Discharge Monitoring Report-Quality Assurance Study Program
CWA Topics
- National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
- Pretreatment of Wastewater
- Biosolids
- Oil Spill Prevention
- Industrial Storm Water
- Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations
- Municipal Storm Water
- Wetlands
- Wastewater Trading Program
- Discharge Monitoring Report - Quality Assurance
- About DMR-QA Study Program
- Current Study
- Changes to the Program in 2009
- Form
- Contacts
- Common DMR-QA Study Questions
- Useful Links
About Discharge Monitoring Report-Quality Assurance Study Program
Major and selected minor permittees under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program are required to participate in the annual Discharge Monitoring Report–Quality Assurance (DMR-QA) study program. DMR-QA evaluates the analytical and reporting ability of the laboratories that routinely perform inorganic chemistry and whole effluent toxicity self-monitoring analyses required by their NPDES permit.
You must report results for the analytes listed in your permit provided that they also are included in the DMR-QA study analyte list. Not all of the analytes listed on your NPDES permit may be included in an individual DMR-QA study. You may voluntarily report additional study analytes that are not listed in your permit.
Current Study
Study 29, mailed in April 2009, includes chemistry, microbiology and Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) tests.
- Study Instructions (PDF) (15 pp, 135K, About PDF)
- Form (5 pp., 611K, Interactive, About PDF)
All proficiency test samples are supplied by the American Association for Laboratory Accreditation (A2LA) proficiency testing providers.
You must acknowledge receipt of the study package by submitting verification of your address via eMail or regular mail to your state DMR-QA coordinator. Carefully follow the instructions and format for an e-mail response or use the included form to send a written verification. Use only one option to submit your response.
Changes to the Program in 2009
The DMR-QA broaden the use of Water Pollution (WP) studies to substitute for DMR-QA samples for 2009. Laboratories can substitute Water Pollution (WP) study results from the same calendar year provided that the WP study is completed before the end of the current DMR-QA study. For Study 29, the closing date is August 31, 2009. Additionally, laboratory data submission requirements and transmittal have changed. For more details, please read carefully the Fact Sheet enclosed in the study instructions (pages 2-3) for a summary.Form
A new version of the NPDES Permittee Data Report Form (PDF) (5 pp., 611K, Interactive, About PDF) is being used. The new form is an interactive, screen fillable PDF that you may fill out online, prior to printing for signature and submission. You must print out the form and sign it before submitting to your p state DMR-QA coordinator.
Contacts
For general questions about the DMR-QA program or questions about a particular study, contact your state or regional DMR-QA Coordinator.
For more information on the national DMR-QA program, contact:
Patrick Yellin, Coordinator
US EPA, Agriculture Branch
(202) 564-2970
yellin.patrick@epa.gov
Useful Links
- Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Methods
- National Pollution Discharge Elimination System
- A2LA
NELAC Proficiency Testing Provider Procedural Manual (PDF) (13
pp, 64K, About PDF)
- EPA Small Business Resources Information Sheet (PDF), October 2007 (2 pp, 41K)
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