U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL NVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ROTECTION AGENCY

OFFICE OF WASTEWATER ASTEWATER MANAGEMENT ANAGEMENT

Clean and sustainable water Clean and sustainable water 

now and in the future now and in the future 

2008

OWM Accomplishments Report
2 

Message from the Director 

August 2009 

Provide clean and safe 

water for future generations. 

This is the goal of all 

programs in the Office 

of Wastewater Management (OWM). Our 

programs strive to ensure our surface waters and aquatic ecosystems protect human 

health; support economic and recreational 

activities; and provide 

healthy habitat for fish, 

plants, and wildlife. 

The 2008 OWM Accomplishments Report highlights some 

of the most significant 

performance milestones that help OWM 

meet its goals. 

As we begin 2009, our 

nation is starting to 

understand it will be 

difficult to simply maintain the gains we made 

in the last 30 years. 

We face unprecedented challenges in 

the coming years: failing infrastructure, economic struggles at 

state and local levels, 

and unregulated 

sources of pollution. 

Our successes in 2008 

and the strong foundation of Clean Water Act 

inspired programs put 

us in a strong position 

to meet our goals. 

To meet and overcome 

our challenges, we will 

need the help and 

assistance of our 

partners, including 

state and local governments, tribes, and nongovernment organizations. 

Our challenges are 

daunting; they 

always are. However, 

we owe it to our children and grandchildren 

to leave them the 

same or better water 

quality we enjoy now. 

 

Jim Hanlon 

Director 

Office of Wastewater 

Management 
3 

Contents 

Message from the Director 2 

OWM Mission 3 

About OWM 4 

Program Highlights 6 

Results Areas 

 

Clean Water State Revolving Fund 7 

Water Efficiency 8 

Wet Weather / Stormwater Program 9 

Sustainable Infrastructure Initiative 10 

Rural Program 11 

State & Regional Program 12 

State & Tribal Water Pollution Control Grants 13 

Industrial Program 14 

Sustainable Communities 15 

OWM Mission 

To help meet the nation’s 

clean water goals by 

ensuring that appropriate 

regulatory standards, 

voluntary management 

approaches, information, 

financial resources, and 

technical assistance are 

provided to states, 

communities, and 

regulated entities.

Integrity—We aspire to 

the highest levels of fiscal 

and scientific reliability for 

our staff, programs, and 

research. 

Efficiency—Through strategic planning and prioritizing and establishing 

realistic goals, OWM has 

a successful track record, 

delivering substantial environmental gains. 

Results—Setting realistic 

goals and reaching or 

surpassing those goals is 

the cornerstone of OWM’s 

strategic plan. 
4 

About the Office of Wastewater 

Management 

Clean Water is the ultimate goal of all OWM programs. Overall, our 

programs are designed to ensure that not only is our water safe to 

drink, but that our surface waters and aquatic ecosystems protect human health; support economic and recreational activities; and provide 

healthy habitat for fish, plants, and wildlife. Our office supports EPA’s 

goals for clean and safe water and healthy communities and ecosystems. 

While OWM helps regulate and promote effective and responsible 

wastewater treatment, our programs consist of more than just wastewater management: 

For the past 22 years, the Clean Water State Revolving Fund programs have financed over 24,000 water quality protection projects for 

wastewater treatment and the control of nonpoint source pollution. 

One of our newest programs, WaterSense, makes it easy for consumers to find products and services that save water while ensuring product 

performance. 

Our Green Infrastructure 

initiative focuses renewed attention on a blossoming approach to stormwater management and treats stormwater as 

a valuable resource rather than 

as a problem. It promotes the 

use of green roofs, rain gardens, porous pavements, and 

other techniques that result in 

improved water and air quality, 

energy and costs savings, enhanced water supplies, habitat creation, and source water protection. 

The National Pollution Discharge Elimination System 

(NPDES) Program controls water pollution by regulating point 

sources that discharge pollutants into our surface waters. 

Our Stormwater Program oversees the control of stormwater runoff 

through the issuance of NPDES stormwater permits and provides outreach and support to EPA Regions and states on issuance and oversight of those permits. It also educates local governments, industries, 

builders, and the public about the impact stormwater has on our local 

waterways and how to keep pollutants out of stormwater. 

Under our Sustainable Infrastructure Initiative, OWM is promoting widespread adoption of better management practices, water efficiency, full-cost pricing, and watershed approaches to reduce costs and 

increase system investments. 

OWM Leadership 

James Hanlon, Director 

Judy Davis, Deputy Director 

Planning, Information & 

Resources Management 

Staff 

Ben Hamm, Director 

Municipal Support Division 

Sheila Frace, Director 

Bill Anderson, Deputy Director 

Municipal Assistance Branch 

 Kellie Kubena, Chief 

Municipal Technology Branch 

 Phil Zahreddine, Chief 

State Revolving Fund Branch 

 George Ames, Chief 

Water Permits Division 

Linda Boornazian, Director 

Elaine Brenner, Assoc. 

