This section provides policy and guidance documents related to enforcement of the clean waters and drinking water.

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On this page:

• Clean Water Act (CWA) Policy and Guidance Documents
  • Action Plans / Strategies
  • General CWA Policy and Guidance
  • National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
  • Oil Pollution Act (Section 311- OPA)
  • Wetlands
  • Pretreatment (Section 307b)
  • Citizen Suits (Section 505)
• Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Policy and Guidance Documents
  • General SDWA Policy and Guidance
  • Enforcement Response
  • Penalties

Clean Water Act Policy and Guidance Documents

Clean Water Action Plan

• Clean Water Act Action Plan - (10/15/09)

• Transmittal of Clean Water Act Action Plan - (10/14/09)

• U.S. EPA Responses to Public Input Received on Development of the Clean Water Act Enforcement Action Plan - (10/15/09)

General

• Promoting Water, Superfund and Enforcement Collaboration on Contaminated Sediments (PDF) (3 pp, 1.05 MB, About PDF) (2/12/2015)

• Interim Guidance to Strengthen Performance in the NPDES Program - (6/22/10)

• Clarifications Regarding Toxicity Reduction and Identification Evaluations in the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Program - (5/15/01)

• Whole Effluent Toxicity Basic Permitting Principles and Enforcement Strategy - (1/25/89)

• Issuance of Revised Interim Clean Water Act Settlement Penalty Policy, dated 03/01/95 - (3/1/95)

• Final Rules of Practice Governing the Administrative Assessment of Class II Civil Penalties under the Clean Water Act - (6/12/90)

• Guidance on the Distinction among Pleading, Negotiating, and Litigating Civil Penalties for Enforcement Cases under the Clean Water Act, dated 01/19/89 - (1/19/89)

• Use of Stipulated Penalties in Administrative Orders on Consent under the CWA - (9/6/85)

• Guidance on Effect of Clean Water Amendment Civil Penalty Assessment Language - (8/28/87)

• Guidance Regarding Regional and Headquarters Coordination on Proposed and Final Administrative Penalty Orders on Consent under New Enforcement Authorities of the Water Quality Act - (8/28/87)

• Guidance on Notice to Public and Commenters in Clean Water Act Class II Administrative Penalty Proceedings - (8/28/87)

• Guidance on State Action Preemption Civil Penalty Actions under the Federal Clean Water Act - `(8/28/87)

• Guidance on Claim Splitting in Enforcement Actions under the Clean Water Act - (8/8/87)

• Clean Water Act Section 505, Effect of Prior Citizen Suit Adjudications or Settlement on the United States ability to sue for same violations - (6/19/87)

• Reference Document on Guidance and Procedures for Administrative Orders Issued Under Section 309 of the Clean Water Act - (9/26/86)

• Internet Publications of Notice of Proposed Penalties under Section 309(g) and 311(b)(6) of the Clean Water Act and Section 1423(c) of the Safe Drinking Water Act - (11/23/05)

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National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System

General NPDES

Enforcement Response

• Enforcement Management System Guide, dated 1989 - (3/3/98)

Compliance

• Significant Noncompliance for Chlorine - (8/20/96)

• Revision of NPDES Significant Noncompliance (SNC) Criteria to Address Violations of Non-Monthly Average Limits, dated 9/21/95 - (9/21/95)

• Attachment 2 Significant Noncompliance Policy - OECA Summary of Responses to State Comments - (10/25/07)

• Attachment 3 Significant Noncompliance Policy - Next Steps for the Three NPDES Policies - (10/26/07)

• Cover Memo Transmitting WW SNC Policy to the Regions (10/23/07) - (10/23/07)

• Attachment 1 Wet Weather Significant Noncompliance Policy - (10/24/07)

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NPDES - Combined Sewer Overflows/Sanitary Sewer Overflows (CSO/SSO)

• Guidelines for Federal Enforcement in CSO/SSO Cases - (4/10/05)

• Compliance and Enforcement Strategy Addressing Combined Sewer Overflows and Sanitary Sewer Overflows, dated 04/27/2000 - (4/4/00)

• Enforcement Management System (EMS) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Chapter X: Setting Priorities for Addressing Discharges from Separate Sanitary Sewers - (3/7/96)

• Pilot Enforcement Approach in MOM Cases in Region 4 - (1/23/03)

• Protecting Water Quality with Green Infrastructure in EPAs Water Permitting and Enforcement Programs - (4/20/11)

• Achieving Water Quality Through Integrated Municipal Stormwater and Wastewater Plans - (10/27/11)

• EPA's Report to Congress on Implementation and Enforcement of the CSO Control Policy - (1/29/02)

• EPA Enforcement Preventing Backup of Municipal Sewage into Basements - (9/06)

NPDES - CAFO

• Producers' Compliance Guide for CAFOs - (2/5/04)

NPDES - Stormwater

• Supplemental Guidance to the 1995 Interim Clean Water Act Settlement Penalty Policy for Violations of the Industrial Stormwater Requirements - (9/8/16)

• Integrated Municipal Stormwater and Wastewater Planning Approach Framework  - (6/5/12)

• Supplemental Guidance to the Interim Clean Water Act Settlement Penalty Policy (March 1, 1995) for Violations of the Construction Storm Water Requirements - (2/5/08)

• Revised Expedited Settlement Offer Program for Storm Water (Construction) - (5/19/06)

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Oil Pollution Act (Section 311 - OPA)

• Final Guidance on the Issuance of Administrative Orders under Section 311(c) and (e) of the Clean Water Act - (7/1/97)

• Civil Penalty Policy for Section 311(b)(3) and Section 311(j) of the Clean Water Act - (8/1/98)

• Changes to Section 311 Expedited (SEEP) Programs - (5/7/02)

Wetlands (Section 404)

• Revised CWA Section 404 Settlement Penalty Policy, dated 12/21/2001 - (12/21/01)

• Injunctive Relief Requirements in Section 404 Enforcement Actions - (9/29/99)

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Pretreatment [Section 307(b)]

• Enforcement Initiative for Failure to Adequately Implement Approved Local Pretreatment Programs - (2/1/89)

• Local Limits Developmental Guidance - (7/1/04)

• Local Limits Developmental Guidance Appendices - (7/1/04)

• Guidance Manual for Implementation of Total Toxic Organics (TTO) Pretreatment Standards - (9/1/85)

• Guidance Manual for Iron and Steel Manufacturing Pretreatment Standards - (9/1/85)

• Guidance for Pulp, Paper and Paperboard and Builders Paper and Board Mills Pretreatment Standards - (7/1/84)

• Guidance Manual o the Development and Implementation of Local Discharge Limitations under the Pretreatment Program - (11/1/87)

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Citizen Suits (Section 505)

• Procedures for Agency Response to Clean Water Act Citizen Suit Activity - (6/15/89)

• Notes on Section 505 CWA Citizen Suits - (2/3/86)

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Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)

General

• Internet Publications of Notice of Proposed Penalties under Section 309(g) and 311(b)(6) of the Clean Water Act and Section 1423(c) of the Safe Drinking Water Act - (11/23/05)

Enforcement Response

• Enforcement Response Policy under the Safe Drinking Water Act - (12/8/09)
• Enforcement Response Guide for Section 1433 of the Safe Drinking Water Act - (5/8/03)

Penalties

• UIC Program Judicial and Administrative Order Settlement Penalty Policy (9/93) 

• New Public Water System Supervision Program Settlement Penalty Policy, dated 05/25/94 - (5/25/94)

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