OOOK77100 UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY j * ' >>.,va U , .<,; '*ySi*g ------- October 1977 Six major programs within the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have combined forces to produce this brochure displaying the Agency's overall effort toward water pollution control. The six programs are Construction Grants, Effluent Guidelines, Manpower and Training, Section 208 Planning, Operations and Maintenance, and Technol- ogy Transfer. These six major programs were created by Public Law 92-500, which states, "The objec- tive of this Act is to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation's waters." The information that follows describes the functions, responsibilities, and activities of the six programs in some detail Also included are a map of the United States indicating the geographic boundaries of EPA's 10 Regions and a list of the addresses for each Regional Office ------- MUNICIPAL The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Construction Grants Program is the major pollu- tion abatement program ot the Federal Govern- ment in partnership with State and municipal governments. Its purpose is to abate water pollu- tion by providing grant dollars to construct needed municipal wastewater treatment facilities In recent decades, a tremendous concentration of municipal wastewater discharges has resulted from rapid population growth and the enormous buildup of urban and suburban areas Communities as a rule could not construct treatment facilities fast enough to cope with the increasing flows, primarily because money was short. The Federal construction grants program is the result of legisla- tion passed to aid cities and towns with their water pollution control efforts. The Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1956 gave the initial impetus to municipal waste treatment by authorizing Federal grants to help finance construction of municipal sewage treat- ment facilities. Beginning with relatively small grants, the construction grants program has been expanded by amending legislation to what is currently the largest public works program in the Nation The 1972 amendmems enacted by Public Law 92-500 authorized $18 billion for 75-percent Federal grants to assist municipalities in construct- ing waste treatment facilities. The Program has provided tens of thousands of jobs and other economic benefits in addition to its primary function cf improving water quality. The Agency's needs surveys have illustrated the high level of funding called for to meet the Nation's pollution control requirements EPA, with the strong support of the Administration, has emphasized that long-term funding commitments will be necessary, so that communities can depend on continuing assistance to finish multiyeat con- struction programs. Now that grants under Public Law 92-500 have been made for several years, implementation legis- lation and program operations are being reviewed to see what improvements can be made For example, multiyear planning and extended priority lists are now being used to effectively plan and ------- CONSTRUCTION GRANTS manage individual projects. The planning, design, and construction steps necessary for completion are being coordinated with annual authorizations to use available program funding. Operation Streamline is also underway to identify bottlenecks and simplify construction grant requirements In this spirit, many grant approval activities that were formerly carried on at both Federal and State levels have now been delegated to State water pollution control agencies Communications problems between EPA and grantees are constantly being sought out and resolved A new Construction Operations Review Pro- gram, focusing on the construction phase, has been established This step is consistent with the natural evolution of the construction grants program from the planning and design stages into actual project construction. Under the Program, recommenda- tions and assistance are provided to the municipal- ity and its consulting engineer based on on-site reviews of selected projects during the construction phase. The program is further refined to establish and enforce, with discharge permits, schedules for the use of grant money in order to ensure the most effective use of Federal funds. In addition, the Permit Compliance Program will be strengthened to make certain that facilities are effectively operated As successful as the Municipal Construction Grants Program has been, it is neither desirable nor possible for the Federal Government to do the entire job alone Authority under the Program will continue to be delegated to individual States as they demonstrate the capacity to handle them, with EPA retaining an oversight role in a balanced Federal-State working relationship. Through the cooperative efforts of those involved with the Municipal Construction Grants Program, many improvements have been made in the quality of our Nation's waters, and significant environmental improvements can be made in the future But, as in the past, success depends on joint and cooperative efforts between many levels of government and the concerned citizen ------- EFFLUENT GUIDELINES The Nation's program to prevent, reduce, and eliminate water pollution of all navigable waters is being carried out under Public Law 92-500. This 1972 law created, for the first time, a system of national effluent limitations and national performance standards for industries and publicly owned waste treatment plants. An effluent limita- tion is defined as the maximum amount of a pollutant that a polluter is permitted to discharge into a water body ------- The following effluent limitations apply to industries discharging directly to navigable waters Best Practicable Control Technology Currently Available (BPCTCA) Effluent limitations based on BPCTCA must have been met by July 1, 1977. They represent the average of the best existing waste treatment per- formance within each industrial category or sub- category. Effluent limitations may be met by m-plant controls, treatment facilities, or a combi- nation of the two. In-plant controls