OFFICE OF WASTEWATER ASTEWATER 

MANAGEMENT ANAGEMENT 

2012 ANNUAL REPORT 
                                   

                                     

                             

                                   

                                    

                                 

                                

                                   

                             

                               

                     

                         

                                 

                               

  

                           

                     

                         

                               

                             

                     

                             

                                 

                                 

                               

                                   

                                

                                   

        

            

              

                     

  

   

                          

                                             

                                             

                             

                                         

  

         

   

Message from the Acting Director 

This year has been one of big achievements and big changes for EPA’s Office of Wastewater Management (OWM). The

year marked the 40th anniversary of the Clean Water Act. The Act has served as a comprehensive, national strategy for

dealing with water pollution, helping to eliminate unchecked pollution, keeping billions of pounds of sewage, chemi‐

cals, and trash out of our waterways, and providing substantial federal assistance to state and local governments to

provide and assure adequate clean water infrastructure. The Act serves as a foundation for many of OWM’s programs.

Throughout fiscal year (FY) 2012, OWM continued its work, in partnership with states, local governments, and the

private sector, to implement Clean Water Act protections, helping to safeguard and maintain our nation’s waterways.

In FY 2012, OWM worked with its partners to limit pollution from stormwater and reduce overflows from sewer sys‐

tems. In coordination with EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA), OWM outlined new

flexibilities as a part of its Integrated Municipal Stormwater and Wastewater Planning Approach Framework, to help commu‐

nities prioritize wastewater and stormwater infrastructure investments and take advantage of innovative, cost‐saving

solutions. OWM also continued to champion green infrastructure approaches, allocating $950,000 to provide technical

assistance to communities across the country to expand green infrastructure use and, in September 2012, hosting a con‐

ference with the White House Council on Environmental Quality to explore pathways to more broadly implement

green infrastructure.

This year, OWM continued to provide national direction for financial assistance programs that support wastewater

treatment and nonpoint source control, water quality management, and wastewater infrastructure for communities

across the country, including small and disadvantaged communities. Through these programs, including the Clean

Water State Revolving Fund Program, Section 106 Grant Program, Clean Water Indian Set Aside Program, Alaska Na‐

tive Villages Grant Program, and U.S.‐Mexico Border Water Infrastructure Program, EPA awarded more than $1.9 bil‐

lion to state and tribal governments in FY 2012 alone.

Also in FY 2012, OWM’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program continued to im‐

plement a number of important Clean Water Act protections and worked to improve the management and oversight

of state programs. In FY 2012, the NPDES program issued its first‐ever Pesticide General Permit, a revised Construc‐

tion General Permit, and draft Vessel General Permits. OWM also transitioned the NPDES permit quality review

(PQR) process from EPA headquarters to the Regions and launched an effort to combine the PQR process with

OECA’s State Review Framework process into a single, integrated process for oversight of state NPDES programs.

Moving forward, OWM will continue to focus its energy and resources on effective implementation of its clean water

programs in order to:

 Promote green and sustainable water infrastructure,

 Champion water conservation and effective utility management,

 Assist small, underserved communities with targeted technical and financial assistance to support infrastruc‐

ture development,

 Promote environmental justice, and

 Produce results that support EPA’s mission to protect human health and the environment.

As we close out 2012, I also want to recognize the retirement, in May 2012, of James Hanlon after 39 years of dedicated

federal service, the last 10 of those as OWM’s director. Jim’s tenure in OWM led to the success of many of its key pro‐

grams, including the implementation of the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, the establishment of EPA’s WaterSense

program, and the maturation of the NPDES program. All of us in OWM thank him for his service to the American

public.

Randolph L. Hill, Acting Director

Office of Wastewater Management

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Table of Contents 

Message from the Acting Director 2
 

About the Office of Wastewater Management 4‐5
 

2012 Program Highlights 6
 

Results Areas
 

Clean Water State Revolving Fund Program 7
 

WaterSense Program 8
 

Stormwater Program 9
 

Sustainable Management Program 10
 

Rural Program 11
 

State and Regional Program 12
 

State and Tribal Water Pollution Control Grants 13
 

Industrial Program 14
 

Sustainable Communities Program 15
 

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About the Office of Wastewater Management 

Clean Water is the goal of all OWM programs. Through its programs and initiatives, OWM promotes compliance

with the requirements of the Clean Water Act. Overall, OWM’s programs are designed to ensure our surface wa‐

ters and aquatic ecosystems protect public health, support economic

and recreational activities, and provide a healthy habitat for fish, plants,

and wildlife. OWM 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 wastewa‐

ter management:

	 Since its inception, 25 years ago, the Clean Water State Revolving

Fund programs have provided more than $95 billion in funding to

support nearly 31,900 low‐interest loans for wastewater treatment,

control of nonpoint source pollution, and estuary protection.

	 Through WaterSense, OWM is helping to raise national awareness of water as a valuable resource; encourage

water efficiency among utilities, manufacturers, retailers, and consumers; and make it easy for consumers to

find products and services that save water while ensuring product performance. To date, the WaterSense pro‐

gram has helped save consumers more than 287 billion gallons of water and over $4.7 billion in water and en‐

ergy bills.

	 Under its Sustainable Infrastructure Program, OWM is promoting widespread adoption of better utility man‐

agement practices, water efficiency practices, effective energy management, full‐cost pricing, and watershed

approaches to reduce costs and increase system investments.

	 Through its Sustainable Communities Program, OWM is targeting technical and financial assistance with its

partners to support infrastructure development that will reduce health risks and increase economic opportu‐

nity for small, underserved communities that face a disproportionate lack of access to adequate and sustain‐

able wastewater treatment.

	 The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Program controls water pollution by regulating point

sources that discharge pollutants into our surface waters. In FY 2012, under EPA’s NPDES program, permits

that implemented Clean Water Act requirements for industrial sources, municipal treatment plants, and

stormwater management prevented the discharge of an estimated 205 billion pounds of pollutants into U.S.

waterways.

	 OWM’s Green Infrastructure initiative focuses attention on an approach to wet weather management that

treats stormwater as a valuable resource rather than as a problem. It promotes the use of green roofs, rain gar‐

dens, 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.

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The Office of Wastewater Management ‘s mission is 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. OWM and its staff of

more than 100 employees promote effective and responsible water use, treatment, disposal, and manage‐

ment and encourage the protection and restoration of

watersheds.

