[Histonet] EPA & your local water authority: a summary and links to the source docs

[Cheryl R. Kerry]

The EPA governs the environment. There are two major Federal EPA Regs for
water: Clean Water Act (CWA) of 1972 & amendments in 1972. Second is the
Safe Drinking Water Act (SWDA) with Ammendments dated 1996.  The first
governs discharge into navigable waters and surface water contamination
concerns for industry.  They WILL fine the snot out of anyone who breeches
these statutes.  However--Each State manages the enforcement of their own
water treatment programs as long as they aren't in direct conflict with the
Fed EPA regs.  The second act has more to do with potable water in bottles
and when it comes out of your faucet at home. 

PLEASE NOTE these regs are concerned with direct runoff into larger bodies
of water and consumable drinking water, respectively, and there are permits
for exceptions.  Local waste from healthcare facilities does NOT go into
storm sewers with egress to large bodies of water.  It goes through your
local water processing plant and these are regulated on a local and state
level.  There are separate regs for healthcare facilities and permits
available on a local level for exceptions to the written regs for most
industries.  If your facility has a permit, you MAY be allowed to pour
certain chemicals down the drain--or not.  Thus the need to check with your
institution's policies and follow proper channels into the inquiry with your
local water authority. 

http://www.epa.gov/regulations/bizsector/healthcare.html

Regs by state:

http://nlquery.epa.gov/epasearch/epasearch?typeofsearch=area&querytext=waste
+water&fld=opeihome%2C+lawsregs%2C+epafiles&areaname=Search+EPA+laws%2C+regu
lations%2C+guidance%2C+and+dockets&areacontacts=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.epa.gov%2Fe
pahome%2Fcomments3.htm&areasearchurl=&result_template=epafiles_default.xsl&f
ilter=samplefilt.hts



Summary of the CWA:
33 U.S.C. §1251 et seq. (1972)
The Clean Water Act (CWA) establishes the basic structure for regulating
discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States and regulating
quality standards for surface waters. The basis of the CWA was enacted in
1948 and was called the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, but the Act was
significantly reorganized and expanded in 1972. "Clean Water Act" became the
Act's common name with amendments in 1977. 

Under the CWA, EPA has implemented pollution control programs such as
setting wastewater standards for industry. We have also set water quality
standards for all contaminants in surface waters. 

The CWA made it unlawful to discharge any pollutant from a point source into
navigable waters, unless a permit was obtained. EPA's National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program controls discharges.
Point sources are discrete conveyances such as pipes or man-made ditches.
Individual homes that are connected to a municipal system, use a septic
system, or do not have a surface discharge do not need an NPDES permit;
however, industrial, municipal, and other facilities must obtain permits if
their discharges go directly to surface waters.