Division of Surface Water Ohio EPA’s Division of Surface Water works to make sure that all of Ohio’s lakes, rivers and streams are fishable and swimmable. Many of the program activities, such as stream surveys, permitting and the development of watershed restoration plans are directed along watershed boundaries. In tackling these watershed issues, the division solicits the participation of citizen groups and new partnerships with other agencies. Permit Activities - Inspect sites for proposed wastewater treatment facilities.
- Review permit applications and draft wastewater discharge permits for municipal, commercial, industrial facilities and home sewage systems discharging to waters of the state.
- Review detailed plans for new, expanded or improved wastewater treatment plants, on-site sewage systems and sanitary sewers.
- Review plans for the disposal of sewage sludge and other residuals, such as spent lime sludge from water treatment plants.
- Review permit applications for and provide technical assistance to dischargers of storm water from industrial and construction sites.
- Review applications for the dredging or filling or wetlands or the modification of stream channels.
Compliance Activities - Conduct inspections to ensure facilities comply with terms of discharge permits.
- Review monthly monitoring reports required from each discharger to assess compliance with permit limitations.
- Initiate enforcement actions for violations of permit conditions or other legal requirements.
- Investigate complaints concerning stream pollution and improperly treated wastewater discharges.
- Inspect areas approved for land application of sludge.
Pretreatment Activities - Regulate and monitor performance of approved community pretreatment programs, where the community is the primary enforcer of regulations that set standards for industrial waste that discharges into the community’s sewage treatment system.
- Regulate industrial wastewater systems discharging in communities without an approved pretreatment program.
- Inspect the operation and maintenance of industrial pretreatment facilities.
- Review plans for proposed facilities that pretreat industrial discharges.
- Review and approve municipal pretreatment programs or proposed modifications to ensure they comply with state and federal regulations and community sewer use ordinances.
- Prepare enforcement referrals for violations by industrial users and communities with approved pretreatment programs.
Water Quality Activities - Collect comprehensive data and use it to prepare detailed evaluations of the quality of the state’s major waterways as well as develop limits for various discharge permits.
- Conduct monitoring and toxics evaluations of permitted dischargers to determine compliance with permit requirements and/or current water quality standards.
- Conduct specialized monitoring and nonpoint source projects to identify surface water problems; determine cause and effect relationships between those problems and pollution sources; assist in determining attainable water quality standards; and recommend strategies for improving water quality and preventing contamination.
- Provide technical assistance on surface water issues to municipalities, industries, soil and water conservation districts, the public and other Ohio EPA divisions.
- Coordinate and participate in the development and implementation of plans to help restorate stream quality.
- Sample public lakes for the state Inland Lakes Program.
- Support enforcement with case preparation, water sampling and expert testimony.
- Collect quarterly water samples from a statewide network of monitoring sites to update trends in surface water quality.
Storm Water Activities - Issue permits that require the development of Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plans and the implementation of best management practices to control the quality of storm water runoff from sites with construction and industrial activities.
- Permit and regulate storm water discharges from Ohio’s municipalities.
- Inspect permitted storm water sites and provide technical assistance.
- Investigate complaints.
Outreach Activities - Provide technical assistance to support the development of locally driven water resource management plans that identify the causes of water resource impairment and methods for their control.
- Assist local entities with their applications for grants to address nonpoint source pollution issues.
- Speak to schools and interested groups about the importance of maintaining water quality.
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