In FY 2012, OWM’s programs, including state and tribal assis‐

tance, accounted for almost $1.7 billion, or more than 20 per‐

cent of EPA’s budget.

The Office of Wastewater Management comprises an Immedi‐

ate Office of the Director; the Water Permits Division (WPD);

the Municipal Support Division (MSD); and the Planning, In‐

formation and Resources Management Staff (PIRMS).

The Municipal Support Division manages the Clean Water

State Revolving Fund program, assists small communities

and Indian tribes, U.S./Mexico border communities, and

Alaska Native Villages, and implements special appropria‐

tions acts projects. MSD works to promote sustainable waste‐

water infrastructure and improve wastewater management.

The division also maintains and regularly updates invento‐

ries and cost estimates of existing and needed future munici‐

pal wastewater treatment works and capital investments to

meet the goals of the Clean Water Act. In addition, the divi‐

sion 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. Through the WaterSense program, the

division promotes a national ethic of water efficiency and

market enhancement for water‐efficient products, programs,

and practices.

The Water Permits Division provides national program di‐

rection to the NPDES permit, pretreatment, and sewage

sludge management programs under the Clean Water Act.

WPD develops regulations, policy, guidance, and national

strategies related to NPDES permits, manages national

implementation of the NPDES program, and oversees Re‐

gional and state operations. The division also coordinates

with the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance to

promote compliance with NPDES requirements, and with the

OWM Leadership

October 2012

Randolph L. Hill, Acting Director
 

Sheila Frace, Acting Deputy Director
 

Planning, Information &
 

Resources Management Staff
 

Sarita Hoyt, Acting Director

Municipal Support Division

Bill Anderson, Acting Director
 

Bonnie Gitlin, Acting Deputy Director
 

Sustainable Communities Branch

Kellie Kubena, Chief

Sustainable Management Branch

Gary Hudiburgh, Acting Chief

State Revolving Fund Branch

George Ames, Chief

WaterSense Branch

Veronica Blette, Chief

Water Permits Division

Deborah Nagle, Director
 

Brian Frazer, Deputy Director
 

State and Regional Branch

Tom Laverty, Chief
 

Ross Brennan, Assoc. Chief
 

Municipal Branch

Connie Bosma, Chief

Rural Branch

George Utting, Acting Chief

Industrial Branch

Marcus Zobrist, Chief

Office of Science and Technology in the development of national standards for point sources and indirect

dischargers.

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2012 Program Highlights 

Promoting Consistency and Transparency in State NPDES Program Oversight — OWM contin‐

ued its work to enhance the effectiveness of its oversight of state NPDES permitting programs. It

transitioned the permit quality review (PQR) process from EPA Headquarters to EPA Regions

and launched an effort to combine the PQR process (housed in OWM) with the State Review

Framework process (housed in EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assistance) into a

single, “integrated” process for oversight of state programs. Working with OECA and the Re‐

gions, it developed tools and a management framework to standardize the process of review and

enhancement of memoranda of agreement for state NPDES programs.

Using Integrated Planning to Manage Stormwater Releases — To help local governments de‐

velop stormwater and wastewater management plans to reduce overflows and keep raw sewage

and pollutants out of the nation’s waters, OWM issued a new Integrated Municipal Stormwater and

Wastewater Planning Approach Framework. The framework provides EPA, states, and local govern‐

ments with guidance on how to develop and implement effective integrated planning approaches

for municipal stormwater and wastewater management. Once developed, the plans will help

communities prioritize their investments in stormwater and wastewater infrastructure while im‐

proving the flexibility to pursue innovative, cost‐savings solutions, like green infrastructure.

Promoting Sustainability Planning — To help address the ongoing challenge of sustaining our

water infrastructure, OWM released a comprehensive handbook, Planning for Sustainability: A

Handbook for Water and Wastewater Utilities, to help water sector utilities build sustainability con‐

siderations into their planning. The handbook will help utilities ensure that water infrastructure

projects across the nation, including those funded through the State Revolving Fund programs,

are sustainable and support the long‐term sustainability of the communities these utilities serve.

Connecting Veterans with Water Sector Jobs — To help connect veterans with disabilities to

career opportunities in the water and wastewater sectors, EPA and the U.S. Department of Veter‐

ans Affairs (VA) Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program signed a memorandum of

understanding (MOU) as part of EPA’s Water Sector Workforce Initiative. The agreement demon‐

strates EPA’s and the VA’s commitment to connect qualified veteran employees with staffing

needs at water and wastewater utilities.

Challenging Students to Seek Innovative Approaches to Stormwater Management — To

help raise awareness of green design and planning approaches at colleges and universities and

train the next generation of landscape architects, planners, and engineers in green infrastruc‐

ture principles and design, OWM launched a new design competition, the Campus

Rainworks Challenge, to encourage student teams on college and university campuses across

the country to develop innovative approaches to stormwater management.

Promoting Responsible Water Reuse — To help facilitate the use of reclaimed water as an alter‐

native source to conventional water supplies, EPA’s Office of Research and Development and

Office of Water issued EPA’s 2012 Guidelines for Water Reuse. These reuse guidelines update and

build on the Agency’s previous reuse guidelines issued in 2004, incorporating information on

water reuse that has been developed since the 2004 document was issued.

Enabling Apartments & Condominium Units to Earn the WaterSense Label — OWM modified

its specification for new homes to enable apartment and condominium units to earn the Wa‐

terSense label, update product requirements, and adjust landscape criteria. WaterSense labeled

new homes allow residents to save water and energy inside and out by using WaterSense labeled

plumbing fixtures, efficient hot water systems, and low‐maintenance, water‐smart landscapes.

Compared to traditional homes, WaterSense labeled new homes can save a family of four up to

50,000 gallons of water and as much as $600 in water and energy bills annually.

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Clean Water State Revolving Fund Program 

Since the inception of the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) in 1987, the fund has provided more than $95 billion in financing

for important water quality protection projects through nearly 31,900 assistance agreements. These projects include wastewater treatment,

nonpoint source pollution control, and watershed and estuary management. In 2012 alone, CWSRFs provided low interest rates, flexible

terms, and assistance through 1,947 assistance agreements. CWSRF‐funded projects have helped communities meet environmental stan‐

dards, protect valuable resources, and ensure public health.

American Reinvestment
 

and Recovery Act (ARRA):
 

Management &
 

Oversight – In 2010, the EPA
 

allocated $4 billion in ARRA fund‐

ing to the CWSRF. More than 1,870

loans were executed with these

funds. By the end of FY 2012, more than 96 percent of these funds

were expended to fund efforts improving our nation’s wastewater

systems, public health, and the quality of the environment while

also creating and saving jobs. From FY 2009 to FY 2012, the

CWSRF team has conducted continuous management and over‐

sight of the ARRA funds in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.

