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Compliance and Annual Biosolids Reporting

Related Information * Clean Water Act Compliance Monitoring for Wastewater Management * Enforcement at the EPA

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency works with federal, state, and Tribal regulatory partners to monitor and ensure compliance with clean water laws and regulations to protect human health and the environment. The Clean Water Act is the primary federal law governing water pollution. In accordance with EPA’s sewage sludge regulations, 40 CFR Part 503 or “Part 503”, sewage sludge pollutant monitoring and management information is summarized in the Biosolids Annual Report (BAR) and submitted to either the permitting authority. Currently, reports are submitted to the EPA from the 41 states where the EPA implements the federal Biosolids Program. EPA has authorized nine states (Arizona, Idaho, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin) to administer the Part 503 regulations. EPA and five of the authorized states (Arizona, Michigan, South Dakota, Texas, and Utah) have transitioned to electronic reporting states as part of Phase 2 implementation of the NPDES eRule. The remaining four will do so by December 2025. For more information on authorization visit the link: * NPDES State Program Authorization Information.

Part 503 requires annual reports be submitted by the larger treatment works that land apply, incinerate, or surface dispose of their sewage sludge. These larger facilities are 1) major publicly owned treatment works (POTWs with a design flow rate greater than or equal to one million gallons per day); 2) POTWs that serve 10,000 people; 3) Class I sludge management facilities (treatment works that have an approved pretreatment program or have been classified as Class I sludge management facilities by the EPA or state); or 4) are otherwise required to report by the EPA or permitting authority. For more information on electronic reporting, visit the links: * General Information on NPDES Electronic Reporting * Submitting a Biosolids Annual Report: * EPA's Central Data Exchange * Biosolids User's Guide * How to Create CDX Account for NETBIO * How to Add Program Service for NETBIO

In 2023, the EPA updated the BAR to streamline the reporting requirements when treatment works transfer their sewage sludge to another facility for further treatment or incineration. This change applies to treatment works that transfer their sewage sludge to another facility that is also required to submit an annual report. For a list of Class I sludge management facilities visit the link: * (98.08 KB)

Biosolids

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