include water and resource conservation, including recycle, good plant maintenance, and processing techniques. The result is optimum conservation of raw materials, energy, and, ultimately, economics Best Available Technology Currently Achievable (BATEA) Effluent limitations based on BATEA must be met by July 1, 1983. Since 1976, they have been refined to apply to a listing of 65 designated prior- ity pollutants, some of these pollutants are individ- ual and others are classes of compounds. BATEA will be based on application of the very best control and treatment measures that have been developed or are capable of being developed for the appropri- ate industrial category or subcategory Moreover, industries must eliminate the discharge of pollutants completely by July 1, 1983, if EPA finds that this goal is "technologically and economically achiev- able." New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) or Best Available Demonstrated Controlled Technology (BADCT) NSPS or BADCT limitations reflect control technology, including where practicable, a standard permitting no discharge of pollutants. They may be somewhat more stringent than 1977 and 1983 limitations. Significantly, these limitations apply to new industrial facilities built after publication of proposed regulations prescribing a standard of performance. Industrial discharges into publicly owned treat- ment works (POTW's) are also subject to national effluent limitations under Public Law 92-500. These limitations require pretreatment of industrial pollutants that might interfere with the proper operation of public treatment plants or pass through without adequate treatment. All sewage treatment plants in operation on July 1, 1977, built with or without the aid of Federal funds and no matter when constructed, must provide a minimum of secondary treatment. A plant built with the help of Federal funds approved before June 30, 1974, however, has until June 30, 1978, to comply with the secondary treatment require- ment. All POTW's will have to use "best practica- ble" treatment by July 1, 1983 Development of Guidelines The Effluent Guidelines Division of EPA's Office of Water Planning and Standards is responsi- ble for developing guidelines involving the fore- going different classes of effluent limitations as well as pretreatment. Effluent limitations are being applied to at least 48 industries and well over 500 subcategories. The procedures involved for setting these limita- tions require a multidisciplmary approach encom- passing the inputs of engineers, scientists, mathematicians, economists, and lawyers. Indus- trial plant surveys, treatment technology, and economic evaluations form the backbone for per- forming the requisite cost/effectiveness determina- tions. The latest BATEA determinations involving the 65 priority pollutants will also involve cost/ benefit considerations, incorporating the input of biologists as well. Decision-making on limitations and standards ultimately evolves from the efforts of various internal working groups, interagency review, and industrial and other sources of public comments. ------- The Manpower Planning and Training Branch, Municipal Operations and Training Division, Office of Water Program Operations—in cooperation with the EPA Regions, States, and training institutions- develops training programs and guidance docu- ments, and provides assistance with the objective of developing an adequate supply of trained water pollution abatement and control manpower. Spe- cific programs are' Manpower Planning, State and Areawide Program Related Training, Operator Training and Certification, and Academic Training. The Manpower Planning Program provides guid- ance and assistance to Regions and States for developing State and local manpower planning capabilities in water programs. The Program devel- ops and administers grants and programs to work toward an effective manpower planning system to forecast supply and demand of water quality occupational categories, develops and conducts manpower needs assessments and surveys, and develops training courses for State manpower planners. The Stete and Areawide Water Quality Manage- ment Program works in cooperation with Regions and States to assess Public Law 92-500 program training needs and develops profiles of staffing and training needs and resources at Public Law 92-500 program agencies. This Program cooperates in the development, design, and implementation of State and areawide water-quality-management-related training programs and curricula, identification of MANPOWER PLANNING AND TRAINING ------- needs, and development of training delivery sys- tems in response to the identified needs The Operator Training arid Certification Pro- gram evaluates and assesses municipal facilities for operator staffing, training, and certilication needs and develops profiles of capabilities and resources in these areas at State and local levels. The program also develops and administers mteragency agree- ments with the Department of Labor and Health, Education, and Welfare, State Operator Teaming Grant Projects, State Training Center Projects, and Certification Projects in cooperation wit'n the Associated Boards of Certification and othep~ train- ing programs leading to the development o< State and local agency manpower training capabilities The Academic Training Program provides "man cial assistance through State agency lel'owships and professional training grants primarily to Fed- eral, State, and local governments or to training institutions for developing agency piotessionai staffs in water programs It also develops and administers undergraduate training urants and demonstration grants for developing new cumcula and training resources. The National Training and Operational Technol- ogy Center (NTOTC) is located at the EPA Environmental Research Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. NTOTC is responsible for all operat ona aspects of planning, developing, conducting, and evaluating the water pollution control education and training functions of EPA NTOTC personnel work directly with personnel at wastewater treat- ment