Search Results Help - Water

As described in detail on the primary Search Results Help home page, the Search Results page presents results that meet the search criteria specified. Information and data specific to the Water facility search is described below, including:


Customize the Data Table

ECHO data are initially aggregated at the state, county, or ZIP code level when viewing results with the interactive map. The level of aggregation is dynamically scaled based on the number of results returned to maximize the number of points on the map. The following counts are provided:

  • Number of Facilities
  • Facilities with Current Violations
  • Facilities with Significant Violations 
  • Facilities with Violations (3 years)
  • Facilities with Informal Enforcement Actions (5 years)
  • Facilities with Formal Enforcement Actions (5 years)
  • Facilities with On-Site Inspections (5 years)
  • Facilities without On-Site Inspections (5 years)

Once 500 or fewer results are found when viewing results with the interactive map, the data table presents facility-level information.

When you choose Data Table view from the search form, ECHO displays 500 table rows at a time and additional results are paginated. In Data Table view, total search results are limited to 100,000 or fewer records. An indication of how many results are returned and which set of results are in view is provided at the bottom of the table. Results are presented in tabular format in the data table (sorted by FRS ID by default) and initially include the following columns of data (click on the links below to jump to the Results Guide for detailed descriptions of each):

Several facility reports are accessible from the Reports column. The following reports may be accessed by clicking the corresponding icon. Note that the types of reports available for specific facilities varies.

ICON REPORT DESCRIPTION
Single Civil Enforcement Case Report Icon Single Civil Enforcement Case Report An "I" icon is displayed in the Reports column if a Civil Enforcement Case Report exists for a facility. Click the "I" icon to access the Civil Enforcement Case Report.  
Multiple Civil Enforcement Case Report Icon Multiple Civil Enforcement Case Reports An "I+" icon is displayed if multiple Civil Enforcement Case Reports exist for a facility. Click the “I+” icon to display links to all available Civil Enforcement Case Reports by case number.  Click on a case number to access the selected Enforcement Case Report.
Compliance Report Icon Compliance Report The Detailed Facility Report for each facility can be accessed by clicking the "C" icon in the Reports column. The Detailed Facility Report presents a concise enforcement and compliance history for a selected facility.
Effluent Charts Effluent Charts Click the "E" icon to access the facility's Effluent Charts page, which presents dynamic charts, tables, and data downloads of permitted discharges, effluent limits, and violations over time for Clean Water Act (CWA) wastewater discharge permits issued under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). 
CWA Pollutant Loading Report Pollutant Loading Report Click the "L" icon to view the DMR pollutant loading report for a facility. This icon links to EPA's Water Pollutant Loading Tool.
 
Facility Documents Icon Facility Documents EPA Inspection and Permit Documents — Access documents related to inspection, enforcement, and environmental assessment (EAs) and environmental impact statements (EIS) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Document are currently limited to facilities in EPA Region 6.

Facility-Reported Clean Air Act Compliance Documents (CEDRI) — Access EPA facility documents submitted to EPA using the Compliance and Emissions Data Reporting Interface (CEDRI). For more information, see WebFIRE

Note: The types of documents and date ranges available may differ between facilities. EPA plans to expand the facility document linkages in the future.

Tip: Sort tabular data by clicking on the column heading. The Reports column cannot be sorted.

You can further manipulate the data presented using either the Customize Columns or Download Data buttons. Click Customize Columns to customize the tabular data to focus on the data most important to you. Data fields available for selection include (click on the links below to jump to the Results Guide for detailed descriptions of each):

Use the Select All link to quickly include all columns for display or use the Clear All link to clear all selections. Note: Facility Name, Mapped, and Reports are always included and cannot be unchecked.

ECHO allows you to download your search results for further analysis. Click Download Data to download tabular data in comma-separated value (CSV), Excel (XLSX), or GEOJSON formats. Note: Excel format is only available for 10,000 or fewer records and may require several minutes to process.

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Results Guide

Data Alerts

Missouri and Washington are working with EPA to fix problems with their Clean Water Act violation data.

The Known Data Problems page has more information.

Key Terms

"Violation," "noncompliance," "significant noncompliance," and "high priority violation" are all terms used by the ECHO website to describe the facility’s status in regard to compliance with the law. In many cases, these terms reflect determinations made by EPA or states when conducting inspections or reviewing facility self-reports. These determinations assist the government in tracking resolution of violations through the enforcement process and do not necessarily represent a final adjudication by a judicial or administrative body. In such cases, these characterizations should be considered alleged violations.

The search results present data from several EPA data sources. Read About the Data for more information on each data source and when the data were last updated in ECHO. See the Known Data Problems page for important notifications about data quality. 

Data fields included in the search results are described below. The results page field name is listed in bold and the data download file field name is listed [within brackets in italics].

