California Water Boards' Annual Performance Report
Fiscal Year 2025-26
TECHNICAL CONSIDERATIONS
- Data Source: CIWQS. Period July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026.
- Unit of Measure: Number of active NPDES permits for Major facilities as of June 30, 2026.
- Data Definitions: Permits issued during 2025/26: adoption date between July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026. Permits Current: Permits not expired and not issued in FY 2025/26. Permits Expired: permits with an expiration date before June 30, 2025 .
- References:
GLOSSARY
- Major Facility
- Major municipal dischargers include all facilities with design flows of greater than one million gallons per day and facilities with approved industrial pretreatment programs. Major industrial facilities are determined based on specific ratings criteria developed by US EPA/State.
- National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
- The NPDES permit program (Section 402 of the Clean Water Act) controls water pollution by regulating point sources that discharge pollutants into waters of the United States. Point sources are discrete conveyances such as pipes or man-made ditches. Individual homes that are connected to a municipal system, use a septic system, or do not have a surface discharge do not need an NPDES permit; however, industrial, municipal, and other facilities must obtain permits if their discharges go directly to surface waters. US EPA has approved the Water Board's program to issue NPDES permits.
- NPDES Permit
- The Clean Water Act prohibits anybody from discharging "pollutants" through a "point source" into a "water of the United States" unless they have an NPDES permit. The permit contains limits on what can be discharged, monitoring and reporting requirements, and other provisions to protect water quality and public health. In essence, the permit translates general requirements of the Clean Water Act into specific provisions tailored to the operations of each person discharging pollutants.
- Cannabis Program
- The General Waste Discharge Requirements and Waiver of Waste Discharge Requirements for Discharges of Waste Associated with Cannabis Cultivation Activities (General Order) is a General WDR and Conditional Waiver. The General Order incorporates the requirements of Cannabis Policy Attachment A and establishes additional requirements. The General Order provides a statewide tiered approach for permitting discharges of waste associated with cannabis cultivation to ensure all discharges or threats of discharges associated with cannabis cultivation activities do not adversely affect the quality or beneficial uses of waters of the state. Discharges may include, but are not limited to, sediment, irrigation runoff, nutrients, pesticides, fuels, domestic and industrial wastewater refuse, or other contaminants generated during the process of cultivating cannabis. Activities related to cannabis cultivation that may contribute to discharges include road construction, site preparation, grading, culvert installation, storage tank installation, or other activities necessary to maintain the site. The General Order applies to all enrolled cannabis cultivators and satisfies the Department of Cannabis Control's requirement to hold a Water Board–issued water quality permit before a cultivation license can be issued.