Promoting Sustainability Planning – To further promote

sustainability within the state revolving fund community, EPA also

released Sustainability and the Clean Water State Revolving Fund: A

Best Practices Guide. This document compiles existing policies and

practices that support EPA’s Clean Water and Drinking Water Infra‐

structure Sustainability Policy, and highlights innovative projects

and financing

mechanisms not

widespread among

the states.

In addition, EPA

released two

reports detailing

pilot efforts in

California and

Maryland, exploring opportunities for their SRF programs to fur‐

ther support sustainable, livable communities.

CWSRF Green Project Reserve – Through the Green Pro‐

ject Reserve (GPR), all CWSRF programs are required to direct a

portion of their capitalization grant toward projects that address

green infrastructure, water

efficiency improvements, en‐

ergy efficiency improvements,

or other environmentally inno‐

vative activities. While these

types of projects have always

been eligible for CWSRF fund‐

ing, the GPR originated with

ARRA. With the success of the

GPR implemented under

ARRA—approximately 30 per‐

cent of total ARRA funding for

CWSRF projects went to GPR

projects—the Green Project

Reserve has been required by

CWSRF appropriations every year since FY 2010. The CWSRF pro‐

gram, through GPR, is helping achieve innovative solutions to

wastewater infrastructure needs, achieving economic and environ‐

mental benefits that will continue to accrue for years to come.

In FY 2012, OWM developed a new website (http://water.epa.gov/

grants_funding/cwsrf/Green‐Project‐Reserve.cfm) to share infor‐

mation about the CWSRF program, providing state revolving fund

programs and other stakeholders with guidance, case studies, and

other resources to assist in implementing the program. In addition,

OWM released a suite of new materials highlighting the innovative

approaches that states have used to successfully implement

“green” projects using the CWSRF GPR. These included: the ARRA

Clean Water State Revolving Fund Green Project Reserve Report, which

examines the performance of the CWSRF ARRA GPR and high‐

lights a number of innovative state approaches to successfully im‐

plement the GPR, as well as eight case studies and two videos

highlighting specific projects funded by the CWSRF GPR.

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 WaterSense Program 

WaterSense is a national symbol for water efficiency among utilities, plumbing manufacturers, retailers, and consumers. WaterSense la‐

beled products and new homes have helped consumers save billions of gallons of water. As of the end of September 2012, more than 3,500

bathroom sink faucets and faucet accessories, 1,100 tank‐type toilets, 140 flushing urinal fixtures and valves, and 600 showerhead models

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

First Community in Nation Where All New Homes

Earn WaterSense Label — In January 2012, zHome, an ultra‐

sustainable, 10‐unit townhome development in Issaquah, Washing‐

ton, became the first community in the nation

in which every home has earned the Wa‐

terSense label for new homes. zHome was

designed to push the limits of sustainable, pro‐

duction housing. It is the first zero‐energy,

carbon‐neutral townhome community in the

U.S., and also received the Forest Stewardship

Council’s 2011 award for the best residential

project in North America. In addition, zHome

strove to demonstrate a multitude of water‐

efficient technologies, with a net reduction of 70 percent in potable

water use compared to a typical King County, Washington home.

Program Updates —

In November 2011, OWM

released a final specification for

weather‐based irrigation con‐

trollers, the first outdoor prod‐

uct category to become eligible

to earn the WaterSense label. In

May 2012, the first weather‐

based irrigation controllers

earned the WaterSense label. WaterSense labeled irrigation con‐

trollers operate like a thermostat for your sprinkler system, tell‐

ing it when to turn on and off based on local weather conditions.

Experts estimate that up to 50 percent of commercial and resi‐

dential irrigation water use goes to waste due to inefficient irri‐

gation methods and systems.

In September 2012, OWM modified its specification for new

homes to enable apartment and condominium units to earn the

WaterSense label, update product requirements, and adjust land‐

scape criteria. Compared to traditional homes, WaterSense la‐

beled new homes can save a family of four up to 50,000 gallons

of water and as much as $600 in water and energy bills annually.

Homes labeled after January 1, 2013, must meet the criteria of the

revised specification. Highlights include: individual apartment

and condominium units can earn the WaterSense label; Wa‐

terSense now requires builders of WaterSense labeled homes to

use EPA’s Water Budget Tool to inform their landscape design;

if an irrigation system with a weather‐based irrigation controller

is used to water the lawn, the controller must be a WaterSense

labeled model; and showerheads must be WaterSense labeled

models using 2.0 gallons per minute or less.

Fourth Annual Fix‐A‐Leak Week — OWM’s WaterSense

program held its fourth annual Fix‐a‐Leak Week, March 12 to 18,

2012, to educate Americans about the importance of fixing leaks

around the home. Numerous events were held by WaterSense part‐

ners around the country. One of the highlights was the campaign

during Fix‐a‐Leak week, organized by Delta Faucet, in partnership

with EPA, GreenPlumbers USA, United Way, Ronald McDonald

House, and various local water utilities and governments, to fix

leaks in more than 1,000 low‐income households and community

facilities in Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Chicago,

Dallas, Denver, San Francisco, and Seattle. Delta helped fix leaky

toilets and faucets and to install WaterSense labeled showerheads

in each location, helping to save millions of gallons of water this

year alone.

2012 Partner of the Year

Awards — OWM’s

WaterSense program has part‐

nered with more than 2,600

partners—manufacturers, retail‐

ers and distributors, local and

state governments, utilities,

water districts, trade associa‐

tions, nonprofits, certified irri‐

gation professionals, professional certifying organizations, licensed

certification providers, and builders—to encourage water‐efficient

behaviors and the purchase of quality products that use less water.

In 2012, WaterSense recognized five Partners of the Year for their

water‐saving initiatives:

 Promotional Partner of the Year: Colorado Springs Utilities

 Manufacturer Partners of the Year: American Standard Brands

and Kohler Co.
 

 Retailer Partner of the Year: Lowes Corporation, Inc.
 