Facility Information

Facility Name [CWPName]
Company or permit holder name, as maintained in ICIS-NPDES. The facility name may differ across EPA databases due to differences in reported information, change in ownership, use of parent or subsidiary name, etc.
NPDES ID [SourceID]
A unique 9-character ID assigned for each permit within the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program. The ID may contain both letters and numbers and often begins with the two-letter abbreviation for the state in which the facility is permitted.
Mapped [FacMapFlg]
Graphical indicator denoting whether geographical data required to map a facility are available. A gray pin denotes a facility without spatial coordinates.
Reports [Excluded from download]
An indicator of ECHO reports that are available and accessible by clicking on the corresponding icons. The Reports Legend provides descriptions of each type of report. Note: The types of reports available varies for specific facilities. This column cannot be sorted on.
Street Address (Address, City, County [Program System], County [FRS], State, and ZIP Code) [CWPStreet, CWPCity, CWPCounty, FacStdCountyName, CWPState, CWPZip]
Street address, city, county, state, and ZIP code where facility is located, as maintained by each data system. Certain data systems also maintain mailing address information, which is not used in this report. The street address may differ across EPA databases due to differences in reported information (e.g., use of mailing address), change in ownership, use of parent or subsidiary address, etc. The search logic includes results that match specified address criteria in any source database. The address displayed in the search results table reflects information in the ICIS-NPDES database. 
State District [CWPStateDistrict]
The State Congressional District the facility is located within.
Facility Information (FRS) ID [RegistryID]
Facility Information included on this page is associated with a particular Facility Registry Service (FRS) ID. FRS uniquely identifies a facility by assigning an identification number (FRS ID), and uses this FRS ID to link together all regulatory program database records (such as permit IDs and facility IDs that facilities use in reporting to EPA).
EPA Region [CWPEPARegion]
The EPA region where the facility is located. EPA has 10 regional offices that execute programs within several states and territories.
Federal Agency Code [FacFederalAgencyCode]
Indicates the federal agency, as classified in FRS. Federal agencies are installations that are owned and operated by the U.S. government. The five character code consists of a letter followed by four numbers. There are four possible letters that can occupy the first character position: 'C' for Civilian Federal Agency; 'D' for Department of Defense; 'E' for Department of Energy; 'X' for Unknown. The second and third characters represent the agency code, while the fourth and fifth characters represent the bureau code.
Federal Agency Name [FacFederalAgencyName]
Indicates the name of the federal agency, as classified in FRS. Federal agencies are installations that are owned and operated by the U.S. government.
State County FIPS Code [FacFIPSCode]
The Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) code to identify the county that a facility is located in.
FRS Tribal Land Code [FacIndianCntryFlg]
Displays “Y” if a facility is flagged as being located in Indian Country, based on information from the EPA's Facility Registry Service (FRS). Displays “N” if a facility is not located in Indian County.
ICIS Tribal Land Flag [CWPIndianCntryFlg]
Displays “Y” if a facility is flagged as being located in Indian Country, based on information from the EPA's Integrated Compliance Information System (ICIS). Displays “N” if a facility is not located in Indian County.
Within Spatial Tribal Boundary [FacIndianSpatialFlg]
Displays “Y” if a facility is located within 25 miles of a tribal spatial boundary as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau tribal boundary layer data for tribes in the lower 48 states and Bureau of Land Management Alaska State Office data for tribes in Alaska. Displays “N” if a facility is not located within or near a tribal spatial boundary. Data Quality Caveat.
FRS Spatially Derived Tribe [FacDerivedTribes]
The tribes or tribal territories located within 25 miles of the facility's location. EPA compares the facility location in its Facility Registry Service to the U.S. Census Bureau tribal boundary layer data for tribes in the lower 48 states and Bureau of Land Management Alaska State Office data for tribes in Alaska. The tribal boundary locations identified are suitable only for general spatial reference and do not necessarily reflect EPA's position on any Indian country locations or boundaries, or the land status of any specific location. Data Quality Caveat.
Near US-Mexican Border [FacUsMexBorderFlg]
A "Y" is displayed for facilities within 100 km of the U.S.-Mexico border.
SIC Code [CWPSICCodes]
Indicates the facility’s or permit's primary Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Code. The SIC code describes the primary activity of the facility. The first two digits in the code define a major business sector; the last two digits denote a facility's specialty within the major sector. SIC Lookup
NAICS Code [CWPNAICSCodes]
Indicates the facility’s or permit's primary North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code. The NAICS Code has replaced the U.S. Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system. The system was developed to give special attention to developing production-oriented classifications for (a) new and emerging industries, (b) service industries in general, and (c) industries engaged in the production of advanced technologies.
NAICS industries are identified by a 6-digit code. The first two digits represent the Industry sector, in which there exist 20 broad sectors. The third digit represents industry subsector, the fourth digit represents industry group, the fifth digit represents industry, and the sixth digit is U.S., Canadian, or Mexican National specific. 
Latitude/Longitude [FacLat, FacLong]
Displays the latitude and longitude of the facility or permit holder as maintained in the program data system.
Facility Design Flow (MGD) [CWPTotalDesignFlowNmbr]
The amount of wastewater flow, in million gallons per day (MGD), that the permitted facility is designed to accommodate, as entered in ICIS-NPDES.
Actual Average Facility Flow (MGD) [CWPActualAverageFlowNmbr]
The actual amount of wastewater flow at the facility at the time of the permit application, in million gallons per day (MGD), as entered in ICIS-NPDES.
Facility Type [CWPFacilityTypeIndicator]
The facility ownership classification in ICIS-NPDES (a system-generated field, derived from owner/operator type and permit component). A facility may be classified as a publicly owned treatment work (POTW) or non-POTW. Further information about the logic and how this field is calculated can be found on the NPDES Data Sharing Dashboard Help page. 
Owner/Operator [CWPFacilityTypeCode]
The facility owner/operator type. A facility owner/operator type may include:
  • Corporation
  • County Government
  • District
  • Federal Facility (U.S. Government)
  • Government Owned/Contractor Operated 
  • Individual 
  • Mixed Ownership (e.g. Public/Private)
  • Municipal or Water District
  • Municipality
  • Non-Government
  • Privately Owned Facility
  • School District
  • State Government
  • Tribal Government
  • Unknown 

Note: Government Owned/Contractor Operated, Individual, and Unknown types are included in the search options, but are inactive types in the source system.

