Which types of dischargers does the EPA recognize in its efforts to control pollutants?

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognizes direct and indirect dischargers as the primary types of dischargers in its efforts to control pollutants. Direct dischargers are those that release pollutants directly into navigable waters, such as through a pipe or a ditch. This category includes facilities like factories or wastewater treatment plants that discharge treated or untreated water directly into rivers, lakes, or oceans.

Indirect dischargers, on the other hand, release pollutants into a municipal sewer system, where they may eventually be treated at a wastewater treatment facility before being discharged into the environment. This type of discharger includes businesses or industries that send their wastewater to public treatment systems rather than discharging directly into water bodies.

Understanding these categories helps the EPA regulate and monitor pollution sources more effectively, ensuring that both types of discharges adhere to environmental standards aimed at protecting water quality. Other classifications like residential and commercial, or public and private, do not specifically address the mechanisms of pollutant discharge as recognized in EPA regulations.