Clean Watersheds Needs Survey (CWNS) 101

June 15th, 2010Webcast Training

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Contents

1) Background (slides 3-8)

2) CWNS Data (slides 9-29)

3) CWNS Data Entry Portal (slides 30-36)

4) Apex Reports (slides 37-41)

5) Resources & Key Personnel (slides 42-43)

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1) Background

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What is the CWNS?

Assessment of capital needs to meet the Clean Water Act’s (CWA) water quality goals

Need: A capital project, with associated costs, that addresses a water quality or water-related public health problem

Joint effort by EPA, States, & Local organizations Every 4 years as required by CWA Sec 516

(started in 1972) Data is submitted via the CWNS Data Entry Portal

(DEP) Results in Report to Congress and on Internet

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CWNS & the Clean Water Act (CWA)

CWA Sec. 516 excerpt“The EPA Administrator, in cooperation with the

States, …shall make (a) a detailed estimate of the cost of carrying out the provisions of this Act”; (b) a detailed estimate…of the cost of construction of all needed publicly owned treatment works in all of the States…”

CWA Sec. 205(a) excerpt“Allotments…shall be made only in accordance with a

revised cost estimate made and submitted to Congress in accordance with Sec. 516 of this Act and only after such revised cost estimate shall have been approved by law specifically enacted hereafter.”

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CWNS Data Uses

Allotment of Clean Water State Revolving Funds (CWSRF) funds

Provides information to Congress and state legislatures for budget and policy purposes

Informs the public and contributes to academic research

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Additional CWNS Data Uses

Assists with program implementation Loading analyses, NPDES permit

writing, SRF Project Prioritization

Informs programmatic planning at the state and national level

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CWNS Process

Survey data becomes publicly availableSurvey data becomes publicly availableAnticipated time of availability is approximately one year after the survey closesAnticipated time of availability is approximately one year after the survey closes

SurveySurveyOfficial data entry period begins ~ January 2012Official data entry period begins ~ January 2012

Report to CongressReport to CongressEPA uses survey to complete Report to Congress. EPA uses survey to complete Report to Congress.

Congress uses report to inform policy and SRF allocations.Congress uses report to inform policy and SRF allocations.

CWNS 2012 Workgroup & SubcommitteesCWNS 2012 Workgroup & SubcommitteesState and Regions work with EPA HQ to plan for CWNS 2012

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2) CWNS Data

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Data is entered at facility/project level

Treatment plant Collection system (combined & separate) Stormwater management project Combined sewer overflow (CSO) control

project Recycled water distribution facility Decentralized wastewater treatment

project Non-point source pollution control project Pump Station

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Information collected includes:

Estimated needs (costs) Documentation outlining needs & costs Location and contact information Permit information Treatment plant population served, flow,

effluent, and discharge data Decentralized and collection system

population served Unit Process and Best Management

Practices

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Needs definitions

Needs: The unfunded capital costs -- as of January 1, 2012 --

of a project that addresses an existing or projected (within next 20 years) water quality or public health problem

“Documented” Needs: Meet CWNS documentation criteria and fall within

CWNS Categories

“Official” Needs: The subset of documented needs that are publicly

owned treatment works as noted in Clean Water Act Section 516(B)(1)(b)

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CWNS 2008 Categories

I: Secondary wastewater treatmentII: Advanced wastewater treatmentIII-A: Infiltration/inflow correctionIII-B: Sewer replacement/rehabilitation IV-A: New collector sewers appurtenancesIV-B: New interceptor sewers and appurtenancesV: Combined sewer overflow correction VI: Stormwater management programsVI-A: Stormwater Conveyance InfrastructureVI-B: Stormwater Treatment SystemsVI-C: Green InfrastructureVI-D: General Stormwater ManagementX: Recycled water distributionXII: Decentralized wastewater treatment systems

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CWNS 2008 Categories

Category VII – Nonpoint Source Pollution ControlVII-A: Agriculture (cropland)VII-B: Agriculture (animals)VII-C: SilvicultureVII-E: Ground Water Protection VII-F: MarinasVII-G: Resource ExtractionVII-H: BrownfieldsVII-I: Storage TanksVII-J: Sanitary LandfillsVII-K: HydromodificationVII-M: Other Estuary Management Activities

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Seven Criteria for Documenting Needs and Costs

1. Description of the water quality or public health problem

2. Location of the problem3. Solution to the problem4. Cost of the solution5. Basis for the cost6. Total cost7. Current documentation

Needs

Costs

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1. Description of the water quality or public health problem

The problem description should include specific pollutant source information. A general statement about water quality impairment does not meet this criterion.