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Regulatory Programs

ICIS-Air IDs [AIRIDs]
A unique ID assigned for each record/permit/site/facility within ICIS-Air. These identifiers are for used tracking purposes in the individual data systems.
NPDES IDs [CWAIDs]
Displays all NPDES IDs associated with a Facility Registry Service (FRS) ID.
RCRA IDs [RCRAIDs]
A unique 12-character ID assigned for each record/permit/site/facility within the RCRAInfo database. This identifier is used to track waste handlers subject to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). The ID may contain both letters and numbers and often begins with the two-letter abbreviation for the state in which the facility is permitted.
SDWA IDs [SDWAIDs]
A unique 9-character ID assigned for each public water system within the Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). These identifiers are for used tracking purposes in the individual data systems. The ID may contain both letters and numbers and often begins with the two-letter abbreviation for the state in which the facility is permitted.
TRI IDs [TRIIDs]
A unique 15-character ID assigned for each facility within the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program. The format is ZZZZZNNNNNSSSSS, where ZZZZZ = ZIP code, NNNNN = the first 5 consonants of the name, and SSSSS = the first 5 non-blank non-special characters in the street address. These identifiers are for used tracking purposes in the individual data systems.
RMP IDs [RmpIDs]
Displays all Risk Management Plan (RMP) IDs associated with a Facility Registry Service (FRS) ID. RMP IDs are unique IDs assigned for each facility covered under the RMP Rule.

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Permits

Permittee Name [PermitName]
The name of the permitted entity. This name may differ from the facility name.
Version Number [CWPVersionNmbr]
The version number of the facility's NPDES permit.
Permit Status [CWPPermitStatusDesc]
Full description of the facility's NPDES permit status
Other/State Permit Number [OtherPermitIDs]
The identifier for the permit in the state issuing agency's system, as applicable. This field is the "Other External Permit Number" in EPA's source system.
 Permit Issuing Agency  [IssuingAgency]
The environmental agency that issued the permit.
Permit Type [CWPPermitTypeDesc]
Full description of the facility's NPDES permit classification.
Permit Issue Date [CWPIssueDate]
Date (MM/DD/YYYY) that the permit was issued.
Permit Effective Date [CWPEffectiveDate]
Date (MM/DD/YYYY) that the permit became effective.
Permit Expiration Date [CWPExpirationDate]
Date (MM/DD/YYYY) that the permit expires.
Permit Termination Date [CWPTerminationDate]
Date (MM/DD/YYYY) that the permit was terminated.
Major Status [CWPMajorMinorStatusFlag]
A facility classified as "Major" refers to NPDES major permittees.
Permit Components [PermitComponents]
Indicates the permit component(s) associated with the NPDES Permit Program Area.
NPDES Data Groups(s) [NPDESDataGroupsDescs]
The "NPDES Data Group" tracks the most current information about the NPDES reports, certifications, waivers, or notices that each NPDES-regulated entity is required to submit.

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Compliance Status

CWA Compliance Status

A permit-level CWA compliance status is generated after every quarter and then reviewed before becoming "official". Discharge data for the most recent quarter were reported after the last official quarter, and a permit-level compliance status has not yet been generated. Since these data were reported after the last Quarterly Noncompliance Report (QNCR) was issued, they are considered draft and have not been fully quality assured. A QNCR description is provided in the Detailed Facility Report Data Dictionary. Post QNCR data are taken into account for the following results table columns:

  • Compliance Status
  • Quarters with NonCompliance (3 years)
  • Current Violation
  • Effluent Violations (3 years)
Compliance Status [CWPStatus]
An indication of the facility's compliance status under the Clean Water Act. The following designations are made:
  • Significant Violation
  • Violation Identified
  • No Violation Identified
  • Terminated Permit
  • Not Applicable
  • Unknown
Note: This field considers the most current data available, including effluent exceedances reported after the last Quarterly Noncompliance Report (QNCR) was issued; post QNCR data are considered draft and have not been fully quality assured.
Significant Noncompliance (SNC) Status [CWPSNCStatus]
When a major source is in significant noncompliance (SNC) or a non-major source has a Category I violation, the specific type of SNC/Category I will be displayed. 
 
Effluent Violations
Effluent - Monthly Average Limit
Effluent - Non-monthly Average Limit
 
Violations of a Compliance Schedule
Compliance/Permit Schedule Violations
Compliance/Permit Schedule Reporting
 