 Builder Partner of the Year: KB Home
 

In 2012, OWM’s WaterSense program also presented five Excel‐

lence Awards, which recognize additional organizations and indi‐

viduals whose WaterSense support stood out in one or more of the

following evaluation categories:

 For Excellence in Fix a Leak Week Activities: Arizona Munici‐

pal Water Users Association and the New Mexico Office of the

State Engineer

 For Excellence in Education and Outreach: American Water

 For Excellence in Strategic Collaboration: Alliance for Water

Efficiency

 For Excellence in Employee Education: The Home Depot

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 Stormwater Program 

Urban wet weather sources remain an important EPA priority because of the potential impacts on human health and the environment.

Stormwater is a source of water quality impairment for over 22,000 miles of river and streams, over 700,000 acres of lakes, and over 800

square miles of estuaries. Stormwater runoff is generated when precipitation does not percolate into the ground. As it flows, the runoff

collects debris, chemicals, and other pollutants and is discharged, often untreated, into the nation’s waters. Urban wet weather sources are

among the most significant sources of water pollution today that EPA can address through the Clean Water Act.

Integrated Planning to Manage Storm‐

water Releases — In June 2012, OWM and

OECA issued the Integrated Municipal Stormwa‐

ter and Wastewater Planning Approach Framework

to help local governments develop stormwater

and wastewater management plans to reduce

overflows and keep raw sewage and pollut‐

ants out of the nation’s waters. The framework

provides EPA, states, and local governments

with guidance on how to develop and imple‐

ment effective integrated planning approaches

for municipal stormwater and wastewater management. Once de‐

veloped, the plans will help communities prioritize their invest‐

ments in stormwater and wastewater infrastructure. The framework

provides the flexibility to pursue innovative, cost‐savings solutions,

like green infrastructure, which improve water quality while help‐

ing advance the vitality of communities.

Final 2012 Construction General Permit (CGP) — In Febru‐

ary 2012, EPA issued its final 2012 CGP to help provide streamlined

permitting to thousands of construction operators, while protecting

our nation’s waterways from discharges of polluted stormwater

from construction sites. The 2012 CGP is required under the Clean

Water Act and replaced the existing 2008 CGP, which expired on

February 15, 2012. The new permit includes a number of enhanced

protections for surface waters, including provisions to protect im‐

paired and sensitive waterways. The permit also provides new

flexibilities for operators, allowing for emergency projects (e.g.,

restoration following a flood or other natural disaster) to begin im‐

mediately without permit authorization, while still retaining full

authority of EPA to ensure that the project proceeds in an environ‐

mentally responsible manner.

Strengthening Stormwater Regulations — EPA has initiated

rulemaking to develop a stormwater regulation to protect water

bodies from the harmful effects of stormwater discharges from

newly developed and redeveloped sites and to make other regula‐

tory improvements to the nation’s stormwater program. EPA is

considering establishing performance standards for newly devel‐

oped and redeveloped sites that meet a certain size threshold. These

standards would encourage the use of green infrastructure to man‐

age stormwater. The proposed rule and cost/benefit analyses are

under development. EPA is also considering extending the munici‐

pal separate storm sewer systems, or MS4s, stormwater manage‐

ment program to rapidly growing municipalities above a certain

population threshold where improved stormwater management is

needed. EPA anticipates that it will issue the proposed stormwater

rule in June 2013.

Forest and Logging Roads — On May 23, 2012, EPA issued a

Notice of Intent describing its plans to amend the Phase I stormwa‐

ter regulations to clarify that logging road discharges do not need

an NPDES permit and requesting comment on approaches for ad‐

dressing water quality impacts from forest road discharges. In Sep‐

tember, EPA proposed revisions to its stormwater regulations to

specify that an NPDES permit is not required for stormwater dis‐

charges from logging roads. EPA took this action in response to

Northwest Environmental Defense Center v. Brown, in which the court

held, contrary to EPA’s intent, that stormwater runoff from certain

logging roads is a point source discharge of industrial stormwater

that requires an NPDES permit. EPA anticipates that it will issue a

final rule in fall 2012.

Green Infrastructure — Green Infrastructure (GI) uses vegeta‐

tion and soil to manage rainwater where it falls, keeping polluted

stormwater from entering sewer systems and waterways in local

communities. Communities are increasingly using GI to supple‐

ment or substitute for single‐purpose “gray” infrastructure invest‐

ments. EPA is a strong supporter of such practices.

In February, OWM launched a new website (www.epa.gov/

greeninfrastructure) to better communicate the “what, why, and

how” of GI. The site contains publications and tools developed by

EPA, state and local governments, the private sector, nonprofit

organizations, and academic institutions as well as access to the

latest research by EPA’s Office of Research and Development.

In May, OWM launched the Campus RainWorks Challenge, a new

design competition to encourage student teams on college and

university campuses across the country to develop innovative

approaches to stormwater management. The competition will help

raise awareness of green design and planning approaches at col‐

leges and universities across and train the next generation of land‐

scape architects, planners, and engineers.

In June, OWM released a series of factsheets on incorporating GI

measures into NPDES wet weather programs. The Green Infra‐

structure Permitting and Enforcement Series builds on existing

EPA authority, guidance, and agreements to describe how EPA

and states can work with permittees to include GI measures as

part of control programs.

In July, OWM announced that it is allocating $950,000 to provide

technical assistance to 17 communities throughout the nation to

expand GI use to improve water quality and people’s health and

benefit communities. EPA is currently using these funds to com‐

plete various projects for these communities.

In September, the White House Council on Environmental Quality

and EPA hosted a conference to explore pathways to more broadly

implement green infrastructure. Invited experts and stakeholders

discussed the benefits of GI practices, barriers to implementation,

options and opportunities for funding and valuing GI, and practi‐

cal actions to promote GI implementation.

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 Sustainable Management Program 

               

                 

                 

            

               

       

     

         

         

       

         

         

      

         

           

       

       

     

   

                   

                     

                   

                 

            

             

                 

                   

                   

                 

                   

                     

               

             

                   

                   

                   

             

                 

                     

                 

                          

                 

               

                   

                       

                    

               

     

       

           

           

           

       

       

         

       

         

         

           

         

         

                   

                   

                   

                   

        

               

                   

                 

         

             

                 

                   

                    

                     

                  

                   

               

                       

                   

           

               

                

               

                       

                 

                   

                   

                 

                         

               

   

                                                 

                                         

                                         

             

 Sustainable Management Program 

Our nation’s water infrastructure systems are aging, and many will be reaching the end of their useful life span in the next 20 to 40

years. To address the mounting needs, OWM is collaborating with the Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water and other EPA of‐

fices and across the infrastructure industry to change the way the country views, values, and manages its water infrastructure and to

ensure that this infrastructure also supports sustainable communities.