Director

State/Regional Branch 

 Tom Laverty, Chief 

Municipal Branch 

 Connie Bosma, Chief 

Rural Branch 

 Allison Wiedeman, Chief 
5 

How We Do Our Work 

The Office of Wastewater Management and its staff of more than 110 

employees promote effective and responsible water use, treatment, 

disposal, and management and encourage the protection and restoration of watersheds. OWM is comprised of an Immediate Office of the 

Director; the Water Permits Division (WPD); the Municipal Support Division (MSD); and the Planning, Information and Resources Management 

Staff (PIRMS). 

MSD helps manage the Clean Water State Revolving Fund programs; assists small communities and Indian tribes, U.S.-Mexico Border communities, and Alaska Native Villages; and develops special appropriations acts projects. The division maintains and regularly updates 

inventories and cost estimates of existing and needed future municipal 

wastewater treatment works and capital investments to meet the goals 

of the Clean Water Act. In addition, the division publishes technical 

information about conventional and innovative municipal wastewater 

collection systems and treatment technologies and provides support 

and technical assistance to EPA Regions and states to promote the 

proper management of on-site and decentralized wastewater systems 

nationwide. It also is promoting a national ethic of water efficiency and 

market enhancement for water-efficient products, programs, and practices through the new WaterSense program. 

WPD provides national program direction to the National Pollutant 

Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, pretreatment, and sewage sludge management programs under sections 401, 402, and 405 of 

the Clean Water Act, including: development of regulations, policy, and 

guidance; development of national strategies; implementation management; compliance assurance; and overview of Regional and state operations. The division also coordinates with the Office of Science and 

Technology (OST) in the development of national standards for point 

source controls, indirect dischargers, and biosolids use and disposal. 

OWM is committed to helping 

ensure that our Nation’s water 

resources will be available for 

future generations. 

Budget 

In FY 2008, OWM’s programs, 

including state and tribal assistance, accounted for more 

than $980 billion, or nearly 

one-fifth of EPA’s budget. 

Through its programs and 

initiatives, OWM promotes 

compliance with the requirements of the Clean Water Act 

(CWA). Under the CWA, 

OWM works in partnership 

with EPA’s Regions, states, 

local governments, and tribes 

to regulate point source discharges into surface waters 

such as wetlands, lakes, rivers, estuaries, bays, and 

oceans. 

Our Partners 

• EPA Regional Offices 

• State, Interstate, Tribal, 

and Local Programs 

• Water and Wastewater 

Agencies 

• Non-government 

Organizations 

• Private Industry 

• Regulated Community 

• Academic Institutions 

• Private Citizens 
6 

Highlights — 2008 Results 

Clean Water State Revolving Fund — Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) programs provided $5.8 billion in 2008 to fund 

water quality protection projects for wastewater treatment, nonpoint 

source pollution control, and watershed and estuary management. To 

date, CWSRFs have funded over $68.8 billion, providing over 22,700 

low-interest loans. 

Priority Permits — More than 95% of the 

priority permits were issued for FY 2008. OWM 

expanded the definition of “priority permits” to 

allow states and Regions to target permits of 

environmental concern that were previously 

outside the guidelines of the traditional definition. 

WaterSense — WaterSense launched its 

Partner of the Year Awards this year. The 

awards program recognizes partners in four categories—promotional, 

manufacturer, retailer/distributor, and irrigation—that help to advance 

the WaterSense mission, increase awareness of the program, and 

demonstrate excellence in the water-efficiency arena. 

NPDES Vessels Permit — OWM developed a new general permit 

that will help reduce releases of 26 types of discharges from vessels 

operating in U.S. waters. The permit covers vessels previously exempt from Clean Water Act requirements and significantly expands 

the NPDES universe. 

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations — OWM finalized 

its concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) rule, which embraces a zero discharge standard. For the first time, nutrient management plans for manure will be required as part of a CAFO’s NPDES 

permit application. The rule will prevent an estimated 56 million 

pounds of phosphorus, 110 million pounds of nitrogen, and 2 billion 

pounds of sediment from entering waterways annually. 

Improving Management of Decentralized Systems — 

OWM signed a voluntary agreement with 14 

national organizations to participate in a 

long-term, voluntary effort to strengthen 

management of septic systems at the local 

level by raising awareness, building local 

capacity, and distributing technical information to local officials. 

Mexico Border — Seventy-four Border 

Environment Infrastructure Fund projects, certified as of September 

2008, provide the capacity to eliminate nearly 300 million gallons/day 

of untreated or inadequately treated wastewater discharges. The program has accomplished its Border 2012 drinking water connection 

goal, with nearly 29,000 new drinking water connections, and has connected over 135,000 homes to sanitary sewer systems. 

Our Work 

• The NPDES Permit Program 

• Clean Water State Revolving 

Fund 

• Clean Watersheds Needs 

Survey 

• Sustainable Infrastructure 

• WaterSense Water Efficiency 

Program 

• Onsite/Decentralized Wastewater Systems Program 

• Innovative Management 

Systems (EMS, Asset 

Management, CMOM, etc.) 

