Section 13263.3.
Cal. Water Code - WAT § 13263.3.
in effect(a)
The Legislature finds and declares that pollution prevention should be the first step in a hierarchy for reducing pollution and managing wastes, and to achieve environmental stewardship for society. The Legislature also finds and declares that pollution prevention is necessary to achieve the federal goal of zero discharge of pollutants into navigable waters.
(b)
(1)
For the purposes of this section, “pollution prevention” means any action that causes a net reduction in the use or generation of a hazardous substance or other pollutant that is discharged into water and includes any of the following:
(A)
“Input change,” which means a change in raw materials or feedstocks used in a production process or operation so as to reduce, avoid, or eliminate the generation of pollutants discharged in wastewater.
(B)
“Operational improvement,” which means improved site management so as to reduce, avoid, or eliminate the generation of pollutants discharged in wastewater.
(C)
“Production process change,” which means a change in a process, method, or technique that is used to produce a product or a desired result, including the return of materials or their components for reuse within the existing processes or operations, so as to reduce, avoid, or eliminate the generation of pollutants discharged in wastewater.
(D)
“Product reformulation,” which means changes in design, composition, or specifications of end products, including product substitution, so as to reduce, avoid, or eliminate the generation of problem pollutants discharged in wastewater.
(2)
For the purposes of this section, “pollution prevention” does not include actions that merely shift a pollutant in wastewater from one environmental medium to another environmental medium, unless clear environmental benefits of such an approach are demonstrated.
(c)
(1)
For the purposes of this section, “discharger” means any entity required to obtain a national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) permit pursuant to the Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. Sec. 1251 et seq.), or any entity subject to the pretreatment program as defined in Part 403 (commencing with Section 403.1) of subchapter N of Chapter 1 of Part 403 of Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(2)
For the purposes of this section, “industrial discharger” means any discharger other than a publicly owned treatment works (POTW).
(d)
(1)
The state board, a regional board, or a POTW may require a discharger subject to its jurisdiction to complete a pollution prevention plan if any of the following apply:
(A)
A discharger is determined to be a chronic violator and the board or the POTW determines that pollution prevention could achieve compliance.
(B)
The discharger contributes, or has the potential to contribute, to the formation of a toxic hot spot as defined in Section 13391.5.
(C)
The discharger discharges a pollutant for which the permitted level is lower than the practical quantification limit and the state board, a regional board, or the POTW determines that additional reductions of the pollutant are necessary.
(D)
The board determines pollution prevention is necessary to achieve a water quality objective.
(2)
The state board, a regional board, or a POTW may require an industrial discharger subject to its jurisdiction to complete a pollution prevention plan that includes all of the following:
(A)
An analysis of the pollutants that the facility discharges into water or introduces into POTWs, a description of the sources of the pollutants, and a comprehensive review of the processes used by the discharger that result in the generation and discharge of the pollutants.
(B)
An analysis of the potential for pollution prevention to reduce the generation of the pollutants, including the application of innovative and alternative technologies and any adverse environmental impacts resulting from the use of those methods.
(C)
A detailed description of the tasks and time schedules required to investigate and implement various elements of pollution prevention techniques.
(D)
A statement of the discharger’s pollution prevention goals and strategies, including priorities for short-term and long-term action.
(E)
A description of the discharger’s intended pollution prevention activities for the immediate future.
(F)
A description of the discharger’s existing pollution prevention methods.
(G)
A statement that the discharger’s existing and planned pollution prevention strategies do not constitute cross-media pollution transfers, and information that supports that statement.
(H)
Toxic chemical release data for those dischargers subject to Section 313 of the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act of 1986 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 11023).
(I)
Proof of compliance with the Hazardous Waste Source Reduction and Management Review Act of 1989 (Article 11.9 (commencing with Section 25244.12) of Chapter 6.5 of Division 20 of the Health and Safety Code) if the discharger is also subject to that act.
(J)
An analysis of the relative costs and benefits of the possible pollution prevention activities.
