California Code, Water Code - WAT § 13370.5

(a) The Legislature finds and declares that, since the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. Sec. 1251 et seq.), as amended, and applicable federal regulations (40 C.F.R. § 403 et seq.) provide for a pretreatment program to regulate the discharge of pollutants into publicly owned treatment works and provide that states with approved national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) permit programs shall apply for approval of a state pretreatment program, it is in the interest of the people of the state to enact this section in order to avoid direct regulation by the federal government of publicly owned treatment works already subject to regulation under state law pursuant to this division.

(b) The state board shall develop a state pretreatment program and shall, not later than September 1, 1985, apply to the Environmental Protection Agency for approval of the pretreatment program in accordance with federal requirements.