plants, and conduct on-site training in waste- water treatment process control. Based on extensive field experience in the operation of activated sludge treatment facilities, information is offered on design criteria, new process control strategies, and training of wastewater treatment personnel Modern laboratory and classroom facilities are used to conduct an annual schedule of specialized pol ution control courses. Topics range from water quality management to biological and bacteriologi- cal analyses Training manuals, instructor guides, and supporting audio-visual materials are developed by NTOTC and are available for use by educational and training organizations and institutions An integral part of the NTOTC operation is the Instructional Resources Center (IRC). IRC inven- tories, evaluates, catalogs and disseminates infor- mation on existing instructional resources available for pesticides, water supply, and water pollution education and training. These resources include course outlines, audio-visual materials, texts, and related information An audio-visual and library iacii ty, where individuals can review current instructional materials, is located'at the NTOTC. A lending library service of EPA-developed training materials is also available A periodic bulletin of courses, new materials, and related training infor- mation is available to those on the NTOTC mailing list ——y/%#sr»--•- ------- SECTION 208- WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT The Section 208 Water Quality Management Program was established by the Congress in recog- nition of the increasing need for areawide and statewide approaches to solving water quality and other related environmental problems. Section 208 is broad based, encompassing authority for essen- tially all water-quality-related planning and man- agement programs. The law places special empha- sis on non-point-source controls, construction grants, and NPDES permits, especially considera- tion of advanced waste treatment levels. The Program requires the States to manage and coordi- nate the overall effort, including responsibility for doing the planning in nondesignated areas. Particu- lar stress is placed on ensuring continuous public involvement and education. Since 1974, a total of $230 million in Federal funds has been made available to 225 area and State agencies Within the broad mandate of Section 208 and operating under timing and funding constraints, EPA has emphasized the need to establish priori- ties Grantees have identified a limited number of high priority problems that they are working to solve during the initial 3-year planning phase. The grantees are required to develop technically and politically feasible solutions and to identify management agencies with adequate financial and legal authorities to carry out the programs. The majority of areawide agencies are emphasizing municipal point source and urban runoff problems, the statewide plans are dealing principally with non-point-source problems, including agriculture, construction, silviculture, and mining. The initial plans are now being submitted for review and approval by the States and EPA. Ninety areawide plans are due by October 1977; all 225 initial plans must be submitted by November 1978. Continuing funding will be provided to successful agencies to develop additional priority programs, emphasizing pretreatment and non-point-source controls. ------- OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE- MUNICIPAL TREATMENT PLANTS The Municipal Operations Branch of EPA's Office of Water Programs Operations and counter- part personnel at regional and State levels are responsible for overseeing and reporting on the efficiency of the Nation's publicly owned treat- ment works (POTW). As part of this important job, they are responsible for identifying the types of problems encountered at POTW's, and for develop- ing appropriate guidance and EPA programs to assist in correcting these problems. No single problem or type of problem can be identified as critical to efficient performance, but several broad categories appear frequently • Design or construction oversights affecting operabihty, maintainability, flexibility, and reliability of plants • Inadequacy of laboratory facilities and proce- dures for operation control and performance reporting • Inadequate staffing levels, staff organization, and management procedures • Inadequate m-plant or other support training for operational personnel • Inadequate operation and maintenance (O&M) manuals • Inadequate operation and maintenance budgets Over the last several years, data collected through the national POTW operation and mainte- nance inspection program have shown a consistent pattern of between 30 and 50 percent of plants failing to perform at BOD, TSS, or secondary treatment levels for which they were designed Latest data show that even where the less stringent permit requirements are used, up to one quarter of plants inspected failed to meet standards set Since its inception, the Municipal Operations Branch has worked closely with other EPA, State, local, and private activities to identify and imple- ment special programs to assist POTW's. In co- ------- operation with the Municipal Construction Division, supplementary Federal guidelines for design and construction of POTW's have been issued. Program Requirements Memoranda for Construction Grants covering development of facility plans of operation and grant eligibility for startup costs also have been developed and ap- proved. Independently, the branch has developed a whole series OT special operations and maintenance guidance manuals for use in planning, designing, constructing, and operating plants These docu- ments have been developed in cooperation with EPA's regional technical personnel, State and local municipal officials, and the consulting engineering community. Tne primary objective of the materials is to assure the adequate consideration of opera- tion and maintenance characteristics in the plan- ning, design, and construction of municipal wastewater treatment facilities. The guidance docu- ments also provide improved procedures