Failure to Report
Failure to Report DMR - Not Received
Reportable Noncompliance (RNC) Status [CWPVioStatus]
The most recent official quarterly QNCR compliance status (Quarter 12) for the NPDES permit. 
SNC Status Date [CWPSNCStatusDate]
The status date of the facility's Significant Noncompliance designation.
Quarters with Noncompliance (3 years) [CWPQtrsWithNc]
Count of the number of quarters, out of the last twelve quarters, in which the permit or site is considered either with violations, in noncompliance (NC) status, or in Significant Noncompliance (SNC), as described above under Compliance Status. A quarter is any of the following 3-month calendar periods: January-March, April-June, July-September, or October-December. Further violation and detailed compliance information can be found on ECHO's Frequently Asked Questions page. Note: This field considers the most current data available, including effluent exceedances reported after the last QNCR was issued; post QNCR data are considered draft and have not been fully quality assured.
Current Violation [CWPViolStatus]
Displays "Yes" if the facility is currently in any violation under the Clean Water Act, either in Noncompliance or Significant Noncompliance. Note: This field considers the most current data available, including effluent exceedances reported after the last Quarterly Noncompliance Report (QNCR) was issued; post-QNCR data are considered draft and have not been fully quality assured. If the official data show the facility is in violation and the post-QNCR data show the facility is not in violation or unknown, the status is based on the official QNCR data. Otherwise, the status is based on post-QNCR.
Quarters with SNC (3 years) [CWPQtrsWithSNC]
Count of the number of quarters, out of the last twelve quarters, in which the permit is considered in Significant Noncompliance (SNC), as described above under Compliance Status. A quarter is any of the following 3-month calendar periods: January-March, April-June, July-September, or October-December. Further violation and detailed compliance information can be found on ECHO's Frequently Asked Questions page.
Qtrs in Undetermined Compliance Status (2 years) [MissDMRQtrs]
Count of the number of quarters, out of the last twelve quarters, in which EPA's data system was not able to determine the facility-level compliance status. A quarter is any of the following 3-month calendar periods: January-March, April-June, July-September, or October-December.
Effluent Violations (3 years) [CWPE90Cnt]
Displays the number of instances where effluent limits have been exceeded in the past 3 years (E90 compliance code), based on monthly Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs) submitted by facilities.  This field displays whole numbers and "0" indicates either that the facility has not exceeded its effluent limits or may not have effluent limits in its permit. 
Note: This field considers the most current data available, including effluent exceedances reported after the last QNCR was issued; post QNCR data are considered draft and have not been fully quality assured. The number of effluent violations reported in the post QNCR data are added to the total number of officially reported exceedances.
Compliance Tracking [CWPComplianceTracking]
Displays the compliance tracking status for a NPDES permit in ICIS-NPDES. The Compliance Tracking selections can assist you in interpreting the compliance status, particularly for non-major permittees. There are two components of compliance tracking, including Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR) non-receipt tracking and facility-level compliance status tracking. Note that compliance tracking may not be entered for some permits, as it does not apply to “Not Needed” or “Pending" permit statuses or "Unpermitted" permit type. The compliance tracking statuses can only be turned off for non-major permittees.
  • "On" generally indicates that data are being entered and all system compliance tracking is on. In ICIS-NPDES, Permit Compliance Tracking Status and DMR Non-Receipt Status are both set to “Yes”.
  • "Partial" generally indicates that some data are being entered, effluent exceedances and most facility-level status types are being identified, but DMR non-receipt is not being tracked, which suggests not all DMR data are being entered. In ICIS-NPDES, Permit Compliance Tracking Status is set to “Yes” and DMR Non-Receipt Status is set to “No”.
  • "Off" indicates that data both compliance tracking flags are off (i.e., ICIS-NPDES will not determine a facility-level compliance status). In ICIS-NPDES, Permit Compliance Tracking Status is set to “No.” Facilities with compliance tracking “off” may have violations on their hard copy DMRs that are not recorded in the ICIS-NPDES database.

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Inspections

On-Site Inspections (5 years) [CWPInspectionCount]
The number of inspections/compliance evaluations, under the corresponding statute, occurring at the facility within the last five years. The last five years include data from the twenty most recently completed quarters, plus data from the current quarter up until the refresh date. This count only includes inspection types that are counted as inspections in official counts. For more information about on-site inspections, see CWA NPDES Compliance Monitoring Strategy.
Days Since On-Site Last Inspection [CWPDaysLastInspection]
Indicates the number of days since the most recent inspection of the facility. Inspections listed within the last five years are included.
Date of Last On-Site Inspection [CWPDateLastInspection, CWPDateLastInspEPA, CWPDateLastInspSt]
The date on which the most recent inspection of the facility took place. "Date of Last On-Site Inspection (EPA)" and "Date of Last On-Site Inspection (State)" indicate the last inspection date by EPA and the state environmental agency, respectively.

Enforcement Actions

Informal Enforcement Actions (5 years) [CWPInformalEnfActCount]
Indicates the total number of informal enforcement actions/notices of violations (NOVs) taken against the facility within the last five years. Notices of Violation are activities taken by EPA or the state that often precede a formal administrative or civil/judicial enforcement action. Not all notices of violation are escalated to formal enforcement action for a variety of reasons, including the following: the facility quickly corrects the problem(s) indicated in the notice, the violation is determined to be less severe than originally thought, or consultation between the facility and EPA or the state indicates that a violation has not occurred.
Formal Enforcement Actions (5 years) [CWPFormalEaCnt]
Indicates the total number of enforcement actions taken against the facility within the last five years. This count only includes enforcement actions that have been entered in the national program database, ICIS-NPDES. (Please note that all actions at NPDES facilities in states using ICIS-NPDES are counted.)
A "--" indicates that the database shows no formal EPA or state enforcement action. Note that enforcement actions that are in progress are not publicly available. For more information, continue to check this site for updates (monthly). The relevant state environmental agency also may have additional information. Also note that all violations do not receive formal enforcement actions. Violations that are minor, short in duration, or quickly corrected by the facility may not warrant formal enforcement action.
Date Last Informal Action [CWPDateLastInformalEa]
Indicates the effective date of the most recent listed informal enforcement action taken against the facility within the last five years.
Date Last Informal Action (EPA) [CWPDateLastIeaEPA]
Indicates the effective date of the most recent listed informal enforcement action taken against the facility by EPA within the last five years.
Date Last Informal Action (State) [CWPDateLastIeaSt]
Indicates the effective date of the most recent listed informal enforcement action taken against the facility by a state environmental agency within the last five years.
Date Last Formal Action[CWPDateLastFea]
Indicates the effective date of the most recent listed formal enforcement action taken against the facility within the last five years.
Date Last Formal Action (EPA) [CWPDateLastFeaEPA]
Indicates the effective date of the most recent listed formal enforcement action taken against the facility by EPA within the last five years.
Date Last Formal Action (State) [CWPDateLastFeaSt]
Indicates the effective date of the most recent listed formal enforcement action taken against the facility by a state environmental agency within the last five years.

