MAJOR FINDINGS: CSO REPORT TO CONGRESS

EPA submitted a Report to Congress on the Implementation and Enforcement of the Combined Sewer Overflow Control Policy in January 2002. The objective of this report was to describe the nature and extent of activities across EPA headquarters, regional offices and states to implement and enforce the CSO Control Policy. The methodology employed focused on review of existing information in state and EPA permit and enforcement files, site visits to state and EPA regional offices for interviews and data collection, development of municipal CSO case studies, review of data from independent surveys conducted by the Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies (AMSA) and the CSO Partnership, and organization of a stakeholder meeting to discuss preliminary issues and findings. This effort produced a comprehensive state-by-state assessment of the status of permit requirements and the implementation of controls, enforcement activities, and related water quality standards issues and programs. Several of the major findings are as follows:Progress has been made in implementing and enforcing CSO controls prior to, and as a result of, the 1994 CSO Control Policy.Communities that have made substantial progress and investments in CSO control are realizing public health and water quality benefits.The CSO Control Policy provides a sound approach to assess and implement cost effective CSO controls that meet appropriate environmental goals and objectives and achieve Clean Water Act compliance.The CSO Control Policy fosters and expects significant involvement of the public and permitting and water quality standards authorities.Specific findings at the national and state level quantify the number of CSO communities, the number of CSO outfalls, the demographic makeup of CSO communities, and progress with implementation of the nine minimum controls and long term control plans. Municipal examples are used to illustrate implementation of individual control technologies, and to highlight water quality and environmental benefits achieved through CSO control. Next steps for EPA as well as key program challenges were identified.