From the State Water Resources Control Board: The Notice of Opportunity for Public Comments and Public Workshops on the Proposed Statewide Sanitary Sewer Systems General Order Reissuance has been posted and can be accessed at: https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/board_info/calendar/docs/2022/jan/notice_sanitarysewer.pdf Staff Public Workshops are scheduled for February 23rd & February 24th . For further information please see the Notice that is posted. The Board Workshop is scheduled for March 15, 2022. Written comments are due by 12 noon on April 8, 2022. The proposed General Order reissuance:
- Updates State Water Board findings per regulatory priorities established through regulations and resolutions adopted since the 2006 adoption of the existing Order;
- Expands the scope of General Order coverage to allow discretionary regulation of privately–owned sewer systems if required by a Regional Water Board;
- Clarifies that the sewage spill prohibitions include sewage spills to waters of the State (surface waters and groundwater);
- Addresses cost of compliance by reducing frequency of Sewer System Management Plan updates and internal audits, and by consolidating reporting of spills to waters that are not waters of the U.S.;
- Clarifies existing federal and state regulations to enhance enforceability of General Order requirements;
- Enhances existing requirement for Enrollees to conduct system condition assessments, with additional requirements to report exfiltration and prioritize remediation;
- Emphasizes the need for “sewer system resilience” by requiring the Enrollee to prioritize rehabilitation and repair of system–specific high–risk system areas;
- Maximizes electronic reporting for increased transparency and efficient use of Water Board staff resources;
- Requires Enrollee submittal of electronic sewer system service area boundary map to facilitate future decision making on sewer system–related regulations and projects;
- Incentivizes operator certification and improved system performance through reduced public reporting for less than 50–gallon spills.