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Pollutants

Pollutant(s) With Violations (3 years) [PollWithViolation]
The names of pollutants with effluent exceedances (i.e., violation code E90) in the past three years in ICIS-NPDES. Click on the Effluent Charts "E" icon in the Reports column for additional detail, including graphical display of the violation types and dates.
Pollutant(s) With Monitoring Requirements [LimPollutant]
The list of pollutants with enforceable (i.e., numeric limits or monitoring only) and/or benchmark limits in the current version of a NPDES permit. An active set limit must exist for the parameter. 
DMR Loadings (lb/year) [DmrPounds]
Total pounds of pollutants discharged by the NPDES ID for the most recent complete calendar year. Pollutant loading amounts are calculated using concentration, quantity, and flow data reported on the facility's Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs) and entered into ICIS-NPDES. Click on the Pollutant Loading Report "L" icon in the Reports column to view loadings and loadings calculations in further detail.
DMR Toxic-Weighted Loadings (lb-eq/year) [DmrTwpe]
Total toxic-weighted pounds equivalent (TWPE) discharged by the NPDES ID for the most recent complete calendar year. TWPE is the mass of a pollutant or chemical discharged that accounts for its relative toxicity. To convert DMR loadings into TWPE, EPA multiplies the pollutant loading (in pounds) by its toxic weighting factor (TWF). Click on the Pollutant Loading Report "L" icon in the Reports column to view loadings and loadings calculations in further detail.
EPA developed TWFs for use in its Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards (ELGs) development program to allow comparison of pollutants with varying toxicities. See Water Pollutant Loading Tool Resources for more information on TWF values and methodology.
DMR Conventional Pollutants Loadings (lb/year) [PastCalYrConvPollutants]
Total pounds of conventional pollutants discharged by the NPDES ID for the most recent complete calendar year. Conventional pollutants are defined in 40 CFR 401.16. Pollutant loading amounts are calculated using concentration, quantity, and flow data reported on the facility's Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs) and entered into ICIS-NPDES. Click on the Pollutant Loading Report "L" icon in the Reports column to view loadings and loadings calculations in further detail. See Water Pollutant Loading Tool Resources for more information on pollutant loadings methodology.
DMR Conventional Pollutants - Load Over Limit (lb/year) [PastCalYrConvPolOvrLmt]
Total load over limit of conventional pollutant pounds equivalent discharged by the NPDES ID for the most recent complete calendar year. Conventional pollutants are defined in 40 CFR 401.16. The load over limit calculates the sum of the monthly differences between the average load and either the permit limit or the enforcement action limit for each pollutant. Click on the Pollutant Loading Report "L" icon in the Reports column to view loadings and loadings calculations in further detail. See Water Pollutant Loading Tool Hierarchy of Loading Calculations and Technical Users Background Document for more information on values and methodology.
DMR Toxic Load Over Limit (lb-eq/year) [PastCalYrToxicPolOvrLmt]
Total load over limit of toxic-weighted pounds equivalent (TWPE) discharged by the NPDES ID for the most recent complete calendar year. TWPE is the mass of a pollutant or chemical discharged that accounts for its relative toxicity. To convert DMR loadings into TWPE, EPA multiplies the pollutant loading (in pounds) by its toxic weighting factor (TWF). The load over limit calculates the sum of the monthly differences between the average load and either the permit limit or enforcement action limit for each pollutant. Click on the Pollutant Loading Report "L" icon in the Reports column to view loadings and loadings calculations in further detail. See Water Pollutant Loading Tool  Resources for more information on TWF values and methodology.
TRI Surface Water Releases (lb/year) (YYYY) [FacTRISwRel]
Chemical surface water release information from the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) is provided for each reporting facility. Data are for information purposes only and do not indicate any association with other sections of this report. Chemical releases are not a measure of compliance as the reported releases are typically permissible under current laws.
TRI Surface Water Releases represent the total chemical releases discharged to surface water, in pounds, as reported to TRI by the facility for the most recent reporting year.
TRI POTW Transfers (lb/year) (YYYY) [FacTRIPotwTrans]
TRI POTW Transfers represent the amount of toxic chemicals transferred to a Publicly Operated Treatment Works (POTW), in pounds, as reported to TRI by the facility for the most recent reporting year.
POTW transfer information from the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) is provided for each reporting facility. Data are for information purposes only and do not indicate any association with other sections of this report. POTW transfers are not a measure of compliance as the reported releases are typically permissible under current laws.

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Local Water Bodies

Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) (ICIS) [CWPCsoFlag]
The discharge from a Combined Sewer System at a point prior to the treatment plant. CSOs are point sources subject to NPDES permit requirements including both technology-based and water quality-based requirements of the Clean Water Act.
CSO Outfalls (ICIS) [CWPCsoOutfalls]
The number of discharge outfalls at points prior to the treatment plant.
State Water Body (ICIS) [CWPStateWaterBodyCode]

HUC or ATTAINS Assessment Unit ID, as entered into ICIS-NPDES. Hydrologic Unit Codes (HUCs) are assigned by the US Geological Survey and used to classify watersheds in the United States and the Caribbean. This field may have multiple listed values. The code consists of twelve digits which correspond to six levels of classification:

  • Region (first-level, 2-digit HUC)
  • Subregion (second-level, 4-digit HUC)
  • Accounting unit (third-level, 6-digit HUC)
  • Cataloguing unit (fourth-level, 8-digit HUC)
  • Watershed (fifth-level, 10-digit HUC)
  • Subwatershed (sixth-level, 12-digit HUC)
State Water Body Name (ICIS) [CWPStateWaterBodyName]

The name of the river, lake, stream, or estuary in which the facility discharges wastewater. This is the state water body name or names as entered into EPA's ICIS-NPDES data system. The authorized NPDES program manually creates these names for each permitted feature at the facility and enters or shares these data with ICIS-NPDES.