Sustainability Planning — To help address the ongoing

challenge of sustaining our water infrastructure, in February 2012,

OWM released a comprehensive handbook to help water sector

utilities build sustainability considerations into their planning. The

handbook, Planning for Sustainability: A Handbook for Water and

Wastewater Utilities, will help utilities

ensure that water infrastructure pro‐

jects across the nation, including

those funded through the state re‐

volving fund programs, are sustain‐

able and support the long‐term sus‐

tainability of the communities these

utilities serve. The handbook repre‐

sents an important milestone in

EPA’s ongoing efforts to help ensure

the sustainability of the nation’s

water infrastructure based on the

agency’s Clean Water and Safe Drink‐

ing Water Infrastructure Sustainability

Policy, which was issued in September, 2010. In developing the

handbook, OWM worked closely with a number of utility and state

program managers around the country. In 2012, OWM launched a

series of webinars for water and wastewater utilities built around

the core elements of the handbook.

Energy Management — Improving energy efficiency is an

ongoing challenge for water sector utilities. While energy costs

often represent 25‐30 percent of a plant’s total operation and main‐

tenance costs, they also represent the largest controllable cost of

providing water and wastewater services. In FY 2012, EPA

launched a webinar series on energy efficiency for water and

wastewater utilities. The first webinar in the series, in May 2012,

focused on innovative energy conservation measures, based on

EPA’s 2010 Evaluation of Energy Conservation Measures document.

The second webinar, held in October 2012, assisted water sector

utilities in understanding how solar energy can be used effectively

at their facilities. Additional webinars in the series are planned.

Water Sector Sustainability Workshop — In September

2012, EPA sponsored a two‐day workshop with thought leaders

from leading utilities and states to identify ways for utilities to

move toward more sustainable operations over time, building on

the past work of the utilities, states, and EPA. The initial result of

the workshop was the development of two separate business mod‐

els, conventional and emergent, in five different practice areas.

Participants also identified a number of potential actions to further

the use of these practices across the sector, which EPA is now

evaluating. EPA is continuing to work with utilities across the

sector to develop and implement additional useful tools.

Water Reuse — Increasingly,

water reclamation and reuse have

taken on importance in the water

supply of communities in the U.S.

and around the world to achieve

efficient resource use, ensure pro‐

tection of environmental and hu‐

man health, and improve water

management. EPA’s Office of Re‐

search and Development and Office

of Water have released the Agencyʹs

2012 Guidelines for Water Reuse. The

2012 reuse guidelines update and

build on the Agency’s previous

reuse guidelines issued in 2004. In addition to summarizing the

existing regulations in the U.S., the document includes water reuse

practices outside of the U.S., case studies, information on planning

for future water reuse systems, and information on indirect potable

reuse and industrial reuse.

Clean Watersheds Needs Survey — The FY 2012 Clean

Watersheds Needs Survey is the 16th national survey on publicly

owned treatment works. Conducted every four years, the report

estimates nationwide wastewater and stormwater pollution control

capital investment needs, wastewater treatment and collection sys‐

tem stability, and various parameters of America’s watersheds. In

preparation for the 2012 survey, OWM revised its methodology to

reflect current data and research. OWM continues to work with

the states, territories and Regions to provide an easier, faster, and

more efficient method for data entry. This assessment and docu‐

mentation of future needs is critical in the effort to sustainably

manage and fund our nation’s wastewater infrastructure, which is

essential to meet the water quality goals of the Clean Water Act—

swimmable and fishable waters for everyone. OWM’s goal is to

issue the report in FY 2013.

Asset Management — In FY 2012, OWM conducted eight

asset management training courses across the country. The course

presents a framework to achieve sustainable infrastructure by man‐

aging the costs of owning and operating a utility at the desired

level of service. In addition, one advanced course in conjunction

with University of Wisconsin was held. This completes a nine‐year

cycle of asset management workshops at over 60 locations with

slightly over 5,000 attendees. The training materials have been

picked up by at least one university for the base course and two

universities (University of Wisconsin and Virginia Tech) for the

advanced program.

10 
           

           

                     

                   

                 

                 

             

                     

   

     

  

       

       

       

       

       

         

              

                       

                     

               

  

             

                     

                     

                     

                     

                 

      

        

                     

                

                 

                 

                   

             

                 

                       

                  

                 

                         

                     

                     

                  

                        

                 

             

           

                 

                 

                       

                   

                   

              

  

       

         

     

       

     

       

     

         

       

                     

                   

                     

               

           

                   

                   

              

       

             

         

               

           

             

                    

             

             

              

             

  

               

                 

               

                      

               

           

     

                                       

                               

                                     

 Rural Program 

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

and rural populations. The program develops regulations, policies, technical implementation guidance, and outreach for EPA Regions,

states, and the general public. In addition, the program focuses on innovative approaches for working with the agricultural community.

Permit Writer’s Manual for Concentrated Animal

Feeding Operations (CAFOs) — To provide technical assis‐

tance to states and producers to help them better understand and

comply with the 2008 CAFO Rule, in February 2012, OWM re‐

leased a technical manual for CAFOs to provide general informa‐

tion on Clean Water Act and NPDES permit program requirements

for CAFOs, information to explain CAFO permitting requirements

under the Clean Water Act, and technical information to help states

and producers understand

options for nutrient man‐

agement planning.

In addition, OWM is devel‐

oping a guidance document

to assist CAFOs in evaluat‐

ing whether they should

seek permit coverage and

EPA and states with CAFO

program implementation. The guidance reflects the 2011 court

decision in National Pork Producers Council v. EPA related to what is

commonly referred to as the “duty to apply” component of the

NPDES CAFO regulations. The guidance document is currently

under interagency review.

Final Action on the Proposed NPDES CAFO Report‐

ing Rule — In July 2012, EPA announced that it was withdraw‐

ing a proposed rule that would have required information to be

submitted to the EPA about CAFOs. EPA will instead use existing

federal, state, and local sources of information to gather data about

CAFOs and help ensure that CAFOs are implementing practices

that protect water quality.

State Coordination on CAFO Information

Exchange — In July 2012, EPA signed an MOU with the Associa‐

tion of Clean Water Administrators (ACWA) to facilitate the ex‐

change of information. This collaborative effort between the EPA

and ACWA will focus on identifying CAFOs and obtaining perti‐

nent information about CAFOs on a state‐by‐state basis for use by

both ACWA members and the EPA.

