Clean Water Current

In a notice published in the Federal Register on November 30, EPA seeks to renew its existing approval to collect information from wastewater laboratories, including POTWs, on the “analytic ability of laboratories that perform chemical, microbiological and whole effluent toxicity analyses.” EPA is leveraging Clean Water Act Section 308 with this request, which requires major and selected minor National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit holders to participate in the Discharge Monitoring Quality Assurance (DMR-QA) study.  

The quality assurance program requires permittees to annually analyze proficiency test samples and submit results for grading. Results are subsequently provided to the appropriate federal or state permit authority, and if necessary, permittees will be required to complete steps for corrective action.  

EPA is seeking comment on this information collection request (ICR) renewal including whether collecting this data is necessary for the proper performance of EPA, and if the information will have practical utility.  

If NACWA members have any concerns, comments, or questions on this ICR, please contact Emily Remmel, NACWA’s Director of Regulatory Affairs.