EPA Renews Water Pollution Data Collection Rules
Published Date: 4/21/2026
Notice
Summary
The EPA wants to keep collecting info for its water pollution control program and is asking the public for feedback before renewing the paperwork rules. This affects businesses and groups that report water discharges, with no big changes or new costs expected. You’ve got until June 22, 2026, to share your thoughts and help keep clean water flowing!
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Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 4 costs, 0 mixed.
NPDES Reporting Remains Mandatory
If you discharge pollutants to U.S. waters, you must continue to provide information under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). The reporting obligation is mandatory under multiple Clean Water Act sections (for example, sections 301–308, 316(b), 401–405, and 510) and related CFR parts.
Large Estimated Annual Burden and Costs
The EPA estimates the renewal covers 853,912 respondents and will impose a total annual burden of 33,221,897 hours. EPA estimates total annual costs of $2,256,697,795, which include $38,342,315 in annualized capital or operation & maintenance costs.
Estimated Burden Increased vs. Prior ICR
EPA reports an increase of 2,078,802 hours in total respondent burden compared with the currently approved ICR. EPA also reports permittee respondents increased from 9,310,277 to 10,837,897 (a 16% increase) and that capital and O&M cost burden rose due to inflation affecting laboratory analytics and labor costs.
Which Entities Are Covered
The renewal applies to any point source discharger, including publicly and privately owned treatment works (POTWs and PrOTWs), industrial dischargers to POTWs/PrOTWs, industrial and commercial dischargers to U.S. waters, sewage sludge management and disposal operations, large vessels, stormwater dischargers, construction sites, municipalities, pesticide applicators, and local and state governments. These types of entities are identified in the ICR as the respondents/affected entities.
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