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EPA flips the switch on Phase 2: Clean Water Act reporting goes digital—finally

EPA flips the switch on Phase 2: Clean Water Act reporting goes digital—finally

Rule Changes
By Newzino Staff |

After a five-year delay, electronic reporting expands beyond DMRs into the messy world of permits, overflows, and program reports.

December 21st, 2025: Phase 2 compliance deadline arrives

Overview

For years, Clean Water Act reporting has lived in a split-screen world: core discharge numbers went digital, but a lot of the paperwork that explains what’s happening stayed stuck in PDFs, emails, and filing cabinets. Phase 2 of EPA’s NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule is the attempt to close that gap—and its compliance date hit on December 21, 2025.

The stakes aren’t “paperwork modernization.” It’s power. When general-permit notices, overflows, CAFO reports, MS4 reports, and other filings become standardized and searchable, regulators can spot patterns faster—and the public can too. But states can still get waivers and alternate deadlines, and even big states are warning that some EPA tools aren’t fully ready.

Key Indicators

2015-10-22
eReporting rule published
The starting gun for phased electronic reporting across NPDES reporting categories.
2016-12-21
Phase 1 compliance deadline
DMRs (and many biosolids reports) move into electronic submission.
2025-12-21
Phase 2 compliance date
General permit notices and multiple program reports become e-submission requirements.
5 years
Phase 2 delay length
EPA moved Phase 2 from December 21, 2020 to December 21, 2025.
10
Phase 2 report families
From NOIs/NOTs/NOEs/LEWs to overflows, CAFO, MS4, pretreatment, and 316(b).
2028-12-21
Latest possible approved alternative deadline
States can receive EPA-approved alternative compliance deadlines up to this date.

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People Involved

Andrew Wheeler
Andrew Wheeler
EPA Administrator (at time of Phase 2 extension rule) (Signed the Phase 2 extension rule in 2020; no current operational role in this story.)
Jacqueline Robles Werner
Jacqueline Robles Werner
Director, Office of Compliance (EPA) (Signs EPA memoranda approving alternative Phase 2 deadlines for states.)
Carey Johnston
Carey Johnston
EPA contact for Phase 2 implementation dashboard updates (Point of contact listed for maintaining Phase 2 dashboard information.)

Organizations Involved

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Federal Agency
Status: Sets NPDES eReporting requirements; builds tools; approves state deadline extensions.

EPA is trying to turn water compliance into a national, queryable dataset instead of paper drift.

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)
State Environmental Agency
Status: Implements NPDES/TPDES eReporting in Texas; issues tool guidance and waivers.

TCEQ is a case study in what happens when the deadline arrives before every tool does.

NPDES Electronic Reporting Tool (NeT)
NPDES Electronic Reporting Tool (NeT)
Federal IT System
Status: EPA’s tool suite for Phase 2 submissions (general permits and program reports).

NeT is the software bridge between legal requirements and usable national data.

NetDMR
NetDMR
Federal IT System
Status: Primary DMR electronic submission tool used by many states (Phase 1 backbone).

NetDMR is the reason Phase 1 became real instead of aspirational.

Timeline

  1. Phase 2 compliance deadline arrives

    Milestone

    General permit notices and program reports become mandatory electronic submissions, barring waivers.

  2. Texas warns an EPA sewer-reporting tool isn’t ready

    Operational

    TCEQ tells facilities to keep using alternate reporting forms until further notice.

  3. EPA updates the public list of approved alternate deadlines

    Disclosure

    EPA posts which states have approved alternative Phase 2 compliance dates.

  4. EPA approves state-specific extensions out to 2028

    Decision

    EPA signs memos granting alternative Phase 2 deadlines for state data sharing.

  5. Texas refreshes Phase 2 guidance before the deadline

    Guidance

    TCEQ updates reporting instructions and highlights tool readiness and waivers.

  6. EPA publishes a technical roadmap for Phase 2 data sharing

    Implementation

    EPA outlines updates for states to submit Phase 2 data through ICIS Data Submission.

