The California Water Boards' Annual Performance Report - Fiscal Year 2008-09

REGULATE: GROUNDWATER

MEASUREMENTS

WHAT THE MEASURE IS SHOWING

The data shows that the Site Clean Up program is very active in regions 2, 4 and 5.  The measure depicts the increasing workload in this program as the number of new cases documented exceeds the number of sites that are cleaned up and closed.

WHY THIS MEASURE IS IMPORTANT

Measuring the number of active cases, new cases and the number of cases closed is important because it shows the level of activity of the program and the level of resources necessary to handle the workload. It can also identify trends in different regions in the state.  Note that the cases represented by the data do not include all cases managed by the water boards.  They only include cases with direct impacts to ground or surface waters.

TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS

• Data source: GEOTRACKER.  Period July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009. Extracted on August 27, 2009.
• Data Definitions: Active Cases: The number of cases that had an Open status as of June 30, 2009. Cases In Active Remediation: Cases with a status of Open-Remediation any time between 07/01/2008 and 06/30/2009.
• References: More information on the Water Boards’ Site Cleanup program is available at: http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/ust/ and http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/losangeles/water_issues/programs/remediation/#gw_slic http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/#cleanup
• Public reports and data are available at: http://geotracker.waterboards.ca.gov/

GLOSSARY

Site Cleanup

The Site Cleanup program addresses commercial, industrial and other non-military sites with non-fuel contamination. Many of these sites are considered Brownfields because of their reuse potential. Site Cleanup Requirements generally mandate a time schedule for specific tasks that must be performed by the responsible party(ies) to investigate and clean up the site.  Water Board staff oversee implementation of these tasks including investigations, corrective actions, and human health risk assessments at sites with current or historic unauthorized discharges, which have adversely affected or threaten to adversely affect waters of the state.

Procedures for site investigation and remediation are promulgated in State Water Resources Control Board Resolution No. 92-49 entitled Policies and Procedures For Investigation and Cleanup and Abatement of Discharges Under Water Code Section 13304. Responsible parties conduct work in a stepwise fashion, starting with preliminary assessment, then soil and water investigation; interim remedial measures if warranted; risk assessment; setting cleanup goals; cleanup plan; cleanup implementation and monitoring. Most often, responsible parties conduct the work voluntarily, but sometimes enforcement orders are necessary to compel the work to be performed.

(Updated 9/20/11)