NPDES Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Training
NPDES WET Online Course and EPA NPDES Toxicity Test Video Series
On this page:
- NPDES Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Online Training Course
- NPDES Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Test Video Series
NPDES Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Online Training Course
The EPA Headquarters NPDES Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) online training course covers the key elements of EPA’s NPDES WET permit program. These recorded web-based course modules cover most of the material presented during scheduled EPA NPDES WET courses provided to EPA regional offices, states, and authorized Tribes.
The online NPDES WET modules are for permitting authorities, permittees, and other parties interested in the NPDES WET permit program. The modules introduce viewers to basic technical concepts and permitting implementation approaches used in EPA’s NPDES WET permit program.
How to Navigate through Each Module:
Use the TABS on the left-hand side of the screen to access the online course menu to select slide(s) from the module being viewed, the audio transcript, and the acronym list. If you want to email a question to EPA HQ’s NPDES WET Coordinators, click on the email button at the top right. The Resources button at the top right provides the viewer access to EPA NPDES WET documents and the EPA Toxicity Spreadsheet Statistical Tool. The online course allows the viewer to pause, advance, or return to a previous slide.
Some module slides include blue buttons that provide access to more slides with additional relevant information. After viewing the blue button slides, the viewer will be automatically returned to where they were in the course.
There is a quiz at the end of each module and it must be passed with a score of 80 percent or higher to print a certificate of completion. If the quiz is not passed, the viewer can review and retry the quiz. If needed, the viewer can also review the module or any of the slides before repeating the quiz.
- Module 1: Overview of USEPA’s National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Permit Program – Provides a general introduction to Sections 101 and 301 of the Clean Water Act that are applicable to EPA’s NPDES Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) program; toxicity testing technical concepts; EPA’s recommended WET criteria; and EPA’s NPDES WET permit program implementation. [35 minutes viewing time; 15 minutes to complete quiz]
- Module 2: USEPA NPDES Testing Methods for Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) – Provides an overview of EPA’s toxicity test methods used for whole effluent toxicity (WET) and ambient samples including: EPA’s toxicity test design; toxicity test species; dilution water used to dilute samples tested; and other important EPA toxicity test method recommendations and requirements under 40 CFR Part 136, Table 1A toxicity test methods manuals and for EPA’s 1995 west coast marine chronic toxicity test methods. [28 minutes viewing time; 15 minutes to complete quiz]
- Module 3: USEPA NPDES Reviewing Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Tests and QA/QC Requirements – Provides an overview of key EPA toxicity test methods requirements and recommendations regarding Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) used to review toxicity test data quality and to evaluate whether NPDES whole effluent toxicity (WET) test monitoring data are considered valid. [32 minutes viewing time; 15 minutes to complete quiz]
- Module 4: USEPA NPDES Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Statistical Analysis and Toxicity Data Review – Provides an overview of EPA’s recommended statistical approaches for evaluating valid toxicity test data (for either effluent or ambient samples) to determine whether the observed biological responses of EPA toxicity test organisms to toxicity test concentrations indicates a level of toxicity that would result in an excursion of state whole effluent toxicity (WET) water quality standards or an exceedance of an NPDES WET permit limit. [33 minutes viewing time; 15 minutes to complete quiz]
- Module 5: USEPA NPDES Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Data Interpretation and Evaluation – Provides an overview of how EPA’s percent minimum significant difference (PMSD) requirements, confidence intervals, and the concentration-response relationship (CRR) are used to evaluate and interpret toxicity test data. The module discusses how the PMSD is used when evaluating short-term chronic sub-lethal toxicity test data when using the no observed effect concentration (NOEC), the use of the confidence intervals with respect to point estimate calculations (e.g., Lethal Concentration such as an LC50 or inhibition concentration such as an IC25), and the required CRR review when conducting multi-concentration toxicity tests. [57 minutes viewing time; 15 minutes to complete quiz]
- Module 6: USEPA NPDES Test of Significant Toxicity (TST) – Provides an introduction and overview to EPA’s 2010 Test of Significant Toxicity (TST) guidance recommendations for the TST statistical approach that was developed as another option for evaluating valid toxicity test data (e.g., for effluent or ambient samples). [37 minutes viewing time; 15 minutes to complete quiz]
- Module 7: USEPA Determining Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Reasonable Potential for NPDES Permitting – Provides an introduction to EPA’s NPDES WET permit program requirements and recommendations for determining whole effluent toxicity (WET) Reasonable Potential (RP). The module includes an outline of EPA’s step-by-step approach for evaluating if an NPDES effluent discharge (or ambient sample) has RP as prescribed in EPA’s NPDES RP permit regulations and permit guidances. [36 minutes viewing time; 15 minutes to complete quiz]
- Module 8: USEPA NPDES Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Permit Limit Development – Provides an overview of EPA’s NPDES WET permitting approaches including key factors to consider when developing NPDES whole effluent toxicity (WET) permit requirements. For example, how to do the calculations to establish an NPDES whole effluent toxicity (WET) permit limit when reasonable potential has been demonstrated. [29 minutes viewing time; 15 minutes to complete quiz]
- Module 9: USEPA NPDES Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Permit Conditions, Permit Language and Technical Considerations – Provides a review of NPDES whole effluent toxicity (WET) permit requirements, permit conditions, and examples of recommended NPDES whole effluent toxicity (WET) permit language. The module also covers important toxicity testing technical considerations for NPDES whole effluent toxicity (WET) permit implementation including a review of the total residual chlorine and ammonia implications when conducting EPA’s toxicity tests. [46 minutes viewing time; 15 minutes to complete quiz]
- Module 10: USEPA NPDES Toxicity Reduction Evaluations (TREs) and Toxicity Identification Evaluations (TIEs) – Provides a general overview of EPA's Toxicity Reduction Evaluation (TRE) and Toxicity Identification Evaluation (TIE) procedures used to identify, reduce, and/or eliminate toxicity measured by EPA toxicity tests where the observed toxicity test results indicate an excursion of state whole effluent toxicity (WET) water quality standards and/or exceedances of NPDES whole effluent toxicity (WET) permit limits. [58 minutes viewing time; 15 minutes to complete quiz]
- Module 11: USEPA NPDES Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Limits, Monitoring Requirements, and Reporting in ICIS-NPDES – Provides a general overview of how NPDES WET data is reported under EPA’s Integrated Compliance Information System (ICIS) including toxicity data generated for permit monitoring requirements (both NPDES whole effluent toxicity (WET) limits and permit monitoring requirements-only). [12 minutes viewing time; 15 minutes to complete quiz]
- Module 12: USEPA NPDES Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Compliance and Enforcement – Provides an overview of EPA’s national enforcement policy and guidance documents with respect to the NPDES whole effluent toxicity (WET) permit program including EPA’s recommended enforcement approaches (e.g., enforcement discretion). [21 minutes viewing time; 15 minutes to complete quiz]
NPDES Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) Test Video Series
EPA Freshwater Series
- Ceriodaphnia Survival and Reproduction Toxicity Test
- Culturing Fathead Minnows (Pimephales promelas)
- Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas) Larval Survival and Growth Toxicity Test
EPA Saltwater Series
- Mysid (Americamysis bahia) Survival, Growth, and Fecundity Toxicity Tests
- Culturing Mysids (Americamysis bahia)
- Sperm Cell Toxicity Tests Using the Sea Urchin (Arbacia punctulata)
- Red Algal (Champia parvula) Sexual Reproduction Toxicity Tests
- Sheepshead Minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus) and Inland Silverside (Menidia beryllina) Larval Survival and Growth Toxicity Tests