EPA announces new wastewater regulations

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released Preliminary Effluent Guidelines Program Plan 15 (Preliminary Plan 15). The plan identifies opportunities to better protect public health and the environment through the regulation of wastewater pollution. Preliminary Plan 15 seeks to reduce contaminants, including PFAS and nutrients from key industries.

“To protect drinking water supplies, recreational waters and aquatic ecosystems, it is essential that we utilize the latest scientific and technological breakthroughs in wastewater treatment,” says Radhika Fox, assistant administrator for water at the EPA. “This plan illustrates one way that EPA is following the science to better protect public health and the environment. Importantly, and for the first time, the EPA is committing to limit PFAS in wastewater discharges.”

The EPA will be initiating three new rulemakings after concluding several studies discussed in Effluent Guidelines Program Plan 14. The agency has determined that revised effluent limitations guidelines (ELGs) and pretreatment standards are warranted for:

• the organic chemicals, plastics and synthetic fibers category to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) discharges from facilities manufacturing PFAS-containing materials;
• the metal finishing category to address PFAS discharges from chromium electroplating facilities; and,
• the meat and poultry products category to address nutrient discharges.

Preliminary Plan 15 also discusses the steam electric power generating category rulemaking that the agency announced on July 26. The EPA has initiated that rulemaking process to consider strengthening the effluent limits applicable to certain ELG waste streams from coal power plants that use steam to generate electricity.