• Infrastructure Grants 

(Congressional Earmarks) 

• Outreach, Technical 

Assistance, and Training 

Programs 

• State and Tribal Program 

Assistance (CWA Section 

106) 

• Small Communities 

• U.S.-Mexico Border 

• Wastewater Treatment 

Technologies 

• Water Quality Cooperative 

Agreements (104(b)(3)) 
7 

Green Infrastructure 

Green infrastructure is an innovative approach to wet weather 

management that is costeffective, sustainable, and environmentally friendly. As such, it 

makes for an ideal investment 

for CWSRFs. 

The CWSRF can fund the capital 

costs of green infrastructure 

projects with direct water quality 

benefits. Green infrastructure 

technologies infiltrate, 

evapotranspire, capture, and 

reuse stormwater to maintain or 

restore natural hydrologies. 

The objective of green infrastructure, like traditional infrastructure, is to protect clean water, 

manage stormwater, and ensure 

healthy soil or to provide recreational benefits. It is also used to 

achieve energy efficiencies. 

Green infrastructure projects 

eligible for CWSRF assistance 

include (but are not restricted to) 

rain gardens, green roofs, landscape swales, and porous pavement. To reduce energy costs, 

projects can take the form of 

solar panels or energy-efficient 

pumps, motors, and collection 

pipes. To address greenhouse 

gases, some utilities have installed combined heat and power 

practices to capture methane 

and convert it into heat and 

power. 

 

Clean Water State Revolving Fund 

In 2008, Clean Water State Revolving Fund 

(CWSRF) programs provided an unprecedented 

$5.8 billion to fund 2,030 loans to communities for 

water quality protection projects that included wastewater treatment, nonpoint source pollution control, 

and watershed and estuary management. Nationally, 98 percent of funds available to the program have been committed to projects. CWSRFs offer low interest rates, flexible terms, significant funding for nonpoint source pollution control and estuary protection, assistance to a variety of borrowers, and partnerships with other 

funding sources. Over the last 20 years, CWSRFs have funded $68.8 

billion in 22,700 low-cost loans for a variety of important water quality 

projects that help communities meet environmental standards and ensure public health. 

Management Assistance Reviews 

In FY 2008, the State Revolving Fund (SRF) Branch conducted management assistance reviews of the Clean Water State Revolving Fund 

and Special Appropriation Act Project (SAAP) programs in all ten Regions. As a result of the review, we now have a better understanding 

of how the Regions are managing the CWSRF and SAAP programs 

and their current concerns and/or issues. In addition, the review provided the SRF Branch with the opportunity to discuss several new 

headquarters initiatives, which we feel will be helpful in managing 

these programs, with Regional management. 

2008 CWSRF PISCES Awards 

The 2008 Performance and Innovation in the SRF Creating Environmental Success (PISCES) Awards highlight organizations and civic 

bodies that have used their expertise in planning, management, and 

financing to successfully further EPA water quality protection goals. 

The 34 recipients of the 2008 PISCES Awards represented a variety of 

innovations, including: upgrade and expansion of existing wastewater 

treatment plants, installation of advanced treatment technologies, construction of green infrastructure, and purchase of land for water quality 

protection. The 2009 awards will recognize individual state programs 

for outstanding management of their CWSRF. 

2009 CWSRF Conference 

Planning is currently underway for the 2009 CWSRF Conference. The 

conference will focus on the future of the CWSRF program and address the need for strategic management of the program. Conference 

sessions will provide an opportunity to examine the CWSRF from both 

a financial and programmatic standpoint. The conference will be held 

in Chicago, Illinois, on July 14-15, 2009, and is being co-sponsored by 

the Association of State and Interstate Water Pollution Control Administrators and the Council for Infrastructure Financing Authorities. 
8 

Water Efficiency 

WaterSense® 

Since the WaterSense® program began in 2006, it has quickly become 

a national standard for water efficiency among utilities, plumbing 

manufacturers, retailers, and consumers. As of December 2008, more 

than 800 bathroom sink faucets and faucet accessories and 300 toilets 

had earned the WaterSense label, which helps consumers make informed decisions when buying water-efficient products. 

In 2008, EPA estimates that consumers saved more than 9.3 billion 

gallons of water by installing WaterSense-labeled models. The associated water and wastewater utility bill savings was approximately $55 

million, and the associated energy reduction from pumping and treating 

less water was 1 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity. With additional 

products coming becoming available and partner involvement increasing, savings are expected to be even higher for 2009. 

In addition, more than 1,000 manufacturers, retailers, utilities, and irrigation professionals have partnered with the program, more than a 70 

percent increase in partnership compared to 2007. 

New Homes 

For more than two years, WaterSense has worked closely with industry 

stakeholders to identify criteria for water-efficient new homes. In May 

2008, a draft specification was released and received more than 500 

public comments. In fall 2008, WaterSense also began conducting a 

pilot program with seven builders located across the country who are 

building homes to meet the draft specification. 

