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STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD
<br /> ORDER WQ 2014-0153-DWQ
<br /> GENERAL WASTE DISCHARGE REQUIREMENTS
<br /> FOR SMALL DOMESTIC WASTEWATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS
<br /> BACKGROUND INFORMATION
<br /> Findings:
<br /> The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) finds that:
<br /> 1 . Water Code section 13260(a) requires that any person discharging waste or proposing
<br /> to discharge waste within any region, other than to a community sewer system, that
<br /> could affect the quality of the waters of the state, file a Report of Waste Discharge
<br /> (ROWD) to obtain coverage under Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs) or a
<br /> waiver of WDRs. "Waste" is defined in Water Code section 13050(d).
<br /> 2. Discharges to land from Small Domestic Wastewater Treatment Systems (hereafter
<br /> Small Domestic Systems) have certain common characteristics, such as similar
<br /> constituents, concentrations of constituents, disposal techniques, flow ranges, and
<br /> they require the same or similar treatment standards. These types of discharges are
<br /> appropriately regulated under a General Waste Discharge Requirements Order
<br /> (General Order). State Water Board Water Quality Order 97-10-DWQ (WQO 97-10-
<br /> DWQ) is a 1997 General Order addressing Small Domestic Systems. Once effective,
<br /> this General Order will supersede WQO 97-10-DWQ which will no longer be available
<br /> for additional enrollees.
<br /> 3. For the purposes of this General Order, the term "wastewater system" shall mean the
<br /> collection system, treatment equipment, pumping stations, treatment ponds, clarifiers,
<br /> sand/media filters, disinfection systems, recycled water systems (including distribution
<br /> systems), storage ponds, land application areas, and other systems associated with
<br /> the collection, treatment, storage, and disposal of wastewater.
<br /> 4. Only Small Domestic Systems, with a monthly average flow rate of 100,000 gallons
<br /> per day (gpd) or less, that discharge to land are eligible for coverage under this
<br /> General Order. Small Domestic Systems are typically located at individual residences,
<br /> rural parks, schools, campgrounds, mobile home parks, roadside rest stops, small
<br /> commercial or residential subdivisions, restaurants, resort hotels/lodges, small
<br /> correctional facilities, temporary fire-fighting camps, and recreational vehicle (RV)
<br /> dump locations, including RV parks. An owner and/or operator of such a wastewater
<br /> system is hereafter referred to as Discharger in this General Order. A Small Domestic
<br /> System that uses subsurface disposal may be regulated by a local agency rather than
<br /> a Regional Water Board, consistent with the Water Quality Control Policy for Siting,
<br /> Design, Operation, and Maintenance of Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems Policy
<br /> (OWTS Policy). Wastewater systems regulated by local agencies may continue that
<br /> coverage unless directed by the local agency or the Regional Water Board Executive
<br /> Officer to seek WDRs from the Regional Water Board.
<br /> 5. Wastewater treatment technologies evolve over time. Septic tanks and gravity fed
<br /> leach fields provide the lowest level of acceptable treatment. Other treatment may
<br /> include aerobic treatment systems, sand/media filters, package treatment plants,
<br /> constructed wetlands, activated sludge, membrane biological reactors, and disinfection
<br /> systems. Similarly, other dispersal options for the treated effluent may include
<br /> pressure dosing, drip irrigation, land application, mound/at grade systems, or
<br /> September 23, 2014
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