2012 Final CAFO Rule to Remove 5th Circuit Court’s

Vacated Elements — In July 2012, EPA issued a final rule to

revise its CAFO permit regulation to remove the requirement that

CAFOs that “propose to discharge” must seek NPDES permit cov‐

erage. This rule revision is in response to a 2011 U.S. Court of Ap‐

peals for the Fifth Circuit decision in National Pork Producers Council

v. EPA, which vacated portions of the Agency’s 2008 CAFO rule. In

addition, this action removed from the CAFO permit regulation

the option to voluntarily certify that a CAFO does not discharge or

propose to discharge, as the voluntary certification provision is

unnecessary because the “propose to discharge” requirement is

being removed.

Implementing the 2011 Pesticide General Permit

(PGP) — In FY 2012, OWM worked to implement its NPDES

Pesticide General Permit for point source discharges from the ap‐

plication of pesticides to the waters of the United States, which it

issued in October 2011. The permit requires operators to minimize

discharges through the use of pest management measures and to

monitor for and report any adverse incidents.

To assist operators in

applying for the PGP, in

January 2012, OWM

launched a free, online

Electronic Notice of In‐

tent (NOI) system for

pesticide operators that

need to submit an NOI

for coverage under EPAʹs

PGP. In addition, OWM conducted a number of outreach efforts to

help educate and inform the pesticide user community about the

new PGP. OWM developed and published a number of fact sheets

explaining the permitting requirements, which were targeted at

key stakeholder groups (e.g., for‐hire applicators and agricultural

stakeholders). In addition, OWM held a total of seven workshops

and five webcasts, to help explain the permitting and NOI require‐

ments and answer questions about the permit.

Developing EPA’s Agricultural Strategy — OWM

worked cooperatively with internal and external stakeholders to

identify approaches that will improve the environmental perform‐

ance of animal agriculture through voluntary initiatives and im‐

proved regulatory programs. These initiatives will complement

and enhance the permitting, compliance assistance, and enforce‐

ment programs of EPA and the states. The planning process identi‐

fied opportunities for collaborative problem solving with the live‐

stock and poultry industry and other interested agricultural stake‐

holders. Initiatives under development include: training, data

gathering, partnership building, and assessment of animal waste

management technologies.

Environmental Markets — OWM supported the work of

other EPA and U.S. Department of Agriculture programs to de‐

velop and advance water quality trading and related environ‐

mental markets. The focus of this effort was on the development of

markets that involve the participation of agricultural producers,

providing a financial incentive for improved environmental per‐

formance beyond regulatory compliance.

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 State and Regional Program 

The State and Regional Branch provides technical and policy support to help implement the NPDES permit program. Through coordina‐

tion with states and EPA Regions, the program guides the 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 consis‐

tent management of external legal drivers. It also provides timely information on the integrity of NPDES program implementation while

working cooperatively to produce efficient processes and measurable results.

Strengthening NPDES Permit Program — OWM contin‐

ued to collaborate with the Office of Enforcement and Compliance

Assurance to implement the Clean Water Act Action Plan and to

improve NPDES processes. In August 2012, EPA released a set of

tools to help EPA Regions and authorized states review existing

EPA‐state memoranda of agreement (MOAs) to ensure they reflect

current program require‐

ments and facilitate effective

implementation.

Such MOAs help govern how

the EPA and each authorized

state interact together to im‐

plement the state’s NPDES

program. Some of these

MOAs date from the mid‐1970s and may not be consistent with

current NPDES program requirements and/or may lack important

components that have been added to the national NPDES program,

or may have provisions that may restrict EPA or state actions in

some way. These tools (criteria, checklist, and model MOA) were

developed in coordination with the states.

In FY 2012, OWM also continued to work with the EPA Regions

and states to address petitions for withdrawal of state NPDES pro‐

grams. To foster more efficient resolution of the issues raised in

these petitions, OWM worked to developed an EPA tracking sys‐

tem to promote information sharing between EPA Headquarters

and Regions and developed a public website to improve the trans‐

parency of EPA’s management of withdrawal petitions.

Reinventing EPA’s Process for State Oversight — To

streamline evaluation of the NPDES program and minimize bur‐

den to state program offices, EPA’s NPDES permitting and en‐

forcement programs have consolidated their approaches to state

program oversight. An essential element of this process was transi‐

tioning permit quality reviews (PQRs) to the EPA Regions from

Headquarters. To ensure that the assessment process was consis‐

tent across the Regions, OWM formed a PQR workgroup with rep‐

resentation from all Regions to revise and update the standardized

materials and guidance to be used for conducting these reviews.

With Regional permitting and enforcement programs working

together, the integrated oversight effort intends to provide a peri‐

odic, standardized method of more effectively managing oversight

of the permitting and compliance elements of the NPDES program.

Electronic Applications and Reporting — OWM and

OECA continued their close collaboration on the transition from

paper to electronic reporting for NPDES permittees. This included

support for OECA’s proposed rule on electronic reporting, which is

currently undergoing interagency review.

Providing Robust NPDES Tools, Training, and

Technical Assistance — In FY 2012, OWM provided a

spreadsheet tool to streamline the analysis of whole effluent toxic‐

ity (WET) data, supporting more efficient identification of water

quality permitting needs and NPDES compliance. OWM continued

its close collaboration with the

Office of Science and Technol‐

ogy to ensure that the criteria,

standards, and guidance they

developed (e.g., bioassess‐

ment guidance, recreational

water quality criteria) could

be implemented through wa‐

ter quality‐based require‐

ments in NPDES permits.

In FY 2012, OWM also conducted a total of five week‐long NPDES

Permit Writers Courses throughout the country. The course pro‐

vided basic NPDES training to approximately 219 students. This

popular course is EPAʹs 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.

Additionally in FY 2012, OWM developed and held two specialty

NPDES permit writing courses that addressed the unique permit‐

ting issues related to coal mining. These three‐day courses were

held in Morgantown, West Virginia, and Frankfort, Kentucky, and

were attended by approximately 80 students from various state

and federal agencies. OWM also worked with EPA Region 2 to

develop and conduct NPDES permit writer training for approxi‐

mately 60 students from Region 2.

Supplemental to the in‐person training, OWM continues to offer a

web‐based version of the full permit writer’s training course, af‐

fording greater access and lower cost for both federal and industry

stakeholders. In FY 2012, online students from state and federal

agencies and the public completed over 380 NPDES course

modules.