High-Efficiency Toilets 

Toilet models that use less than 1.28 

gallons per flush and meet strict performance standards can earn the 

WaterSense label. WaterSense-labeled 

toilets are now widely available in a 

broad range of styles and price points. 

Bathroom Sink Faucets 

WaterSense-labeled faucets and faucet 

aerators use about 30 percent less water 

than standard faucets with no sacrifice in 

product performance. In 2008, faucets 

and faucet accessories began to earn 

the WaterSense label. 

Landscape Irrigation Professionals 

Four certification programs for landscape irrigation professionals have 

earned the WaterSense label for their adherence to water-saving techniques. As of December 2008, approximately 600 irrigation professionals had partnered with WaterSense after completing one or more of 

these certifications. 

Partner of the Year 

Awards 

WaterSense launched its 

annual awards program, recognizing the very first 

WaterSense Partners of the 

Year in four categories: promotional, manufacturer, retailer/distributor, and irrigation. 

Each of these four winners—

the Saving Water Partnership 

of Seattle, Kohler, Ferguson, 

and Timothy Malooly—helped 

to advance the WaterSense 

mission, increase awareness 

about the program in a measurable way, and demonstrate 

overall excellence in the water-efficiency arena. 
9 

Wet Weather / Stormwater Program 

Urban wet weather sources remain an important 

EPA priority because of the potential impacts on 

human health and the environment. Urban wet 

weather sources are among the most significant 

sources of water pollution today that EPA can address through the Clean Water Act. Adverse effects from wet weather are typically tied to the 

condition, type, and extent of the infrastructure. 

Green Infrastructure Action Strategy

OWM and its Partners for 

Green Infrastructure developed an action strategy that 

will use partner organizations 

to reduce stormwater runoff, 

combined sewer overflows, 

and nonpoint source pollution. 

The action strategy covers 

seven broad categories, including research, outreach, 

and demonstration projects. 

Stormwater Construction Permit 

OWM is re-issuing its stormwater Construction General Permit (CGP), 

which expired July 1, 2008, for two years. The CGP regulates the discharge of stormwater from construction sites that disturb one acre or 

more of land and from smaller sites that are part of a larger, common 

plan of development. The permit requires operators of the construction 

sites to use stormwater controls and develop stormwater pollution prevention plans to minimize the discharge of sediment and other pollutants associated with construction sites in stormwater runoff. 

OWM coordinated the permit with the development of a new effluent 

limitation guideline for the construction and 

development industry. 

Urban BMP Performance Tool 

The program developed a new Web-based 

tool to provide stormwater professionals with 

easy access to approximately 220 studies 

that assess the performance of over 275 

stormwater best management practices 

(BMPs). The tool provides access to studies 

covering a variety of traditional and lowimpact BMP types, including retention and 

detention ponds, biofilters, grassed filter 

strips, porous pavement, and wetlands. 

Stormwater 

Webcast Series 

OWM continued its very popular 

webcast series for municipal 

stormwater professionals. In 

2008, five webcasts were held 

on a variety of topics, including 

best management practice performance, stormwater retrofits, 

finding and fixing illicit discharges, and municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) 

program performance. The 

program also offered a Stormwater 101 Course. All the webcasts are available on the 

Stormwater program’s website 

(www.epa.gov/npdes/training). 
10 

Sustainable Infrastructure Initiative 

Our nation’s water infrastructure systems are aging, and much of it will be 

reaching the end of its useful life in the next 20 to 40 years. To address the 

mounting needs, OWM is partnering with other EPA offices and across the sector on the Sustainable Infrastructure Initiative. The Initiative aims to change the 

way the country views, values, and manages its water infrastructure. 2008 was 

a year of great progress for the Initiative, and some of the accomplishments are 

highlighted below. For more information on the Initiative, visit http://

www.epa.gov/waterinfrastructure/. 

Effective Utility Management 

Building on the ground-breaking agreement with six national associations to 

promote effective utility management in the 

water sector, OWM worked with the partners to 

release a number of tools that all parties are 

promoting. The cen- terpiece is “Effective Utility 

Management: A Primer for Water and 

Wastewater Utilities.” The primer walks through a 

description of the 10 attributes of effective utility 

management and a simple procedure for prioritizing those areas of most importance to a specific utility. It is ac- companied by a set of 

sample measures, which can be adopted to 

benchmark and track progress towards greater 

sustainability, as well as an on-line resources 

toolbox to aid in the process of improving performance under each attribute. In early spring of 

2009, the partnership released an initial set of 

case studies and an interactive Web-based presentation on effective utility 

management. 

Energy Management 

Using the energy management guidebook developed in partnership with EPA 

Region 1, OWM has initiated as series of workshops to help utilities review and 

reduce their energy usage. In 2008, workshops were held in six of EPA’s Regions, with the remaining Regions scheduled to receive workshops in 2009. To 

date, the workshops have included over 700 participants and are sparking both 

awareness and progress towards energy efficiency across the country. 