  7. Phase 2 extension is published

    Rule

    Extension becomes official; Phase 2 compliance date is reset to December 21, 2025.

  8. EPA signs Phase 2 extension rule

    Rule

    EPA signs a five-year extension, pushing Phase 2 deadline from 2020 to 2025.

  9. Phase 1 deadline: DMRs go electronic

    Milestone

    DMRs and key biosolids reporting transition into electronic submission workflows.

  10. EPA publishes the NPDES Electronic Reporting Rule

    Rule

    Final rule launches two-phase shift from paper NPDES reporting to electronic submissions.

Scenarios

1

“EPA and states use Phase 2 data to supercharge targeted enforcement”

Discussed by: EPA eReporting program materials and state program guidance focused on transparency and data quality.

As more NOIs/NOTs, overflows, CAFO annual reports, and MS4 program reports land in structured systems, regulators start ranking risks instead of chasing tips. The payoff is selective pressure: more inspections where the data says problems are recurring, and faster escalation when reporting reveals patterns. This scenario triggers if electronic tools stabilize quickly and states feed data consistently into national systems.

2

“Phase 2 becomes a patchwork: more states push deadlines to 2028”

Discussed by: EPA’s public alternate-deadlines tracking and the stream of state-specific extension approvals.

The national deadline stays on the calendar, but the real implementation timeline shifts state by state. More authorized programs request—and receive—alternative compliance deadlines, especially where tool deployment or data-sharing integration lags. The trigger is straightforward: states can’t operationalize reporting tools fast enough and choose deadline relief over partial compliance.

3

“Tool bottlenecks create ‘temporary’ workarounds that quietly become permanent”

Discussed by: State-level readiness notices and operational advisories warning that specific modules are not live.

The deadline hits, but key modules (notably some sewer overflow/bypass reporting workflows) aren’t ready everywhere. Agencies tell facilities to use interim forms, emails, or nonstandard portals “until further notice.” Over time, those workarounds harden into parallel reporting channels that blunt the standardization promise. This scenario triggers if tool readiness continues to lag while waivers and interim processes proliferate.

Historical Context

SEC mandates EDGAR electronic filings

1993–present

What Happened

The SEC began requiring electronic submissions through EDGAR in the early 1990s. The shift didn’t just speed up filings—it turned disclosure into a searchable public utility that investors could interrogate in minutes.

Outcome

Short Term

Electronic filing became the default, changing compliance operations for public companies.

Long Term

Searchable data reshaped market transparency and enabled faster scrutiny by outsiders.

Why It's Relevant Today

NPDES Phase 2 aims for the same leap: from submitted paperwork to usable, queryable public data.

EPA publishes CROMERR to make e-reporting legally enforceable

2005–present

What Happened

EPA created a technology-neutral legal framework so electronic submissions could carry the same enforceability as paper. It set standards and an approval pathway for government partners running electronic reporting systems.

Outcome

Short Term

States and agencies gained a clear pathway to approve and rely on e-signatures and e-submissions.

Long Term

CROMERR became the backbone for cross-program digital reporting at EPA.

Why It's Relevant Today

Phase 2’s credibility depends on this foundation: data has to be enforceable, not just digital.

TRI reporting goes all-in on electronic submissions via TRI-MEweb

2008–2014 (shift), 2014–present (routine)

What Happened

EPA expanded TRI’s online reporting and later required non-trade-secret TRI submissions electronically. The big win was speed: cleaner data, quicker public release, and fewer paper-era errors.

Outcome

Short Term

Higher data quality and faster public access to nationwide facility reporting.

Long Term

TRI became a durable transparency engine used by communities, investors, and regulators.

Why It's Relevant Today

It’s a close analogue for what NPDES eReporting wants: better data and faster accountability.

11 Sources:
+7
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Texas Commission on Environmental Quality U.S. Government Publishing Office (GovInfo) / Federal Register U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission U.S. Environmental Protection Agency U.S. Environmental Protection Agency U.S. Environmental Protection Agency U.S. Environmental Protection Agency U.S. Environmental Protection Agency U.S. Environmental Protection Agency U.S. Environmental Protection Agency