The federal government carefully regulates the use and quality of water for businesses. The resources listed on this page will provide you with extra information to help make sure your business is compliant with required regulations.

Select a topic below to immediately jump to this section.

• General Information

• Animal Feeding Operations

• Drinking Water

• Ground Water

• Stormwater

• Water Pollutants

• Wastewater

• Biosolids

• Effluents

• National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)

General Information

• Clean Water Act (CWA) Compliance Assistance
  Provides information about CWA compliance assistance.

• Water Laws and Regulations
  Offers a guide to water laws and regulations.

• Water Quality Standards
  Explains the foundation of the water quality-based pollution control program mandated by the CWA. Water Quality Standards define the goals for a waterbody by designating its uses, setting criteria to protect those uses, and establishing provisions to protect waterbodies from pollutants.

• Reclamation Reform Act (RRA) of 1982
  Provides the relevant statute and regulations pertaining to the RRA. Includes RRA fact sheets, forms and instructions available for download.

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Animal Feeding Operations

• Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFO): Final Rule
  Provides information about the Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations Final Rule.

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Drinking Water

• Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA)
  Provides main Web page for regulations and guidelines of the SDWA.

• Safe Water Drinking Act: Regulations & Guidance
  Gives an index to publications, policies and guidelines covering drinking water rules.

• Drinking Water Laboratory Certification Program
  Explains the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) certification requirements for laboratories analyzing drinking water compliance samples. Certified laboratories must successfully analyze proficiency testing samples, use promulgated methods and successfully pass periodic on-site audits. Certification is also required by states.

• Radionuclides in Drinking Water - Implementation Guidance
  Provides information about radionuclides in drinking water and guidance materials to help water systems comply with the standard.

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Ground Water

• Ground Water Rule (GWR)
  Provides information about the Ground Water Rule.

• Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program
  Outlines the UIC Program that is responsible for regulating the construction, operation, permitting, and closure of injection wells that place fluids underground for storage or disposal. This site provides information for owners and operators of injection wells and state regulators on how to safely operate injection wells to prevent contamination of underground drinking water resources.

• Underground Injection Control Program State Contacts
  Lists UIC state programs with information on contact person and implementing agencies.

• Compliance for Shallow Injection Wells (Class V)
  Supplies compliance information for owners and operators of Class V Injection Wells. Site identifies well types and gives information on compliance.

• Polluted Runoff (Nonpoint Source Pollution)
  Provides main portal to information about nonpoint source pollution.

• Polluted Runoff (Nonpoint Source Pollution): Funding Opportunities
  Gives information about funding opportunities relating to nonpoint source pollution and polluted runoff.

• Source Water Protection
  Contains information about source water protection.

• Water Security Guidelines
  Offers publications covering the security of water systems.

• Water Security for Small Systems
  Provides information on water security resources for small systems.

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Stormwater

• Stormwater Program Overview
  Contains technical and regulatory information about the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) stormwater program.

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Water Pollutants

• Arsenic in Drinking Water Compliance Help
  Details compliance information and training opportunities regarding the Drinking Water Standard for Arsenic.

• Nonpoint Source Pollution Fact Sheets
  Gives information about nonpoint source (NPS) pollution and how it remains the nation's largest source of water quality problems.

• Ocean Regulatory Programs
  Details waste management programs and lists links to resources about ocean dumping and dredged material management.

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Wastewater

• Wastewater Management
  Outlines compliance requirements of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.

• Office of Wastewater Management-Environmental Management Systems/ISO 14001
  Offers guidance, reports and answers to frequently asked questions regarding Environmental Management Systems.

• Septic System Program Contacts
  Lists contacts for septic system program.

• Septic Systems Guidelines
  Provides EPA publications and handbooks for wastewater treatment professionals.

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Biosolids

• Biosolids
  Provides general information about biosolids and links to publications and guidance relating to biosolids.

• Biosolids Frequently Asked Questions
  Lists questions and answers relating to biosolids.

• Guide to the Biosolids Risk Assessments for the EPA Part 503 Rule
  Offers guide to help the public, wastewater treatment authorities, state regulators and scientists better understand risk assessment processes.

• Plain English Guide to the EPA Part 503 Biosolids Rule
  Provides guidance on the implementation of the disposal of sewage sludge.

• EPA Regional and State Biosolids Coordinators
  Lists state and regional contacts for the Biosolids Program.

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Effluents

• Effluent Guidelines
  Outlines effluent guidelines for categories of existing sources and new sources under Title III of the CWA.

• Effluent Guidelines: Construction and Development Contacts
  Provides information for the construction and development portion of the Effluent Guideline program.

• Final Rule Fact Sheet for Effluent Guidelines for Oil and Gas Extraction (Synthetic-Based Drilling Fluids)
  Explains final effluent limitations guidelines and standards for the discharge of pollutants from oil and gas drilling operations associated with the use of synthetic-based drilling fluids (SBFs) and other non-aqueous drilling fluids into waters of the United States.

• Metal Products and Machinery (MP&M) Effluent Guidelines
  Offers information on MP&M effluent guidelines.

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National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)

• National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)
  Provides information about the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).

• NPDES: State Program Status
  Gives information on State NPDES Program Authority.

• Categorical Pretreatment Standards and Limits
  Details categorical pretreatment standards.

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