OWM has also expanded it partnership with the Office of Air and Radiation 

(OAR) to jointly pursue energy efficiency at utilities through both OAR’s benchmarking tools and fostering the adoption of combined heat and power strategies 

in the wastewater sector.

Asset Management 

OWM continued to expand its efforts to move asset management approaches 

into the mainstream of utility practice. The Office continued its ongoing national 

training program with four two-day sessions in 2008. Materials for the workshops were both expanded and compiled into a stand-alone training CD to expand their use beyond those who are able to attend the sessions. OWM also 

collaborated with EPA’s Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water 

as they released the Check Up Program for Small Systems (CUPSS), free asset management software that is geared towards small drinking water and 

wastewater facilities. 

OWM has also been collaborating with the Department of Transportation to 

foster cross-sector discussions and practice of asset management. The partnership will shortly release a set of case studies that illustrate the benefits and 

challenges of multi-sector implementation of asset management. 

Municipal Technology: Nutrients 

The Municipal Nutrient Removal Technologies Reference 

Document was developed to 

help municipal and utility owners and operators, engineers, 

local decision makers, and 

state permit writers and regulators plan cost-effective nutrient 

removal projects for municipal 

wastewater treatment facilities. 

The document presents detailed technical and cost information about existing nutrient 

removal technologies and information on emerging technologies, including detailed process 

descriptions, performance and 

reliability data, and operating 

factors for processes that can 

remove nitrogen, phosphorus, 

or both from municipal wastewater. The document also includes process performance 

and cost data for nine in-depth 

facility case studies. 

Clean Watersheds 

Needs Survey 

(CWNS) 

OWM delivered the Clean Watersheds Needs Survey 2004 

Report to Congress and published the data in user friendly, 

customizable reports at http://

www.epa.gov/

cwns/2004data.htm. These 

products provide policy makers 

and the public the ability to 

assess wastewater infrastructure needs in relationship with 

other environmental programs 

and data. For the CWNS 2008 

data collection, state and local 

partners initiated use of the 

new CWNS Data Entry Portal. 

The new data entry portal is 

providing greatly expanded 

access and decreased data 

entry time due to integration 

with other EPA data resources. 
11 

Rural Program 

The rural program strives to protect and improve water quality by developing and implementing NPDES programs that target rural areas and 

rural populations. The program develops regulations, policies, technical 

implementation guidance, and outreach for EPA Regions, states, and 

the general public. Significant achievements in 2008 include the following: 

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations Rulemaking 

In March, OWM proposed additional options to its 2006 proposal for 

concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) under the Clean Water Act. In October, OWM finalized its CAFO rule revisions, which maintain a no discharge standard for operations with permits. 

For the first time, nutrient management plans (NMP) for manure and 

process water will be required as part of a CAFO’s NPDES permit application. 

The NMP will be reviewed by the 

permitting authority and conditions from the plan will be incorporated as enforceable terms of the 

permit. The proposed NMP and 

permit must be available for public 

review and comment before going 

final. The regulation also requires 

that an owner or operator of a 

CAFO that actually discharges to 

streams, lakes, and other waters 

must apply for a permit under the Clean Water Act. Under the federal 

rule, a CAFO that does not discharge or propose to discharge may certify to the permitting authority that it does not need an NPDES permit. 

The rule will prevent an estimated 56 million pounds of phosphorus, 

110 million pounds of nitrogen, and 2 billion pounds of sediment from 

entering streams, lakes, and other waters annually. The final rule responds to a February 2005 federal court decision that upheld most of 

the Agency’s 2003 rule, but directed further action or clarification on 

some portions. After issuing the rule, EPA conducted numerous outreach activities to States and the regulated community, including a public webcast and presentations to stakeholder groups. 

Pesticide Spray Drift 

OWM worked closely with the Office of 

Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances to develop a draft Pesticide Registration (PR) Notice on pesticide drift 

labeling. The goal of the PR Notice is to 

provide guidance on revising pesticide 

drift labeling to improve its consistency, 

clarity, and enforceability and to propose 

labeling statements intended to minimize drift and to protect people and 

other non-target organisms and sites from adverse effects that may be 

caused by off-target pesticide drift. EPA plans to make the draft PR Notice available for public comment before the end of 2009. 

Water Transfers 

Rule 

OWM published a final rule in 

2008 that clarified that water 

transfers are excluded from 

regulation under the NPDES 

program. The rule defined a 

water transfer as an activity that 

conveys or connects waters of 

the United States without subjecting the transferred water to 

intervening industrial, municipal, or commercial use. This 

exclusion does not apply to 

pollutants introduced to the 

water being transferred by the 

water transfer activity itself. 

EPA issued the NPDES water 

transfers rule partly in response 

to several conflicting court decisions as to whether or not water transfers required NPDES 

permits. 

Since the rule was published, 

petitions for review were filed 

by both environmental groups 

and industry in various Courts 

of Appeal and two District 

Courts. The challenges to this 

rule have been stayed pending 

the outcome of a related case, 

Friends of the Everglades v. 

