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Water: Planning

Definitions/Contacts for FY 2011 National Water Program Guidance Measures- Subobjective: Water Safe for Swimming

Subobjective: Water Safe for SwimmingSS Subobjective Icon

Measure Code: SP-9

Measure Language: Percent of days of the beach season that coastal and Great Lakes beaches monitored by state beach safety programs are open and safe for swimming

Type of Measure: Target measure; Annually reported

Measure Contact:  Denise Hawkins, EPA Office of Science and Technology
hawkins.denise@epa.gov| (202) 566-1384

Measure Definition

Terms and phrases: Beach season days are calculated to get a better sense of the extent of beach notification action information. To calculate total available beach days we sum the length of each state's and territory's beach season multiplied by the number of beaches in the state or territory.

Methodology for computation of results: The data are an enumeration of the days of beach-specific advisories or closures issued by the reporting state or local governments during the year. Performance against the target is tracked using a simple count of the number of beaches responding to the survey and the days over which the advisory or closure actions were taken.  This is compared to the total number of days that every beach could be open.

Units:  Beach season days

Universe: 764,377 (2009).Varies by year.  Universe is the total number of beach season days that beaches were open.

Baseline: 96% (FY 2005 baseline: 743,036 beach season days)

SP-9 Measure


 

Measure Code: SS-1

Measure Language: Number and national percent, using a constant denominator, of Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) permits with a schedule incorporated into an appropriate enforceable mechanism, including a permit or enforcement order, with specific dates and milestones, including a completion date consistent with Agency guidance, which requires: 1) Implementation of a Long-Term Control Plan (LTCP) which will result in compliance with the technology and water quality-based requirements of the Clean Water Act; or  2) implementation of any other acceptable CSO control measures consistent with the 1994 CSO Control Policy; or 3) completion of separation after the baseline date.(cumulative)

Type of Measure: Target measure; Cumulatively reported

Measure Contact: Kathryn Kelley, EPA Office of Wastewater Management
kelley.kathryn@epa.gov | (202) 564-7004

Measure Definition

Terms and phrases:

  • A combined sewer system (CSS) is a wastewater collection system, owned by a state or municipality (as defined by section 502 (4) of the Clean Water Act) which convey a sanitary wastewaters (domestic, commercial and industrial wastewaters) and storm water through a single-pipe system to a Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW) Treatment Plant (as defined in 40 CFR 403.3(p)).
  • During precipitation events (e.g. rainfall or snowmelt), the systems are designed to overflow when collection system capacity is exceeded, resulting in a combined sewer overflow (CSO) that discharges directly to surface waters. A CSO is the discharge from a CSS at a point prior to the POTW Treatment Plant
  • CSOs are point sources subject to NPDES permit requirements including both technology-based and water quality-based requirements of the CWA. CSOs are not subject to secondary treatment requirements applicable to POTWs
  • Enforceable Mechanism is a formal enforcement order with schedules to bring the Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) permittee into full compliance with the 1994 CSO Control Policy; or a formal enforcement order that includes schedules for development and implementation of an acceptable Long-Term Control Plan (LTCP) or any other CSO control measures consistent with the 1994 CSO Control Policy; or a permit with schedules in place to develop and implement a LTCP or any other CSO control measure consistent with the 1994 CSO Control Policy.

Methodology for computation of results: The results are calculated by taking the total number of CSO permits with a schedule incorporated into an appropriate enforceable mechanism at the close of the reporting period, over the total universe of systems with CSOs.

Units: Number of permits addressed

Universe: The universe represents the total number of permits covering systems with CSOs. This includes all of those that have been corrected, those are being corrected, or need correction through permits, enforceable orders and other activities designed to meet Clean Water Act requirements as described by the CSO Policy.  The universe should include all known CSO permits as far back as 1992. If more CSOs are identified following the close of the commitment process, they should be added next fiscal year. The CSO universe is 853.

Baseline: The 2007 baseline of 536 (63%) represents the number of CSO permits with a schedule incorporated into an enforceable mechanism at that time.


 

Measure Code: SS-2

Measure Language: Percent of all Tier I (significant) public beaches that are monitored and managed under the BEACH Act program.

Type of Measure:  Target measure; Annually reported

Measure Contact:  Denise Hawkins, EPA Office of Science and Technology
hawkins.denise@epa.gov | (202) 566-1384

Measure Definition

Terms and phrases: Significant public beaches are defined as the beaches that coastal and Great Lakes states and territories identify as Tier 1.  These are the beaches that have the highest risk. States and territories must identify their Tier 1 beaches as part of their BEACH Act grant application.

Methodology for computation of results: The percent of Tier 1 beaches monitored by states and territories is identified in their grant applications. EPA Regions should use this information to report to EPA Headquarters the percent of Tier 1 beaches monitored.  To compute the target, EPA Regions should start with 100% for every state and territory that has received a BEACH Act implementation grant.  If a state or territory does not monitor a Tier 1 beach, the Region should determine if there is a good reason for not monitoring this beach, such as that BEACH Act funds are insufficient to monitor that beach and other Tier 1 beaches.  No state or territory should monitor a Tier 2 or Tier 3 beach until it monitors all Tier 1 beaches. 

Units: Tier I beaches

Universe: Changes annually.  For Calendar Year 2009 (FY 2010), the number of Tier I beaches was 1,887..

Baseline: 96.5% (FY 2005)

SS-2 Measure


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