8-Digit WBD HUC (FRS Derived)

12-digit hydrologic unit code (HUC) that characterizes a geographic area representing part or all of a surface draininage basin, a combination of drainage basins, or a distinct hydrologic feature. The code consists of eight digits which correspond to four levels of classification:

  • Region (first-level, 2-digit HUC)
  • Subregion (second-level, 4-digit HUC)
  • Basin(third-level, 6-digit HUC)
  • Subbasin (fourth-level, 8-digit HUC)
WBD Subbasin Name (FRS Derived)

The name of the hydrologic unit in which the facility is located within, derived spatially based on the facility's geographic coordinates in FRS. A water body is a geographically defined portion of navigable waters, waters of the contiguous zone, and ocean waters under the jurisdiction of the United States, including segments of rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands, coastal waters and ocean waters.

Water Body Most Recent State Assessment (ATTAINS) [AttainsCycleYear]

The year in which the most recent state assessment occurred for the water body. The data are from the ATTAINS database.

12-Digit WBD HUC(s) and Subwatershed Name(s) (RAD)

The name of the hydrologic unit in which the facility is located within, from the Reach Address Database (RAD), which is derived from the USGS Watershed Boundary Dataset. A water body is a geographically defined portion of navigable waters, waters of the contiguous zone, and ocean waters under the jurisdiction of the United States, including segments of rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands, coastal waters and ocean waters.

12-Digit WBD HUC (FRS Derived)

12-digit hydrologic unit code (HUC) that characterizes a geographic area representing part or all of a surface draininage basin, a combination of drainage basins, or a distinct hydrologic feature. The code consists of twelve digits which correspond to six levels of classification:

  • Region (first-level, 2-digit HUC)
  • Subregion (second-level, 4-digit HUC)
  • Basin(third-level, 6-digit HUC)
  • Subbasin (fourth-level, 8-digit HUC)
  • Watershed (fifth-level, 10-digit HUC)
  • Subwatershed (sixth-level, 12-digit HUC)
WBD Subwatershed Name (FRS Derived)

The name of the hydrologic unit in which the facility is located within, derived spatially based on the facility's geographic coordinates in FRS. A water body is a geographically defined portion of navigable waters, waters of the contiguous zone, and ocean waters under the jurisdiction of the United States, including segments of rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands, coastal waters and ocean waters.

12-Digit WBD HUC (RAD) [RadWBDHuc125]

Hydrologic Unit Code (HUC) from the Reach Address Database (RAD), which is derived from the USGS Watershed Boundary Dataset. HUCs are used to classify watersheds in the United States and the Caribbean. The code consists of twelve digits which correspond to six levels of classification:

  • Region (first-level, 2-digit HUC)
  • Subregion (second-level, 4-digit HUC)
  • Basin(third-level, 6-digit HUC)
  • Subbasin (fourth-level, 8-digit HUC)
  • Watershed (fifth-level, 10-digit HUC)
  • Subwatershed (sixth-level, 12-digit HUC)
Listed for Impairment (ATTAINS) [AttainsImpWaterFlg]

Displays “Y” if the water body in which the facility resides is listed for impairment. The data are from the ATTAINS database.

Under section 303(d) of the CWA, states, territories, and authorized tribes are required to develop lists of impaired waters. These are waters that are too polluted or otherwise degraded to meet the water quality standards set by states, territories, or authorized tribes. The law requires that states establish priority rankings for waters on the lists and develop Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), for these waters. A TMDL is a calculation of the maximum amount of a pollutant that a water body can receive and still safely meet water quality standards. For more information about impaired waters or TMDLs, please visit EPA's Clean Water Act Section 303(d) area.

Impairment Class (ATTAINS) [AttainsAuCategory]

 The impairment class or category of the water body in which the facility is permitted to discharge directly. The data are from the ATTAINS database.

  • 5. Impaired - TMDL needed. Available information indicates that at least one designated use is not being supported and a TMDL is needed (also known as the 303(d) listed waters).
  • 4. Impaired - TMDL not needed. Available information indicates that at least one designated use is not being supported, but a TMDL is not needed (see subcategories).
  • 4a. TMDL completed. A TMDL has been completed, but impairment still exists.
  • 4b. TMDL alternative. Impairment is being addressed by a method other than a TMDL (e.g., stream bank improvements).
  • 4c. Non-pollutant causes. Cause of impairment is not a pollutant (e.g., habitat destruction).

Detailed information on the categorization of waters can be found in Section V of the 2006 Integrated Report Guidance.

Causes of Impairment(s) (ATTAINS) [AttainsStateCauses]
Pollutants or stressors that are causing impairment in the assessed water body. These causes describe a greater level of detail than Causes of Impairment(s) by Group(s), and some impairment causes may be associated with several impairment groups. While most of the cause names (such as nutrients or metals) are standard and widely used by all states, others may be unique to a given state. See the state 305(b) report for more information. The data are from the ATTAINS database.
Causes of Impairment(s) by Group(s) (ATTAINS) [AttainsCauseGroups]
The general categories of pollutants or stressors that are causing impairment in the assessed water body, as maintained in the ATTAINS database. The complete list and descriptions of impairment groups are provided in the National Causes of Impairment table.
Facility Pollutant(s) Potentially Contributing to Impairment (ECHO Derived) [AttainsPossibleNPDESParams]
The pollutants with limits or monitoring requirements in a facility's NPDES permit with the potential to contribute to impairment of local water bodies, based on the water body impairment cause group. EPA compiled a list of pollutants in ICIS-NPDES that may be associated with each ATTAINS impairment cause group. See the Impairment Group Parameter Crosswalk (CSV) (148 K) for the complete list of pollutants.
Aquatic Life Use Designation (ATTAINS) [AttainsAquaticLifeUseFlg]
Displays “Y” if the water body in which the facility resides is designated for aquatic life use. The data are from the ATTAINS database.
Recreational Use Designation (ATTAINS) [AttainsRecreationUseFlg]
Displays “Y” if the water body in which the facility resides is designated for recreational use. The data are from the ATTAINS database. Please visit EPA’s Recreational Water Quality Criteria webpage for more information.
Fish Consumption Use Designation (ATTANS) [AttainsFishCNSMPTNUseFlg]
Displays "Y" if the facility is located on water with a Fish Consumption National Designated Use.
Drinking Water Use Designation (ATTAINS) [AttainsDrinkingWaterUseFlg]
Displays "Y" if the facility is located on water with a Drinking Water National Designated Use.
Beach Closure Within Last Year (BEACHES) [BeachCloseLastYearFlg]
Displays “Y” if the facility is located on or near a water body with a beach closure within the last year. Visit EPA’s Beach Monitoring and Notification webpage for more information.
Beach Closure Within Two Years (BEACHES) [BeachCloseLast2yearsFlg]
Displays “Y” if the facility is located on or near a water body with a beach closure within the last two years. Visit EPA’s Beach Monitoring and Notification webpage for more information.
Chesapeake Bay Flag (FRS Derived) [ChesapeakeBayFlg]
Displays “Y” if the facility is located within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. For information on the Chesapeake Bay restoration program and activities, see the Chesapeake Bay Program Office.