lor identifying and isolating operation and mainte- nance problems, formulating alternative solutions, and combining corrective action with short- and long-range ""ollowup Available operator's manuals address such topics as anaerobic sludge digestion, the aerobic biological treatment process, and lagoons. Also, several series of very popular and successful seminars have been held for regional, State, and private sector person- nel. Topics have addressed preparation of opera- tion and maintenance manuals, design of wastewater treatment facilities for operability, mamtainab hty, flexibility, and reliability, and the implications of available guidance manuals and current construction program requirements for private sector opportunities It is expected that additional seminar series will be initiated. Finally, in the interests of informing local administrators and the public about the importance of good operation and maintenance in POTW's, the Branch is distributing the film "An Investment To Protect" to plants and local public interest grcups. The film is a case history of one community's commitment to effective wastewater treatment. ------- TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER The Office of Research and Development has recently established the Environmental Research Information Center (ERIC), whose mission is to actively transfer proven process control technol- ogies and disseminate information emanating from non-"hard"-technology areas ERIC combines the technological expertise and the top level marketing talent necessary to effectively transfer the latest viable pollution control technologies from re- search, development, and demonstration to all potential users. ERIC was initiated in 1970 under the name of Technology Transfer. The program's initial goal was to make an impact on the construction of municipal wastewater treatment facilities because applications for construction grants were not including new technologies. Thus, a special tech- nology transfer effort was mounted to overcome traditional conservatism in the pollution control field (an area that includes water supply) in order to prevent a major investment in obsolete treat- ment and control facilities and to enable munici- palities to meet increasingly stringent pollution standards In addition the Technology Transfer Program now has programs in industrial and non-point-source pollution control. The Clean Air Act of 1970 and Public Law 92-500 established environmental standards for industrial sources. To comply with these regula- tions, EPA has funded many research, develop- ment, and demonstration programs to determine the best control technology. The Industrial Tech- nology Transfer Program is responsible for dis- seminating process and control technology infor- mation as it relates to air, water, and energy Under Section 208 of Public Law 92-500, the Congress incorporated the areawide waste treat- ment management planning process that stresses planning by local governments for control of point sources and non-point-sources of pollution from both urban and rural areas. Included are industrial and municipal discharges, landfills, urban storm runoff, agriculture, silviculture, mining, and con- struction activity pollutants. Technology Transfer's goal in this area is to effectively translate the Agency's guidelines for the program and the technology necessary to achieve control of point sources and non-point-sources of pollutants. ERIC's objective is to make effective impact on the construction, installation, and operation of pollution control and abatement facilities, to ensure that the latest viable technologies are transferred to potential users, and to eliminate the possible large investment in obsolete facilities The program's primary function is to bridge the gap between research and full-scale use by evaluating and transferring newly developed, successful tech- nologies to consulting engineers, conservation groups, industries, State and local engineers, and others exerting influence over the design and construction of all pollution control and abate- ment facilities. A further goal is to firmly establish the newly emerging technologies as practical and feasible alternatives nationally, to be routinely considered and evaluated in the planning of these facilities. The Center meets the foregoing objectives through a broad information program. It issues design manuals, technical capsule reports, seminar publications, handbooks, process brochures, project brochures, technology transfer newsletters, an executive briefing series, and a number of individual publications ERIC also conducts pollu- tion control seminars throughout the country, prepares exhibits of new technology developments for large conferences of professional organizations, and produces audio-visual materials, technical and nontechnical. ------- New York Philadelphia ------- REGION ADDRESS I Environmental Protection Agency John F. Kennedy Federal Building Room 2313 Boston, Massachusetts 02203 (Maine, N.H., Vt., Mass., R.I., Conn.) II Environmental Protection Agency 26 Federal Plaza New York, New York 10007 (N.Y., N.J., P.R , V.I.) Ill Environmental Protection Agency 6th & Walnut Streets Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106 (Pa., W. Va., Md., Del., D.C., Va.) IV Environmental Protection Agency 345 Courtland Street, N.E. Atlanta, Georgia 30308 (N.C., S.C., Ky., Tenn., Ga., Ala., Miss , Fla.) V Environmental Protection Agency 230 S. Dearborn Street Chicago, Illinois 60604 (Mich , Wis., Minn., III., Ind., Ohio) VI Environmental Protection Agency 1201 Elm Street First International Building Dallas, Texas 75270 (Texas, Okla., Ark., La., N Mex.) VII Environmental Protection Agency 1735 Baltimore Avenue Kansas City, Missouri 64108 (Kansas, Nebr., Iowa, Mo.) VIM Environmental Protection Agency 1860 Lincoln Street Denver, Colorado 80203 (Colo., Mont., Wyo., Utah, N D S.D.) IX Environmental Protection Agency 100 California Street San Francisco, Calif. 94111 (Calif., Ariz , Nev., Hawaii! X Environmental Protection Agency 12006th Avenue Seattle, Washington 98101 (Wash., Ore., Idaho, Alaska) ------- |