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 State and 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 Colum‐

bia), interstate agencies, and eligible tribes to establish and implement ongoing water pollution control programs. Prevention and control

measures supported by water pollution control programs include ambient water quality monitoring, water quality standards and Total

Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) development, NPDES permitting and enforcement, advice and assistance to local agencies, training, and

public information. In FY 2012, EPA provided more than $238 million in Section 106 funding to states, interstate agencies, and tribes to

prevent and control water pollution.

State and Interstate Water Pollution Control

Grants — Increasingly, EPA and states are working together to

develop basin‐wide approaches to water quality management. The

Section 106 Grant Program is

helping to foster a water‐

shed protection approach at

the state level by looking at

statesʹ water quality prob‐

lems holistically and target‐

ing the use of limited fi‐

nances available for effective

program management. In FY

2012, EPA provided more than $193 million in Section 106 grant

funding to states and interstate agencies to help protect and restore

water bodies.

Tribal Water Pollution Control Grants — For tribes,

Section 106 grants are a crucial, dedicated source of funding for

developing, maintaining, and expanding programs designed to

prevent, control, and eliminate water pollution. Tribes began re‐

ceiving Section 106 funds in 1989. Since then, the tribal set‐aside

has grown from less than $1 million to approximately $27 million,

in FY 2012.

Of the 562 federally recognized tribes, approximately 350 meet the

criteria to receive Section 106 funding, and 74 percent (262) of these

tribes were eligible to receive grants in FY 2012. Tribes across the

country are using Section 106 grants to identify and proactively

address water quality

priorities and concerns.

In November 2011,

OWM partnered with

the Office of Wetlands,

Oceans and Watersheds

(OWOW), Region 6,

and Pojoaque Pueblo of

New Mexico to hold a

four‐day conference on

Clean Water Act Section 106 and 319 National Tribal Water Quality

at the Pojoaque Pueblo in New Mexico. The first national confer‐

ence of its kind, the conference enabled approximately 300 tribal

professionals funded by Clean Water Act Section 106 and Section

319 and their federal partners to gather and share goals, knowl‐

edge, and lessons applicable to enhancing the quality of tribal wa‐

ters. This forum focused on tribal water quality by addressing

monitoring and assessment, watershed‐based planning, restoration

efforts, and best management practices and included two opportu‐

nities for hands‐on field activities to determine water quality and

implement best management practices.

State and Tribal Water Monitoring Initiative — Using

approximately $18.5 million per year, OWM and OWOW are work‐

ing with states and tribes to enhance

their water quality monitoring pro‐

grams and implement a multi‐year

statistically valid survey of the nation’s

waters. In FY 2012, states and tribes

conducted sampling and reported wa‐

ter quality monitoring data for the

lakes survey. The monitoring initiative

allows EPA, states, and tribes to con‐

tinue to report on the condition of the

nationʹs waters and make significant

progress toward assessing trends in

water condition in a scientifically de‐

fensible manner.

State Water Quality Management Resource

Analysis — OWM is partnering with the Environmental Council

of States and the Association of Clean Water Administrators to

update and quantify current and future expenditures and re‐

sources for the management of state water quality programs, and

to quantify the resources needed to fully implement the Clean Wa‐

ter Act. The new EPA/state task force is updating the 1998 Re‐

source Analysis based on recommendations from a third‐party

review by the National Academy of Public Administrators, which

concluded that the effort was well designed and executed. With the

results of the review, the task force is moving forward to improve

collaboration and cultural learning, fine‐tune tools and methods for

estimating state resource needs, and improve the effectiveness of

water quality programs. The resource analysis will provide critical

information on state expenditures and needs for Clean Water Act

programs.

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 Industrial Program 

Industrial wastewater discharges may contain pollutants that affect the quality of receiving waters. The industrial program works to pro‐

tect and improve water quality through technology and water quality based permitting of direct discharging industrial sources such as

manufacturing facilities, vessels, coal mines, shale gas extraction operations, and steam electric power plans. These efforts also include the

National Pretreatment Program, which regulates thousands of industrial operations that discharge into municipal sewers that flow to sew‐

age treatment works.

Draft Vessel General Permits – In November 2011, EPA

issued two draft vessel general permits—a draft Vessel General

Permit (VGP) and a draft small Vessel General Permit (sVGP)—

that would regulate discharges from commercial vessels, excluding

military and recreational vessels. The proposed permits would

help protect the nation’s waters from ship‐borne pollutants and

reduce the risk of introduction of invasive species from ballast wa‐

ter discharges.

The draft VGP, which covers commercial vessels greater than 79

feet in length, would replace the current 2008 Vessel General Per‐

mit when it expires in

December 2013.

The updated permit would

reduce the administrative

burden for vessel owners

and operators, eliminating

duplicative reporting re‐

quirements, clarifying that

electronic recordkeeping

may be used instead of paper records, and streamlining self‐

inspection requirements for vessels that are out of service for ex‐

tended periods. The permit would continue to regulate the 26 spe‐

cific discharge categories that were contained in the 2008 permit

and, for the first time, manage the discharge of fish hold effluent.

A key new provision of the permit is a proposed numeric standard

to control the release of non‐indigenous invasive species in ballast

water discharges. The new ballast water discharge standard ad‐

dressing invasive species is based upon results from independent

EPA Science Advisory Board and National Research Council Na‐

tional Academy of Sciences studies. These limits are generally con‐

sistent with those contained in the International Maritime Organi‐

zation’s 2004 Ballast Water Convention. The new standard is ex‐

pected to substantially reduce the risk of introduction and estab‐

lishment of non‐indigenous invasive species in U.S. waters.

The draft VGP also contains updated conditions for mechanical

systems that may leak lubricants into the water and exhaust gas

scrubber washwater, which would reduce the amount of oil and

other pollutants that enter U.S. waters.

The new draft sVGP would cover vessels smaller than 79 feet in

length and would provide such vessels with the Clean Water Act

permit coverage they will be required to have as of December 2013.

The sVGP would be the first under the Clean Water Act to address

discharges incidental to the normal operation of commercial ves‐

sels less than 79 feet in length. Recognizing that small commercial

vessels are substantially different in how they operate than their

larger counterparts, the draft sVGP is shorter and simpler. The

draft permit specifies best management practices for several broad

discharge management categories including fuel management,

engine and oil control, solid and liquid maintenance, graywater

management, fish hold effluent management and ballast water

management, which consists of common sense management meas‐

ures to reduce the risk of spreading invasive species.