South Florida Water Management District. 
12 

State & Regional Program 

The state and Regional program provides technical and policy support to help 

implement the NPDES program. Through coordination with states and EPA Regions, the program guides consistent and effective translation of water quality 

goals and standards into permit limits and conditions. It resolves legal barriers 

that prevent optimal program implementation and provides proactive and consistent management of external legal drivers. It also provides timely information on 

the integrity of the NPDES program implementation while working cooperatively 

to produce efficient processes and measurable results. 

Permit Writers Conference 

In July, OWM sponsored a three-day National Permit Writers Workshop in 

Shepherdstown, WV. Over 165 attendees participated from EPA (headquarters 

and Regions) and 26 states. The workshop served as a forum for senior permit 

writers to learn about and discuss complicated issues they regularly face and to 

promote national consistency. 

Methylmercury Fish Tissue Criterion: 

Final Implementation Guidance 

EPA published the final guidance for implementing 

the January 2001 Methylmercury Water Quality Criterion, which provided technical guidance to states, 

territories, and authorized tribes exercising responsibility under CWA section 303(c) on how to use the 

new fish-based criterion recommendation in developing their own water quality standards for methylmercury and in implementing those standards in Total 

Maximum Daily Loads and NPDES permits. The 

guidance also includes a recommended approach for 

directly incorporating the methylmercury tissue criterion into NPDES permits. 

NPDES Permit Writers Training 

In 2008, the NPDES Permit Writers Course was held in five locations (San 

Diego, CA; Chicago, IL; Kansas City, MO; Montgomery, AL; and Woodbridge, 

VA) and provided basic NPDES training to 241 students. This course is EPA's 

principal tool to provide state and EPA permit writers with a comprehensive understanding of the core tenets of the NPDES permit program and to promote 

consistency across the states and Regions. The course has expanded and 

evolved over the past 20 years to address program changes and is highly rated 

by participants. 

Alaska and Other Program Approvals 

On October 31, 2008, after several years of working with the state, EPA approved Alaska to administer the NPDES permit program. OWM continued to 

work with Region 5 and the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) to ensure it 

has an adequate program prior to its receiving NPDES authorization. On October 15, 2008, the Region published a notice of its intent to approve the transfer 

of the NPDES program for permitting concentrated animal feeding operations to 

ODA, once conditions identified in the notice are satisfied. 

Climate Change 

Building upon the 2008 National Water Program’s Climate Change Strategy, 

OWM began assessing how climate change will affect the NPDES permit program. This comprehensive overview will help to determine which tools can be 

used to address climate change while determining how best to adapt current 

NPDES procedures to maintain the effectiveness of the program. 

Priority Permits 

In FY 2008, the definition of priority permits was expanded to allow 

states and Regions to target permits of environmental concern 

that were previously outside the 

guidelines of the traditional definition. For the fourth consecutive 

year, states and Regions issued 

over 95% of the priority permits to 

which they had committed. 

Permit Backlog 

Reduction 

For the second year since OWM 

began tracking the backlog in 

1999, states and Regions met the 

national goal of 90% current for 

individual and non-stormwater 

general permits. 

Permit Quality Reviews 

OWM continued to assess the 

integrity of the national NPDES 

program be performing permit 

quality review (PQRs). In 2008, 

PQRs were conducted in Regions 2, 3, 5, and 10. 

Action Items 

Regions, states, and territories 

have committed to approximately 

320 action items resulting from 

the 2005 Permitting for Environmental Results review of state 

and Regional NPDES permitting 

programs and the most recent 

PQRs. By the end of FY 2008, 

215 of the action items (67%) 

were completed. 

Petitions to Withdraw 

State NPDES Programs 

The Petition Response Team 

manages an Agency-wide effort 

to resolve petitions asking EPA to 

withdraw the authority of states 

that administer the NPDES permit 

program. In 2008, petitions to 

withdraw two state programs (in 

FL and NV) were resolved. Also, 

agreement had been reached on 

resolving two additional petitions 

(in PA and WA), which were in 

the formal concurrence process 

at the end of the year. 
13 

State & Tribal Water Pollution Control 

Grants 

Section 106 of the Clean Water Act authorizes EPA to provide federal 

assistance to states (including territories and the District of Columbia), 

interstate agencies, and Indian tribes to establish and implement ongoing water pollution control programs. Prevention and control measures 

supported by water quality management programs include permitting, 

pollution control activities, surveillance, monitoring, enforcement, advice and assistance to local agencies, and the provision of training and 

public information. 

Funding for Indian Tribes 

Federally recognized tribal lands cover over 110,000 square miles of 

the United States—more than the total land area of Nevada, the nation’s seventh largest state. Unlike a single state, however, these lands 

are held by 562 distinct Indian tribes, each with a unique set of water 

resources used for recreation, transportation, fishing, drinking water, 

ceremonial purposes, and more. Likewise, each tribe faces a separate 

set of challenges in protecting these resources. Together, Indian tribes 

are responsible for protecting and restoring tens of thousands of 

square miles of rivers, streams, and lakes as well as ground water. 