Other Information

EJ Indexes Above 80th Percentile [Over80CountUs]
Indicates the number of primary EJSCREEN environmental justice (EJ) indexes exceeding the 80th or higher national percentile for the Census block group that the facility is located in. EPA uses EJSCREEN as a screening tool to identify geographic areas that may warrant further consideration or analysis. Note that use of this field does not designate an area as an “EJ community” or “EJ facility.” EJSCREEN provides screening level indicators, not a determination of the existence or absence of EJ concerns. For more information, see the EJSCREEN home page.
EJSCREEN Lead Paint Indicator [PctilePctpre1960Us]
The national percentile of the Lead Paint Indicator Environmental Index for the Census block group that the facility is located within. This index is based on a calculation of housing units built before 1960, based on Census and American Community Service (ACS) data. For more information, see EJSCREEN Environmental Indicators and How the EJ Index Works.
EJSCREEN NATA Diesel PM [PctileDpmUs]
The national percentile of the EJSCREEN National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) Diesel particulate matter (PM) Environmental Index for the Census block group that the facility is located within. For more information, see EJSCREEN Environmental Indicators and How the EJ Index Works.
EJSCREEN NATA Cancer Risk [PctileCancerUs]
The national percentile of the EJSCREEN National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) Cancer Risk Environmental Index for the Census block group that the facility is located within. For more information, see EJSCREEN Environmental Indicators and How the EJ Index Works.
EJSCREEN NATA Respiratory Hazard Index [PctileRespUs]
The national percentile of the EJSCREEN National-Scale Air Toxics Assessment (NATA) Respiratory Hazard Environmental Index for the Census block group that the facility is located within. For more information, see EJSCREEN Environmental Indicators and How the EJ Index Works.
EJSCREEN Traffic Proximity [PctileTrafficScoreUs]
The national percentile of the EJSCREEN Traffic Proximity Environmental Index for the Census block group that the facility is located within. For more information, see EJSCREEN Environmental Indicators and How the EJ Index Works.
EJSCREEN Wastewater Discharge Proximity [PctileProximityNPDESUs]
The national percentile of the EJSCREEN Major CWA Direct Discharger Proximity Environmental Index for the Census block group that the facility is located within. For more information, see EJSCREEN Environmental Indicators and How the EJ Index Works.
EJSCREEN Superfund Proximity [PctileProximityNplUs]
The national percentile of the EJSCREEN National Priorities List (NPL)/Superfund Proximity Environmental Index for the Census block group that the facility is located within. For more information, see EJSCREEN Environmental Indicators and How the EJ Index Works.
EJSCREEN RMP Proximity [PctileProximityRmpUs]
The national percentile of the EJSCREEN Risk Management Plan (RMP) Proximity Environmental Index for the Census block group that the facility is located within. For more information, see EJSCREEN Environmental Indicators and How the EJ Index Works.
EJSCREEN Hazardous Waste Proximity [PctileProximityTsdfUs]
The national percentile of the EJSCREEN Treatment Storage and Disposal Facilities (TSDFs) Proximity Environmental Index for the Census block group that the facility is located within. For more information, see EJSCREEN Environmental Indicators and How the EJ Index Works.
EJSCREEN Ozone [PctileO3Us]
The national percentile of the EJSCREEN Ozone Environmental Index for the Census block group that the facility is located within. This index is an indication of the relative ozone level in the air. For more information, see EJSCREEN Environmental Indicators and How the EJ Index Works.
EJSCREEN PM 2.5 [PctilePmUs]
The national percentile of the EJSCREEN Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5 Environmental Index for the Census block group that the facility is located within. This index is an indication of the relative fine PM levels in the air. For more information, see EJSCREEN Environmental Indicators and How the EJ Index Works.
Population Density (3 mi) [FacPopDen]
The number of persons per square mile in the profiled area. The ratio of total persons (displayed in the Total Persons field) to total land area (displayed in the Land Area field).
Percent Minority (3 mi) [FacPercentMinority]
Percent Minority is the percentage of the population of the given area that is considered minority. The field is calculated by subtracting the number of persons who are white (and not of Hispanic origin) from the total persons. This number is then divided by the total persons and multiplied by one hundred to determine the percentage.
Statistics are shown for the area within a 3-mile radius of each facility. The radius is measured from the best available lat/long coordinate (normally from EPA's Locational Reference Tables - LRT file). Users should be aware that the Demographic Profile is based upon the reported latitude and longitude of the facility or permit holder. Surrounding populations and other statistics were estimated by retrieving the data for Census block groups within three miles of each facility.

