CWA NPDES National Technical Inspector Workshop

The Office of Compliance is excited to offer the 2024 Clean Water Act (CWA) National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) National Technical Inspector Workshop. The Workshop is scheduled for October 7-10, 2024, in Athens, GA at the conference space of the Hotel Abacus (295 E Dougherty St, Athens, GA 30601).

This event is an in-person classroom and field training workshop for new and experienced CWA NPDES inspectors. The primary purposes of the Workshop are to ensure that EPA adequately trains new inspectors, updates and increases the knowledgebase of our experienced inspectors, and facilitates the transfer of knowledge from experienced inspectors to less experienced inspectors. Past participants have indicated that in addition to enhancing inspector skills and meeting annual program-specific mandatory refresher training – the most beneficial part of the Workshop is the ability to develop an inspector comradery via collaboration, networking, and an exchange of information with other regions and states.

We encourage participation by federal, state, local, and tribal inspectors to promote consistency in inspection techniques across the U.S. This inclusion also fosters collaboration between EPA and local communities and cultivates partnerships to improve human health and the environment. While registration is open to all federal, state, tribal and municipal inspectors, EPA inspectors are given priority in registration.

Technical Classroom Sessions

Classroom topics vary by course offering, but generally include sessions on municipal, industrial and wet weather inspection programs, laboratory audits, inspector best practices, inspector skills, national compliance initiatives, and hot topics for inspectors.

The agenda is currently under development.

Field Exercises

The Workshop includes one field day where students are led by experienced inspectors onsite at an actual facility. All participants that intend to join us in the field must have their Health and Safety training up to date.

The types of facilities vary by course offering, but may include:

• Wastewater Treatment Plants
• Industrial Direct Dischargers
• Municipal Storm Sewer Systems (MS4)
• Construction Stormwater
• Combined Sewer Systems and Sanitary Sewer Systems
• Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations

Register for the Workshop

• October 7-10, 2024
• Registration Form

Course Information

• Audience: The topics in this Workshop are geared toward EPA inspectors. While registration is open to all federal, state, tribal and municipal inspectors, EPA regional inspectors are given priority in registration.
• Attendance and participation at this Workshop can satisfy the annual program-specific mandatory refresher training requirement for an NPDES inspector under EPA Order 3500.1 for the current calendar year.
• Please contact the Workshop Coordinators with any questions:
  • Laura Paradise (paradise.laura@epa.gov)
  • Cornell Gayle (gayle.cornell@epa.gov)