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Understanding NPDES Noncompliance Reporting System

Get insights on QNCR guidelines for reporting noncompliance, violations, and enforcement actions under the Clean Water Act. Learn about the criteria, regulations, and reporting procedures. Ensure compliance with effluent limits and permit conditions.

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Understanding NPDES Noncompliance Reporting System

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  1. Module 10 - QNCR

  2. Quarterly Noncompliance Report Note: You will need copy of the QNCR Training Manual and the QNCR Training Handout Note: Some examples were created in the “Test” database and may not reflect the actual violations, enforcement actions, or compliance status of these facilities

  3. QNCR • Legislative, Regulatory & Policy

  4. OVERVIEW • CLEAN WATER ACT 1977 • Code of Federal Regulations, Title 40 • Published August 26, 1985 • Section 123.45

  5. DISTRIBUTE 123.45 • National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Regulations; Noncompliance and Program Reporting; Final Rule

  6. Federal Register Notice Contains • Background • Purposes of the QNCR • Format & Procedures for Reporting Noncompliance • Generation of the QNCR From Automated Data Bases • Detailed description of Category 1 non-compliance

  7. Revision OF SNC Criteria • Address Violations of Non-Monthly Averages • Memo from Steven A. Herman • September 21, 1995

  8. Why Include Non-monthly Averages? • Began issuing permits with non-monthly or maximum requirements only (no average) • Significant violations for metals and other priority pollutants were not being evaluated for the QNCR

  9. QNCR Highlights

  10. QNCR Criteria • What criteria is specified in 40 CFR 123.45 for reporting noncompliance?

  11. QNCR Regulation Highlights • Reporting instances of noncompliance for majors • 2 types of noncompliance must be reported • Category I • Category II * Distribute description of Category I and Category II noncompliance

  12. QNCR Regulation Highlights • Category I criteria • Violations of the permit, enforcement orders, compliance schedules, effluent limits and reporting requirements

  13. QNCR Regulation Highlights • Category II criteria • Violations of permit conditions – agency believes are of substantial concern that do not meet Category I

  14. CATEGORY I QUANTIFIABLE CONSISTENT NATIONWIDE CATEGORY II NON-QUANTIFIABLE PROFESSIONAL JUDGEMENT VIOLATIONS VARY CATEGORIES OF NONCOMPLIANCE * Distribute Handout

  15. QNCR Highlights • Regulations also identified Group 1 and Group 2 Pollutants for effluent violations • Review 123.45 for examples Page 6 – 8 of Manual

  16. QNCR Report • Report requirements as specified in the regulations

  17. QNCR Schedule Official QNCRs in ICIS are usually generated on the 15th of the month

  18. ICIS QNCR • Notices about Official QNCR or RNC are located on the ICIS Home Page

  19. ICIS RNC QNCR Schedule 2015 RNC Schedule for 2015 available in the ICIS Reports

  20. QNCR “On” Months

  21. ICIS RNC QNCR Schedule

  22. QNCR Regulation Highlights • QNCR Report Format • Separate non-POTWs, POTWs and Federals • Alpha order • Name, location and permit number • Brief description of non-compliance • Date and brief description of action taken

  23. QNCR Regulation Highlights • QNCR Report Format • Status of instance of noncompliance • Date noncompliance was resolved • Remain on successive reports until noncompliance is resolved

  24. QNCR Regulation Highlights • QNCR report • Noncompliant facilities on enforcement action must remain until the Orders have been satisfied in full & in compliance w/permit conditions

  25. NPDES Noncompliance Violation Types • Permit limit (effluent) • Schedule • Reporting • Enforcement Order • Other (narrative) conditions

  26. Types of Noncompliance • Reportable Noncompliance (RNC) • Significant Noncompliance (SNC) SNC RNC ALL

  27. Reportable Noncompliance • Instances of noncompliance that must be listed on the QNCR • Generally an NPDES permit or enforcement order violation

  28. Significant Noncompliance • Subset of Reportable Noncompliance • EPA developed criteria for tracking & acting upon priority violations

  29. Significant Noncompliance • Permit violations • Sufficient magnitude and/or duration • Major concern to the regulatory agency • Determined to be priority violations

  30. Significant Noncompliance • SNC is currently defined by criteria for violations of: • Permit • Administrative Order • Judicial Order

  31. QNCR • Violation Detection

  32. QNCR Violations • Effluent • Schedules • Reporting • Discretionary

  33. REVIEW HANDOUT • Review criteria in Regulations for Permit Effluent Violations • Review memo - SNC requirements for non-monthly violations

  34. Regulations - Appendix A • Permit Effluent Violation Criteria • Monthly average permit limits • Magnitude • Frequency

  35. Pollutant Groups • Refer to regulations for examples of Group 1 and Group 2 • List of 126 Priority Pollutants (Distribute)

  36. RNC FOR MEASUREMENT VIOLATIONS • RNC LOOKS AT E90 VIOLATIONS • AND THE PERCENTAGE OF VIOLATIONS

  37. TIMEFRAME • PERFORMANCE OVER A TWO-QUARTER PERIOD • 6 MONTH WINDOW • EFFLUENT DATA NOT RECEIVED • CONSIDERED COMPLIANT WITH EFFLUENT • NON-COMPLIANT FOR REPORTING • RE-EVALUATED WHEN DATA RECEIVED

  38. VIOLATIONS • Permitted Feature by Permitted Feature • Parameter by Parameter • Ex. Copper violations at 001 & 002 • Criteria applied separately

  39. STATISTICAL BASE CODES • Enter statistical base code in every limit field • Ad Hoc Report for Stat Base Codes • Important for RNC detection

  40. Two Types of Violation Criteria • TECHNICAL REVIEW CRITERIA (TRC) • CHRONIC (CHR) • Can include Discretionary violations

  41. Permit Effluent Violations • TRC • 2 violations out of 6 months • Same parameter, same permitted feature • Group 1 – Conventional parameters • Limit X 1.4 • Group 2 – Toxics / metals • Limit x 1.2 • Chronic • 4 out of 6 months – any magnitude • Discretionary violations of concern

  42. Applying Criteria • Steps to applying criteria • TRC – Averages • Chronic – Averages • TRC Non-monthly Averages • Chronic – Non-Monthly Averages

  43. NON-MONTHLY AVERAGES • CAVEAT • AVERAGE REQUIREMENT • IF NO VIOLATION, EXCLUDE THAT VIOLATION • IF AT LEAST 1%, INCLUDE

  44. Questions?

  45. Technical Review Criteria • Let’s see how this works

  46. Permit Effluent • Example 1 • Apply TRC for Average Violations • (check statistical base codes)

  47. ICIS Parameter List - Reports • Public Folder • System Administration • Reference Tables Report created by Steve, for other Reference Tables best to create Ad Hoc Report

  48. Parameter - SNC Flag • =1 - Conventional 1.4 x Permit Limit • = 2 - Toxic/Metals 1.2 x Permit Limit • Blank – Effluent criteria not applied

  49. Review Permit Limits • Review BOD limits • Statistical base codes • Averages • Non-monthly averages • Minimum (not evaluated for QNCR)

  50. Group 1 or 2 Pollutant? • Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) • Is this a group 1 or 2 Pollutant? Hint: See page 6 & 7 QNCR Manual

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