An official website of the United States government.

This is not the current EPA website. To navigate to the current EPA website, please go to www.epa.gov. This website is historical material reflecting the EPA website as it existed on January 19, 2021. This website is no longer updated and links to external websites and some internal pages may not work. More information »

Compliance

NPDES eReporting – Information for Permittees and Other Regulated Entities

On this page:

This page is intended to provide NPDES permitted facilities information on transitioning from paper reporting to electronic in accordance with the NPDES eReporting rule ( 40 CFR Part 127

UPDATE: On September 23, 2020, EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler signed the NPDES eRule Phase 2 Extension final rule which would provide states and EPA additional time to implement electronic reporting for certain Clean Water Act discharge permitting requirements. In this final rule, EPA extended the compliance deadline for implementation of Phase 2 of the eRule by five years, from December 21, 2020 to December 21, 2025.

Scope and Schedule

Phase 1 - NPDES permittees that are currently required to submit Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs) must submit them electronically starting on December 21, 2016 (unless their permit directs otherwise or they received a waiver).  Also included in Phase 1 is electronic reporting of the Biosolids/Sewage Sludge Annual Program Reports within the 42 states where EPA implements the Federal Biosolids Program.

Phase 2 - NPDES permittees and other regulated entities that are currently required to submit these reports must begin submitting them electronically by December 21, 2020 (unless their permit directs otherwise or they received a waiver):

  • Notices of Intent to discharge (NOIs) under a general permit
  • Notices of Termination (NOTs) of coverage under a general permit
  • No Exposure Certifications (NOEs) under a stormwater general permit
  • Low Erosivity Waivers (LEWs) under a stormwater general permit
  • Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) Annual Program Reports
  • Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Program Reports
  • Pretreatment Program Annual Reports
  • Sewer Overflow/Bypass Event Reports
  • Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 316(b) Annual Reports
  • Significant Industrial User (SIU) Bi-annual Compliance Reports in municipalities without approved pretreatment programs.

Additionally, NPDES permittees that are currently required to submit Biosolids/Sewage Sludge Annual Program Reports (40 CFR part 503) must also submit them electronically (unless their permit directs otherwise or they received a waiver). The deadline to begin submitting these reports is:

  • December 21, 2016 for the 42 non-delegated states.
  • December 21, 2020 for Arizona, Michigan, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wisconsin

For more information see Biosolids/Sewage Sludge Annual Program Reports on Compliance and Annual Reporting Guidance about Clean Water Act Laws web page.

Top of Page

How to Submit NPDES Information Electronically

NPDES-regulated entities are required to submit their NPDES program data to an authorized state, territory, or tribe, or EPA. To determine the NPDES programs that your state, tribe, or territory are authorized to administer, visit NPDES State Program Information. Please note some authorized NPDES programs have elected for EPA to be the recipient of your data. EPA will share this information with your authorized NPDES program. For more information please visit NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule Implementation Guidance

EPA has developed electronic reporting tools for NPDES data and is making them available to states. EPA’s tools are web-based and require only a computer, an Internet browser (e.g., Microsoft Internet Explorer), and access to the Internet (i.e., DSL, fiber optic). These tools communicate securely, requiring passwords and known responses to security questions. They are designed to provide electronic submittals with the same level of legal dependability as paper submittals.

Recognizing, however, that many states, tribes, and territories have their own electronic data systems and reporting tools for managing NPDES data, the electronic reporting rule provides flexibility on the specific data systems and reporting tools to be used. States have the option of using EPA’s tools directly, installing and hosting their own version of EPA’s tools, or developing their own tools. Therefore, the process for electronic reporting depends on the permitting authority and on the type of information to be submitted:

  • For state-by-state information on how to submit Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs) electronically, visit NetDMR Support - Who Can Report?
  • For information on how to submit Biosolids/Sewage Sludge Annual Program Reports electronically, visit NeT Zendesk.

For other NPDES reports, EPA is working with states, tribes, territories, and software vendors to develop and have in place all of the necessary electronic reporting tools in advance of the deadline (December 21, 2020). Information on how to submit these reports electronically will be provided here prior to that date.

Top of Page

Waivers from Electronic Reporting

The rule provides flexibility to grant temporary or emergency waivers from electronic reporting. To obtain an electronic reporting waiver, permittees must first submit an electronic reporting waiver request to their permitting authority. NPDES authorized programs may have their own program specific waiver request.  Please consult with your NPDES authorized program to determine the appropriate format for a waiver request.

Top of Page

Additional Resources for NPDES Permittees

Top of Page

Tools and Training Materials

Top of Page