(3)
A regional board may require a POTW to complete a pollution prevention plan that includes all of the following:
(A)
An estimate of all of the sources of a pollutant contributing, or potentially contributing, to the loadings of a pollutants in the treatment plant influent.
(B)
An analysis of the methods that could be used to prevent the discharge of the pollutants into the POTW, including application of local limits to industrial or commercial dischargers regarding pollution prevention techniques, public education and outreach, or other innovative and alternative approaches to reduce discharges of the pollutant to the POTW. The analysis also shall identify sources, or potential sources, not within the ability or authority of the POTW to control, such as pollutants in the potable water supply, airborne pollutants, pharmaceuticals, or pesticides, and estimate the magnitude of those sources, to the extent feasible.
(C)
An estimate of load reductions that may be attained through the methods identified in subparagraph (B).
(D)
A plan for monitoring the results of the pollution prevention program.
(E)
A description of the tasks, cost, and time required to investigate and implement various elements in the pollution prevention plan.
(F)
A statement of the POTW’s pollution prevention goals and strategies, including priorities for short-term and long-term action, and a description of the POTW’s intended pollution prevention activities for the immediate future.
(G)
A description of the POTW’s existing pollution prevention programs.
(H)
An analysis, to the extent feasible, of any adverse environmental impacts, including cross-media impacts or substitute chemicals, that may result from the implementation of the pollution prevention program.
(I)
An analysis, to the extent feasible, of the costs and benefits that may be incurred to implement the pollution prevention program.
(e)
The state board or the regional board may establish a schedule of actions identified in the pollution prevention plans for the discharger.
(f)
The state board or regional board shall solicit comments from the public on a pollution prevention plan prepared pursuant to this section and address the public comments when determining what schedule of actions, if any, to establish for the discharger pursuant to this section.
(g)
The state board and regional boards shall make the pollution prevention plans available for public review, except to the extent that information is classified as confidential because it is a trade secret. Trade secret information shall be set forth in an appendix that is not available to the public.
(h)
Any costs incurred by the state board or a regional board resulting from actions required by this section shall be paid for from revenue generated by the fees imposed by Section 13260.
(i)
The state board or regional board may assess civil penalties pursuant to Section 13385 against a discharger for failure to complete a pollution prevention plan ordered by the state board or a regional board, or for failure to comply with a schedule of actions ordered by the state board or a regional board pursuant to this section.
(j)
A POTW may assess civil penalties and civil administrative penalties pursuant to Sections 54740, 54740.5, and 54740.6 of the Government Code against an industrial discharger for failure to complete a pollution prevention plan when ordered by the POTW, for submitting a plan that does not comply with the act, or for failure to comply with a schedule of actions ordered by the POTW pursuant to this section, unless the regional board has assessed penalties for the same action.
(k)
A discharger may change its pollution prevention plan, including withdrawing from a pollution prevention measure approved by the state board, a regional board, or a POTW, if the discharger determines that the measure will have a negative impact on product quality, the safe operation of the facility, or the environmental aspects of the facilities operation, and the discharger demonstrates to the board or the POTW an alternative measure that achieves that same pollution prevention objective.
(
l
)
The state board shall adopt a format to be used by dischargers for completing the plan required by this section. The format shall address all of the factors the discharger is required to include in the plan. The board may include any other factors determined by the board to be necessary to carry out this section. The adoption of the format pursuant to this section is not subject to Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
References
referencesCal. Health and Safety Code - HSC § 25244.12.
referencesCal. Government Code - GOV § 54740.
referencesCal. Government Code - GOV § 54740.5.
referencesCal. Government Code - GOV § 54740.6.
referencesCal. Government Code - GOV § 11340.
referencesCal. Water Code - WAT § 403.1.
referencesCal. Water Code - WAT § 13391.5.
referencesCal. Water Code - WAT § 313.
referencesCal. Water Code - WAT § 13260.
referencesCal. Water Code - WAT § 13385.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026