Of the 562 federally recognized tribes, approximately 377 meet the 

criteria to receive Section 106 funding. As of 2009, 67% (252) of these 

tribes have received EPA approval and are eligible to receive grants. 

For tribes, Section 106 grants are a crucial, dedicated source of funding for developing, maintaining, and expanding programs designed to 

control, prevent, and eliminate water pollution. 

Tribes began receiving Section 106 funds in 1989. Since then, the 

tribal set-aside has grown from less than $1 million to approximately 

$25 million. In the last eight 

years alone, the number of 

tribes eligible to receive Section 106 grants has nearly 

doubled. 

Tribes across the country are 

using Section 106 grants to 

identify and proactively address water quality priorities 

and concerns. Tribes can use 

Section 106 grants for a wide 

range of water pollution control activities, including: 

• Assessing water quality on tribal lands, 

• Establishing water quality goals and objectives, 

• Conducting regular monitoring and data reporting, and

• Implementing quality assurance processes to ensure 

data reliability.

Water Monitoring 

Initiative 

OWM has been working with 

EPA’s Office of Wetlands, Oceans 

and Watersheds (OWOW) on a 

effort to enhance state monitoring 

strategies and implement a multiyear statistically valid survey of 

the nations waters. 

Using approximately $18.5 million 

per year, OWM and OWOW are 

working with states and tribes to 

enhance their water quality monitoring programs and collect and 

report on water quality monitoring 

data collected through the statistically-valid surveys. This will allow 

EPA, states, and tribes to continue 

to report on the condition of the 

nation's waters and make significant progress toward assessing 

trends in water condition in a scientifically defensible manner. 
14 

Industrial Program

Wastewater discharges from industrial sources may contain pollutants 

at levels that affect the quality of receiving waters. OWM’s industrial 

program works to protect and improve water quality through technology-based and water quality-based permitting. Stormwater, pretreatment, and industrial permitting are within its scope. As part of the 

NPDES permit program, it establishes specific requirements that control 

the pollutant discharges from industrial sources. 

NPDES Vessels Permit 

A new general permit, developed by OWM, will help reduce releases of 

26 types of discharges from vessels operating in U.S. waters. The new 

permit significantly expands the NPDES universe: approximately 

61,000 domestically flagged 

commercial vessels and 8,000 

foreign flagged vessels will need 

to comply with the permit. 

The permit covers vessels previously exempt from Clean Water 

Act requirements. OWM met a 

court-ordered deadline and delivered a protective and practical 

permit. The permit covers nonrecreational vessels 79 feet in length or longer, such as cruise ships or 

oil and cargo tankers, but excludes fishing vessels of any length, unless 

they discharge ballast water. It also incorporates the Coast Guard’s 

mandatory ballast water management and exchange standards and 

provides technology-based and water-quality-based effluent limits for 

other types of discharges, including deck runoff from rain or cleaning; 

ballast water used to stabilize ships; and “gray water” from showers, 

sinks, and laundry machines. 

New MSGP Permit 

The 2008 Multi-Sector General Permit (2008 MSGP) was issued on 

September 29, 2008. The 2008 MSGP provides coverage for industrial 

stormwater discharges in five states, U.S. territories, some federal facilities, and tribal lands. The permit addresses 30 industrial sectors. The 

2008 MSGP offers several changes from the previous permit, including: 

• Reorganized permit that clearly spells out: (1) requirements affecting the installation of stormwater controls to meet technology-based 

and water quality-based effluent limits, (2) inspection and effluent 

monitoring requirements, and (3) the development of the stormwater pollution prevention plans. 

• New requirements to annually report inspection findings and the 

results of corrective actions to EPA. 

• Improved tools for identifying receiving waters and notifying EPA of 

the location of impaired waterbodies and the pollutants of concern. 

• Fast and easy electronic submission of notices of intent (NOIs) 

through the e-NOI system operated by headquarters, with automated email explanations and reminders of monitoring requirements. 

• Electronic submission of monitoring results under the e-NOI 

 system. 

Policy Memos & Fact 

Sheets 

In 2008, the Industrial Branch developed a number of significant 

policy memos and fact sheets, 

including: 

• A characterization of the 

emerging biodiesel industrial 

manufacturing process and 

potential sources of wastewater generation. In addition, 

EPA evaluated the existing 

technology-based standards to 

determine their applicability to 

wastewater permitting discharges from the biodiesel 

manufacturing industry.

• A memo providing clarity on 

the review of existing permit 

requirements implementing 

Clean Water Act Section 316

(a) requirements for thermal 

variances in NPDES permits.

