Many California small wineries, fruit and vegetable packing facilities, and fruit and vegetable processing facilities find themselves subject to the requirements of their Regional Water Quality Control Board (Board). The Board governs the methods that may be used to handle wastewater on-site, including storage ponds and land application. The first step in compliance with the Board is preparation of a Form 200 or Report of Waste Discharge (RWD). The RWD describes current operations at the facility, including quantities of wastewater generated and specific chemicals used. Once the Board is satisfied with the RWD, it will issue Waste Discharge Requirements (WDRs) and a Monitoring and Reporting Program (MRP).
Depending on the type of facility involved, the Board may require the installation of ground water monitoring wells to determine whether the facility is impacting ground water. If so, a workplan is prepared and submitted to the Board. With the Board’s approval, the wells are installed and tested. The wells continue to be tested on a quarterly basis until it can be shown that no impact is taking place, at which point they are abandoned at the Board's discretion.
The MRP provided by the Board describes the frequency of monitoring required for the facility. Weekly sampling and analysis of discharge water and pond water is typical, while monitoring wells are usually only required to be sampled quarterly. Monthly reports summarizing the weekly sampling activities are prepared for submission to the Board; these reports are signed by the owner of the facility. Quarterly reports summarizing the monitoring well sampling activities are prepared for submission to the Board; these reports must be signed by a licensed professional. NOA can prepare both types of reports for your facility and assist in making the reporting process flow smoothly.
As part of the WDRs, the Board may specify additional technical reports which must be completed. Examples of these reports include Operation and Maintenance Plans, Background Ground Water Quality Reports, and Effluent Evaluation Reports. Prices for these services follow our standard fee schedule.
