The California Water Boards' Annual Performance Report - Fiscal Year 2010-11

MEASUREMENTS  - Data last updated on: 

WHAT THE MEASURE IS SHOWING

The level and type of enforcement is similar among the regional boards for those facilities discharging under the WDR program. Most of the regional boards are issuing notifications of violations or requests for information. Three of regional boards issued a formal action that requires compliance with requirements. The Central Valley Regional Board issued 85% of all penalty actions issued in FY 10-11.

WHY THIS MEASURE IS IMPORTANT

Enforcement plays a significant role in the Water Boards'; strategies to protect water quality anrepresents a significant amount of work for both the State and Regional Boards. Enforcement deters potential violators and protects public health and the environment. Enforcement can prevent threatened pollution from occurring and can promote prompt cleanup and correctionof existing pollution problems. The Water Boards use progressive enforcement by addressing some violations with an informal response such as a phone call or staff enforcement letter followed, if needed, with a more formal action. If violations continue, the enforcement response should be quickly escalated to increasingly more formal and serious actions until compliance is achieved. This measure displays the use of formal versus informal actions to address documented violations.

TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS

• Data Source: CIWQS. Period: July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011. Extracted on July 29, 2011.
• Unit of Measure: Number of enforcement actions issued during FY 10-11.
• Data Definitions: ¹Informal Enforcement: Any communication that notifies the discharger of a problem ( For reporting purposes it includes 13,267 letters and notices to comply). ²Formal Enforcement: Administrative or Judicial Actions that impose sanctions and/or require compliance where a hearing is available to contest the allegations (For reporting purposes it does not include Administrative Civil Liabilities (ACL) Actions). Formal Penalty Enforcement: includes Administrative Civil Liability actions and any other monetary assessment imposed.
• References: The Water Boards' WDR NON15 Program
  Public Reports and Data
  Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Information
  The Water Boards' Enforcement Policy

GLOSSARY

Waste Discharge Requirements

The Waste Discharge Requirements (WDR) - Waste Discharges to Land Program regulates all point source discharges of waste to land that do not require full containment (which falls under the Land Discharge Program), or are not subject to the NPDES Program.

( Page last updated:  10/4/11 )