EPA anticipates that it will issue the final permits in early 2013,

several months in advance, to allow vessel owners and operators

time to prepare for new permit requirements.

Pretreatment Program Outreach – OWM continued its

outreach and education to pretreatment stakeholders through its

Pretreatment 101 webinar series in 2012. The webinar series has

been providing significant outreach and training to pretreatment

program managers, staff, regulated community and other inter‐

ested parties across the country. The webinars are commonly at‐

tended by over 2,000 people (and many more have viewed the ar‐

chived webinars online), and the feedback from participants has

been very positive. The webinars, which are targeted at addressing

the needs of new staff to the pretreatment program, are meeting a

critical need, as the pretreatment program has seen a significant

changeover in staffing due to retirements and layoffs.

In September 2012, OWM hosted a webinar for publicly owned

treatment works personnel re‐

sponsible for local pretreatment

program implementation. The

webcast introduced OWMʹs

newly revised Industrial User

Permitting Guidance Manual and

provided an overview of the

nondomestic user permitting

process, including preparing

effective and enforceable control

mechanisms and recommendations and requirements for content

and structure. It was the first of a series of webcasts OWM is plan‐

ning on nondomestic user permitting.

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 Sustainable Communities Program 

Many residents of small, rural communities, Indian reservations, and communities along the U.S./Mexico border have insufficient or no

access to basic wastewater services and, as a result, face increased health risks and substantial economic challenges compared to the rest of

the U.S. population. The Sustainable Communities Program provides financial and technical assistance so these communities can gain

access to adequate and sustainable wastewater treatment, lower their risk of disease, and reap the associated economic benefits.

Supporting Workforce Development — In May, the EPA

and U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) Vocational Rehabilita‐

tion and Employment Program announced a joint MOU to connect

veterans with disabilities to ca‐

reer opportunities in the water

sector. Through the MOU, the

EPA and VA are working with

water utilities, states, and local

VA counselors to promote water

sector careers and resources to

support placing veterans in wa‐

ter jobs. EPA has sponsored two

webinars for water sector professionals and utilities to share infor‐

mation on VA hiring and training programs and participated with

the VA in a special session at the 2012 Water Environment Federa‐

tion’s Technical Exhibit and Conference.

OWM also continued its support for wastewater operator training

by joining other EPA offices to support the Agency’s Environmental

Workforce Development and Job Training grant program. This sup‐

port to increase the green workforce will allow the trainees to de‐

velop skills that will make them competitive in the redevelopment

and environmental fields.

Water Infrastructure Sustainability: Operation &

Maintenance Training — In FY 2012, EPA developed a web‐

based training series on maintaining and operating small wastewa‐

ter and drinking water treatment systems. Operators and managers

of small water or wastewater systems can learn the basics of opera‐

tion and maintenance as well as management via the 10 training

modules. The training series is based on the 11 in‐person training

workshops that EPA held across the country for tribes, Alaska Na‐

tive Villages, and U.S. territories in 2011‐2012.

Tribal Infrastructure Task Force (ITF) — EPA and the

multi‐agency Tribal ITF support improving access to safe drinking

water and basic sanitation in American Indian and Alaska Native

communities. In January 2012, the ITF published a summary of

commonalities and best practices of sustainable tribal utilities, sum‐

marized from listening sessions with tribal authorities.

Sustainable Small and Rural System Workshops —

Under EPA and USDA’s Rural Development Rural Utilities Service

MOA, Promoting Sustainable Rural Water and Wastewater Systems, the

agencies co‐sponsored two workshops in FY 2012 in California and

Michigan for small system managers and operators. The workshops

provided training in utility management principles, based on

proven management approaches, including EPA’s primer on effec‐

tive utility management. In FY 2013, the agencies will hold two

more workshops and work to develop tools specific to small and

rural communities.

U.S.‐Mexico Border Water Infrastructure Program —

The U.S.‐Mexico Border Water Infrastructure Program provides

funding to improve access to safe drinking water and basic sanita‐

tion for communities along the border. Approximately 8.5 million of

the 14.6 million border residents have benefited from this program.

In FY 2012, 5,185 homes received first‐time access to safe drinking

water and 31,092 homes received first‐time access to wastewater

collection and treatment. Cumulatively, this program’s accomplish‐

ments have prevented 118.9 million lbs/year of biological oxygen

demand from being discharged directly into border watersheds.

The Border Infrastructure Program supports the Border 2020 U.S.‐

Mexico Environmental Program Agreement, a bi‐national agree‐

ment to improve environmental quality and public health along the

border. In August, EPA Administrator, Lisa Jackson, and her Mexi‐

can counterpart, Juan Elvira Quesada, signed the Border 2020

Agreement, renewing the commitment and strengthening the focus

on regional needs.

Clean Water Indian Set Aside (CWISA) and Alaska

Native Villages (ANV) Grant Programs — EPA’s CWISA

Grant Program, in partnership with the Indian Health Service, sup‐

ports improved access to basic sanitation in Indian country. In FY

2012, EPA awarded $30 million to fund 87 wastewater treatment

construction projects that will improve wastewater service to over

9,000 tribal homes, with 78 percent of the projects providing first‐

time access to safe wastewater services.

The ANV Grant Program supports increasing access to safe drink‐

ing water and basic sanitation in remote, rural, and tribal villages in

Alaska. EPA awarded $10 million in FY 2012, with approximately

70 percent of funded homes receiving first‐time water and/or waste‐

water services. The program funds infrastructure planning, design,

and construction as well as training and technical assistance to en‐

sure proper system maintenance and operation and to protect fed‐

eral investment.

Improving Management of

Decentralized Wastewater

Treatment Systems— In late

2011, the Decentralized MOU Part‐

nership to improve decentralized

wastewater treatment in the U.S. renewed their partnership and

added two new partners: the Centers for Disease Control and Pre‐

vention and the National Sanitation Foundation International. In

2012, the partners jointly published four papers on the uses and

benefits of decentralized systems.

In October 2012, OWM launched a redesigned septic system web‐

site (www.epa.gov/owm/septic) to improve accessibility of informa‐

tion and technical assistance for homeowners, government officials,

and industry professionals.

15 
- 

Office of Wastewater Management 

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (4201M) 

Washington, DC 20460 

EPA 832-R-13-002 

January 2013 

http://water.epa.gov/resource_performance 

Recycled/Recyclable- Printed with vegetable oil based inks on 100 percent postconsumer, process chlorine free recycled paper.