Non-Chapter 15 Permitting, Surveillance and Enforcement

The North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board regulates the discharge of waste to surface waters (Rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands and the Pacific Ocean) as well as to storm drains, to the ground surface, and to groundwater.

The Non-Chapter 15 Permitting, Surveillance and Enforcement Program is a State mandated program under which Waste Discharge Requirements are issued to regulate the discharge of municipal, industrial, commercial and other wastes to land only. If the waste discharge consists only of non-process storm water, it may be regulated under the NPDES Stormwater program. The discharge of waste to surface water (Rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands, drains, and the Pacific Ocean) is regulated under the NPDES Permitting, Surveillance, and Enforcement program.

All municipalities within the North Coast Region which discharge wastewaters to land are currently regulated by Waste Discharge Requirements issued by the Regional Water Board. Industrial, commercial, or other operations which discharge to municipal, or other publicly owned wastewater collection systems are not required to obtain Waste Discharge Requirements under this program, but must comply with waste discharge requirements issued by the appropriate public entity.

Non-municipal waste discharges typically regulated by Waste Discharge Requirements under the Non-Chapter 15 Permitting, Surveillance and Enforcement program within the North Coast Region include:

  • Dairies
  • Mines
  • Mobile home parks
  • Sawmills
  • Wineries

All waste discharge requirements issued by the Regional Water Board include self-monitoring programs requiring the waste discharger to collect pertinent water quality data and to submit it to the Regional Water Board for evaluation of compliance with waste discharge requirements. In addition, Regional Water Board staff conducts periodic inspections of each regulated discharge to monitor compliance with waste discharge requirements.

The Regional Water Board may take enforcement action in response to significant or chronic waste discharge requirement violations under the authority of the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act (California Water Code). Enforcement action can range from Notices of Violation issued by Board staff, to Cleanup and Abatement Orders or Administrative Civil Liability Complaints issued by the Regional Water Board Executive Officer, to Cease and Desist Orders, Administrative Civil Liability Orders, including civil monetary penalties, or Referrals to the State Attorney General's Office by the Regional Water Board.

Persons seeking to obtain Waste Discharge Requirements will need to apply to the Regional Water Board using Form 200, which is in PDF Format.