Discharge Monitoring Report-Quality Assurance Study Program

About the 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 ability of the laboratories that perform self-monitoring analyses required by their NPDES permit.

If you are required to participate in DMR-QA, 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 44, to be mailed beginning in May 2024, includes chemistry, microbiology and Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) tests.

You must acknowledge receipt of the study package by submitting verification of your address via e-mail or postal mail to your state DMR-QA coordinator.

Changes to Program Participation in 2024

EPA approves certain state laboratory certification programs to be used as either a full or a partial substitute for DMR-QA. Check with your state or regional coordinator if you have questions about your state's exemption status:

• State coordinators
• Regional coordinators

As of May 1, 2024, states exempt from DMR-QA by an EPA-approved full waiver are:

• California
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Nevada
• New Jersey
• North Carolina
• Pennsylvania
• South Carolina
• Utah
• Virginia
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin

As of May 1, 2024, states partially exempt from DMR-QA by an EPA-approved partial waiver are:

• Arkansas: permittees that currently participate in Arkansas’ laboratory accreditation program are exempt
• Louisiana: permittees that utilize only commercial laboratories are exempt
• Maine: Commercial laboratories and Permittees certified by the Maine Laboratory Certification Program do not need to perform DMR-QA tests for those parameters
• New Hampshire: permittees with parameters covered by the NH Department of Environmental Services do not need to perform DMR-QA tests for those parameters
• Oklahoma: permittees that currently participate in Oklahoma’s laboratory accreditation program are exempt

Contacts

Check with your state or regional coordinator if you have general questions about the DMR-QA program or questions about a particular study :

• State coordinators
• Regional coordinators

For more information on the national DMR-QA program, contact:

Greg Savitske, Coordinator (DMRQA@epa.gov)
U.S. EPA, Water Branch
(202) 564-2601

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