Non-Chapter 15 Program (Waste Discharge Requirements for Land Disposal)

The Colorado River Basin Region (Regional Water Board) developed this web page to provide information on the State and Regional Water Board Non-Chapter 15 Program for waste discharge requirements to land. Also, provided are links to the Grant and Funding Programs and Wastewater Organizations.

The objective of this program is to protect the quality and beneficial uses of the Region’s waters. There are a total of 260 facilities in this Region regulated by this program. These include municipal wastewater treatment plants, industrial facilities, domestic and site sewage disposal systems, reclaimed water facilities and municipal sludge application sites.

If waste is being applied to land then the discharge may require Waste Discharge Requirements.

The discharge needs to be characterized in order to know if there are constituents that may exceed water quality goals. Part of this determination may include reviewing the MSDS sheet for the existing material being removed, evaluating what other waste may be generated or discharged due to this particular activity and then determining whether any constituents may exceed water quality goals for the beneficial uses of the ground water.

Quick Links

Overview

State regulations pertaining to the treatment, storage, processing, or disposal of solid waste are found in Title 27, CCR, Section 20005 et seq. (hereafter Title 27). In general, the Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs) Program (sometimes also referred to as the “Non Chapter 15 (Non 15) Program”) regulates point discharges that are exempt pursuant to Subsection 20090 of Title 27 and not subject to the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. Exemptions from Title 27 may be granted for nine categories of discharges (e.g., sewage, wastewater, etc.) that meet, and continue to meet, the preconditions listed for each specific exemption. The scope of the WDRs Program also includes the discharge of wastes classified as inert, pursuant to section 20230 of Title 27, and from confined animal feeding operations, which the State Water Board administratively determined to not be subject to Title 27 or Chapter 15 or federal NPDES regulations.

State Water Resource Control Board Information

Regional Water Resource Control Board Information

RWQCB Board Orders

Grant and Funding Programs

Wastewater and Other Organizations

Technical Documents

Questions or Comments about the Non-Chapter 15 Program?

  • Regional Water Board Contact Information
    Please email Jose Cortez or phone (760) 776-8963
  • State Water Board Contact Information
    Please email Timothy O'Brien or phone (916) 341-6904