• Two fact sheets for the pretreatment program, one providing guidance to publicly 

owned treatment works that 

minimize certain monitoring 

requirements and one that 

clarifies guidance in developing effluent limits. See: 

“Applicability of Effluent Guidelines and Categorical Pretreatment Standards to Biodiesel 

Manufacturing” and 

“Pretreatment Streamlining 

Rule Fact Sheet 6.0: Optional 

Sampling Waiver for Pollutants 

Not Present.”
15 

Sustainable Communities 

Small, rural communities (communities with fewer than 10,000 people), Indian 

reservations, and communities along the U.S.-Mexico border have historically 

experienced difficulty in achieving Clean Water Act goals, due in part to lack of 

resources and technical expertise. The Sustainable Communities program aims 

to provide small and underserved communities with the financial and technical 

assistance and education necessary to achieve sustainable, appropriate, and 

cost-effective water infrastructure. 

Agreement to Improve Management of Septic Systems 

On November 19, 2008, Assistant Administrator 

Benjamin H. Grumbles hosted a signing ceremony to announce a long-term, voluntary effort 

to strengthen management of septic systems at 

the local level. Proper management of septic 

systems is critical to protecting human health 

and the environment. One-quarter of American 

homes use septic treatment systems, and a third 

of all new developments in the United States use 

them. EPA will work closely with the 14 national signatory organizations over the 

coming years to raise awareness, build local capacity, and distribute technical 

information to help local officials ensure better management of septic systems. 

Alaska Native Village (ANV) Program 

With support from Region 10, the ANV program has coordinated with the Safe 

Drinking Water Act Program and the Clean Water Act Indian Set-aside Program 

to increase the percentage of homes in Alaska with drinking water or sewer services from about 60 percent in 1993 to nearly 92 percent in 2008. The program 

utilized findings from the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB’s) Program 

Assessment Rating Tool (PART) reassessment to substantially improve program 

accountability and ultimately received a significantly improved score. A Webbased project tracking system has been implemented, a program management 

procedure was developed, and a more meaningful program efficiency measure

was developed in coordination with OMB. 

Rural Community Assistance Partnership (RCAP) 

Through their mission to help rural people 

improve the quality of life in their communities, RCAP assisted small, lower income 

rural communities to resolve water supply 

and waste disposal problems and needs by 

providing technical assistance, training, and 

information dissemination and coordinating 

community leaders and outside agencies. 

Last year, RCAP held 81 training workshops for nearly 3,000 community leaders 

in 28 states and territories. RCAP served about 372,000 people through 170 

technical assistance projects in 184 communities. RCAP has successfully leveraged and combined funding from other state and federal loan programs, such 

that for each dollar that EPA invested in RCAP for wastewater, about $7.80 was 

spent for communities to have a wastewater system installed or updated. 

Clean Water Indian Set-Aside (CWISA) Grant Program 

The CWISA program awarded $10.3 million in grants to Indian tribes for planning, design, and construction of wastewater treatment facilities in Indian Country. Over 4,300 homes in tribal lands received assistance from the CWISA Program to meet basic wastewater needs. OWM continues to be involved in the 

Inter-Agency Tribal Infrastructure Taskforce, coordinating approaches to improve 

access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation in Indian Country. 

U.S.-Mexico Border 

In June, OWM hosted the Mexican National Water Commission 

(CONAGUA), North American 

Development Bank, Border Environment Cooperation Commission, and EPA Regions 6 and 9 

at meetings in Washington, DC. 

The group discussed future 

planning for the program, which 

benefits the environment and 

public health along the U.S.-

Mexico Border through a collaborative bi-national effort of U.S. 

and Mexican organizations. 

OWM also worked with Office of 

the Chief Financial Officer and 

EPA Regions 6 and 9 to respond 

to recommendations made in the 

Office of Inspector General Audit 

Report, "Improvements Needed 

to Ensure Grant Funds for U.S.-

Mexico Border Water Infrastructure Program Are Spent More 

Timely." Implementation of audit 

recommendations as well as 

other program enhancements 

have resulted in the accelerated 

disbursement of program funds 

that are resulting from advancements in construction projects. 

Seventy-four Border Environment Infrastructure Fund projects 

certified as of September 2008 

provide the capacity to eliminate 

nearly 300 million gallons/day of 

untreated or inadequately treated 

wastewater discharges. The 

program has accomplished its 

Border 2012 drinking water connection goal, with nearly 29,000 

new drinking water connections, 

and has connected over 135,000 

homes to sanitary sewer systems. The Tijuana, Tecate, and 

Mexicali water utilities are 

counted in the top 10 most efficient public utilities in Mexico, 

with Tijuana rated #1.
16 

United States Environmental Protection Agency 

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, (4201M) 

Washington, DC 20460 

EPA 832-R-09-004 

September 2009 

www.epa.gov/owm

Recycled/Recyclable--Printed with vegetable oil based inks on 100% postconsumer, process 

chlorine free recycled paper. 

We welcome your comments! 

Thank you for your interest in the OWM annual report. We welcome all comments 

and suggestions about how we can make this report a more useful and informative 

document for our readers. Please send comments to gude.karen@epa.gov or: 

Karen Gude 

Communications Coordinator 

Office of Wastewater Management 

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW 

Mail Code 4201M 

Washington, DC 20460