quality Control Policy for
Sitting, Design, Operation, and
Maintenance of Onsite Wastewater
Treatment Systems
June 5, 2012
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STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD
REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOAR Ds
Underline /Strikeout Reflecting Revisions To March 20, 2012 Version
Preamble — Purpose and Scope — Structure of the Policy
6/5/2012
Preamble
Onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTS) are useful and necessary structures that
allow habitation at locations that are removed from centralized wastewater treatment
systems. When properly sited, designed, operated, and maintained, OWTS treat
domestic wastewater to reduce its polluting impact on the environment and most
importantly protect public health. Estimates for the number of installations of OWTS in
California at the time of this Policy are that more than 1.2 million systems are installed
and operating. The vast majority of these are functioning in a satisfactory manner and
meeting their intended purpose.
However there have been occasions in California where OWTS for a varied list of
reasons have not satisfactorily protected either water quality or public health. Some
instances of these failures are related to the OWTS not being able to adequately treat
and dispose of waste as a result of poor design or improper site conditions. Others
have occurred where the systems are operating as designed but their densities are
such that the combined effluent resulting from multiple systems is more than can be
assimilated into the environment. From these failures we must learn how to improve
our usage of OWTS and prevent such failures from happening again.
As California's population continues to grow, and we see both increased rural housing
densities and the building of residences and other structures in more varied terrain than
we ever have before, we increase the risks of causing environmental damage and
creating public health risks from the use of OWTS. What may have been effective in
the past may not continue to be as conditions and circumstances surrounding particular
locations change. So necessarily more scrutiny of our installation of OWTS is
demanded of all those involved, while maintaining an appropriate balance of only the
necessary requirements so that the use of OWTS remains viable.
Purpose and Scope of the Policy
The purpose of this Policy is to allow the continued use of OWTS, while protecting water
quality and public health. This Policy recognizes that responsible local agencies can
provide the most effective means to manage OWTS on a routine basis. Therefore as
an important element, it is the intent of this policy to efficiently utilize and improve upon
where necessary existing local programs through coordination between the State and
local agencies. To accomplish this purpose, this Policy establishes a statewide, risk -
based, tiered approach for the regulation and management of OWTS installations and
replacements and sets the level of performance and protection expected from OWTS.
In particular, the Policy requires actions for identified afeaswater bodies specifically
identified as part this Policy where OWTS contribute to water quality degradation that
adversely affect beneficial uses.
Underline /Strikeout Reflecting Revisions To March 20, 2012 Version
Preamble — Purpose and Scope — Structure of the Policy
6/5/2012
This Policy only authorizes subsurface disposal of domestic strength, and in limited
instances high strength, wastewater and establishes minimum requirements for the
permitting, monitoring, and operation of OWTS for protecting beneficial uses of waters
of the State and preventing or correcting conditions of pollution and nuisance. And
finally, this Policy also conditionally waives the requirement for owners of OWTS to
apply for and receive Waste Discharge Requirements in order to operate their systems
when they meet the conditions set forth in the Policy. Nothing in this Policy supersedes
or requires modification of Total Maximum Daily Loads or Basin Plan prohibitions of
discharges from OWTS.
This Policy also applies to OWTS on federal, state, and Tribal lands to the extent
authorized by law or agreement.
Structure of the Policy
This Policy is structured into ten major parts:
Definitions
Definitions for all the major terms used in this Policy are provided within this part and
wherever used in the Policy the definition given here overrides any other possible
definition.
[Section 11
Responsibilities and Duties
Implementation of this Policy involves individual OWTS owners; local agencies, be they
counties, cities, or any other subdivision of state government with permitting powers
over OWTS; Regional Water Quality Control Boards; and the State Water Resources
Control Board.
[Sections 2, 3, 4, and 51
Tier 0 — Existing OWTS
Existing OWTS that are properly functioning, and do not meet the conditions of failing
systems or otherwise require corrective action (for example, to prevent groundwater
impairment) as specifically described in Tier 4, and are not determined to be
contributing to an impairment of surface water as specifically described in Tier 3, are
automatically included in Tier 0.
[Section 6
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