Effluent Guidelines

Effluent Guidelines are national regulatory standards for wastewater discharged to surface waters and municipal sewage treatment plants. EPA issues these regulations for industrial categories, based on the performance of treatment and control technologies.

Industry Regulations & Studies

  • Federal Register notices
  • Support documents
  • Industry studies

Learn About Effluent Guidelines

  • Key terms and concepts
    • Development of Effluent Guidelines
    • Levels of control: BPT, BAT, BCT, NSPS, PSNS, PSES
    • Implementation
    • Industries/pollutants not specifically regulated by Effluent Guidelines

Planning & Implementation

Pollutants, Analytical Methods, Research

Pollutant discharges regulated by Effluent Guidelines must be measured with approved analytical methods.
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Last updated on January 10, 2025