Wastewater Dischargers Are Not Complying with EPA Pollution Control Permits

摘要

The Clean Water Act's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System limits the type and amount of pollution a municipal or industrial facility may legally discharge into the nation's waterways. Based on a review of 531 randomly selected major dischargers in six states, GAO estimated that 82 percent of these dischargers exceeded their permit limits at least once during an 18-month period and that 31 percent of the dischargers in the six states that exceeded permit limits for one or more pollutants did so by 50 percent or more for at least 4 consecutive months. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) relies on self-monitoring by dischargers to detect and report noncompliance. GAO makes several recommendations to the Administrator, EPA, for improving the permit program.