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View Facility Summary Information

Once facility-level data are displayed (Data Table view or 500 or fewer results in Interactive Map view), the facility summary panel becomes visible. Upon clicking in a table row (or on a map pin), the Facility Summary panel will expand (or update) to present a brief overview of the selected facility’s compliance information. The facility name and street address are displayed at the top of the panel. A miniature map zoomed in on the selected facility is shown below the name and address.

The following data are presented below the map in the Facility Summary panel:

The facility's Effluent Charts page can be accessed by clicking the NPDES Permit hyperlink. The facility's Detailed Facility Report can be accessed by clicking the "More Facility Details" hyperlink on the bottom right of the panel.

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Filter Facilities

When using the Interactive Map view, the Filter Facilities panel is enabled once search results are refined to 500 or fewer facilities. Several interactive filters are provided, grouped using the same organizing principles used on the search form. Filters allow you to add an additional layer of analysis within your current search without affecting the universe of results. The counts displayed in the Current Search panel will remain frozen as you manipulate different filters to further analyze the data.

Most filters can be applied by checking a corresponding checkbox. In addition to enabling a filter, several filters also offer further customization by establishing a specific threshold or range of values by using interactive sliders. For sliders that are based on a quantity (versus a timeframe), ECHO dynamically determines the minimum and maximum of the range based on the data included in your search results. Several filters allow you to apply "without" logic by selecting the "No" checkbox.

As you apply filters to your results, ECHO dynamically adjusts the counts in the Filter Facilities panel associated with each. As more filters are selected, the number of facilities that match will decrease. You can select and unselect as many filters as you'd like without affecting your original universe of search results.  

By default, the Only Show Matches is checked. As you apply filters, ECHO dynamically adjusts the map and data table display to only show those facilities that match the filters selected. You can uncheck Only Show Matches to compare the facilities that match, or do not, the filters selected. Facilities that do not match are shown on the map as "dimmed" map pins and rows in the table that do not match are grayed out. Clicking the Clear Filters link in the top right of the panel will remove all selected filters.

Filters available include:

Facility Type
Filter facilities by major or minor designation:
  • Major municipal dischargers include all facilities with design flows of greater than one million gallons per day and facilities with EPA/State approved industrial pretreatment programs.
  • Minor facilities include all facilities not classified as "Major" by authorized environmental agencies. 
Owner/Operator
Filter facilities by facility owner type: Federal, Publicly-Owned, Privately-Owned, or Other.
Facility Permit/ID
Filter facilities based on whether a facility is assigned one or more Program System IDs.
Facilities in SNC (3 years)
Filter facilities with permits having violations of sufficient magnitude or duration to be a regulatory priority (i.e., severe noncompliance) in the past 3 years (12 quarters). Use the slider to identify a specific range of quarters within the three-year period.
Facilities with Effluent Exceedances
Filter facilities with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits where effluent limits were exceeded in the past three years, based on monthly Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs) submitted by permitted facilities. Use the slider to identify a specific range of effluent exceedances based on the minimum and maximum number of exceedances for the facilities included in your search results.
Facilities with Formal Enforcement Actions (5 years)
Filter facilities with formal civil or administrative enforcement actions taken against them within the last five years. Use the slider to identify a specific range of quarters within the five-year period.
Facilities with Informal Enforcement Actions (5 years)
Filter facilities with informal enforcement actions or notices of violation issued to a facility within the last five years. Use the slider to identify a specific range of quarters within the five-year period.
Facilities Inspected within Date Range
Filter facilities by specifying a specific date range during with a facility was last inspected. Use this filter to identify facilities without inspections by establishing a specific date range and selecting the No checkbox.
Facilities Submitted DMR in Last Year
Filter facilities based on whether a facility submitted a DMR within the last year.
Facilities that Discharge Pollutants Contributing to a Water Body Impairment
Filter facilities based on whether NPDES permits indicate pollutant discharges into an impaired water body.
Facilities with TRI Direct Water Discharges (Pounds)
Filter facilities based on whether a facility reported pounds of toxic chemicals released directly to surface water to the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI). Use the slider to identify a specific range of pounds of toxic chemicals released. The range is dynamically determined based on the release quantities reported by the facilities included in your search results.
Facilities with TRI POTW Transfers (Pounds)
Filter facilities based on whether a facility reported pounds of toxic chemicals transferred to a publicly-owned treatment works (POTW) to the Toxics Release Inventory. Use the slider to identify a specific range of pounds of toxic chemicals transferred. The range is dynamically determined based on the transfer quantities reported by the facilities included in your search results.
Facilities with DMR Discharges (Pounds)
Filter facilities based on whether a facility reported pounds of pollutants discharged on a DMR. Use the slider to identify a specific range of pounds of pollutants discharged. The range is dynamically determined based on the discharge quantities reported by the facilities included in your search results.
Facilities with DMR Discharges (TWPE)
Filter facilities based on whether a facility reported pollutants discharged on a DMR, based on units of toxic-weighted pound equivalents (TWPE). EPA calculates TWPE using DMR data and pollutant specific toxic weighting factors (TWFs) to rank the relative toxicities of different pollutant discharges. Pollutants have different toxicities to human health and aquatic communities and the TWPE unit provides a relative measure of how the potential toxic nature of one pollutant compares against another pollutant. Use the slider to identify a specific range of TWPEs of pollutants discharged. The range is dynamically determined based on the discharge quantities reported by the facilities included in your search results.
EJ Indexes Above 80th Percentile
Filter facilities based on whether they are located in Census block groups in the 80th or higher national percentile of one of the primary environmental justice (EJ) indexes of EJSCREEN, EPA's screening tool for EJ concerns.

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