Example documents: 303(d) listed watersheds or TMDL

Can also be to protect currently unimpaired waters from potential impairment

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2. Location of the problem

Location data requirements vary by facility/project type Address Primary County Primary Congressional District Primary Watershed Coordinates

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Location

Provide information for only one of the applicable options (draft 2012 requirements)

Wastewater Treatment Systems

Single Latitude-Longitude (with metadata)

NPS Pollution Projects Single Latitude-Longitude (with metadata)

(only when project area <200 acres) Polygon (one or more) Indicate Entire County Indicate Entire Watershed

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Location (continued)

Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (Decentralized) Indicate one, several, or all towns and/or

unincorporated areas in a county

Clustered System (Decentralized) Single Latitude-Longitude (with metadata)

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Location (continued)

Stormwater Management Single Latitude-Longitude (with metadata)

(primarily Sub-category VI-B) Polygon (one or more) Indicate Entire County Indicate Entire Town

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Waters Light Viewer Polygon Capture

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3. Solution(s) to the problem

One or more specific pollution control measures or Best Management Practice (BMP) to protect water from potential or existing pollution problems must be identified.

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Examples Wastewater treatment plants- Increase the flow

capacity and/or improve the effluent quality Combined or separate sewer systems- Expand

existing sewer system Decentralized wastewater treatment- Repair

existing system Agriculture (Cropland)- Conservation tillage;

nutrient management Agriculture (Animals)- Composting facility;

planned grazing Hydromodification- Easements; swales; wetland

restoration

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4. The cost of each solution

Document specific costs for each BMP or pollution control measure

General costs, without identifying specific solutions, are not accepted

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5. The basis of the cost

Most commonly used document types (2008) Capital Improvement Plan (32.2%) Facility Plan (12.7%) CWSRF Intended Use Plan (6.0%) CSO Long Term Control Plan (5.8%) Preliminary Engineer’s Estimate (4.2%)

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5. The basis of the cost

CWNS Cost Curves (2012): Models available in DEP to estimate costs when no documentation is available Secondary & Advanced Treatment New Pipes Pipe Rehabilitation/Replacement Onsite Wastewater Treatment Cluster Systems

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Costs from comparable practices

Cost must be based on at least 3 bid or completed projects that are: Recent: within the last two years. Similar in size, scope, and geographic area. Size: plus or minus 25 percent. Generally in the same county or watershed.

Must be pre-approved by EPA headquarters

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6. The total cost

The total cost of all BMPs to address the documented needs for the area must be provided

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7. Current documentation

Current documentation for CWNS 2012: >$20 Million: More recent than January

1, 2006 <$20 Million: More recent than

January 1, 2002

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3) CWNS Data Entry Portal

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Data Entry Portal (DEP)

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Data & Document Entry Roles

Other e-Docs

(internet site,

emailed,....)

Data &

Non-

Sensitive

Documents

Paper

DocumentsPaper

Documents

Paper

Documents

Data &

Documents

in CWNS

Local / Secondary State

State CWNS EPA

Public

Data &

Documents

in CWNS

Data Entry Portal

Red Text / Arrows / Boxes indicateRed Text / Arrows / Boxes indicate

new items for CWNS 2008new items for CWNS 2008

Faxed

Documents

Data &

Documents

into CWNS

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State User Roles

Manage CWNS users in own state (State CWNS Coordinator only)

Coordinate the collection of CWNS data

Update needs and technical information in DEP

Submit data and documentation for EPA Review

Correct data based on review

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Local & Secondary State Program Roles

Provide updated data and documents to State CWNS Coordinator Mark up paper copy of CWNS Fact

Sheet sent by State -> Fax directly into DEP

Mark up data for assigned facilities in DEP

Update Unit Process and Utility Management data in DEP

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Federal User Roles

Manage state coordinator’s roles (EPA only)

Review view only data and annotated documents

Indicate areas containing errors and provide review comments

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Data Quality Assurance

Contractor Review Team checks: Data Requirements Data Consistency with Document

Information Documents meet Documentation

Criteria SRF Eligibility (spot checks)

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4) Apex Internet Reports

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Apex Internet Reports

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Apex Internet Reports

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Apex Internet Reports

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Apex Internet Reports

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Resources

2008 data & Report to Congress http://www.epa.gov/cwns

Questions Email cwns@epa.gov Call Michael Plastino (202-564-0682)

CWNS portal library http://portal.epa.gov

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Key Personnel

EPA HQ Team Michael Plastino (Team Leader) Karen Fligger (Urban Waters Detail thru Sept) Ted Czado Jim Preston

DEP Support Contractors (Indrasoft) Raj Lingam Michelle Gouws Sowjanya Pulakurthi

CWNS Support Contractors (Tetra Tech) Alejandro Escobar Mark Sievers

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Questions