Instructions

Step by step instructions and a visual guide to setting up an account in eDEP's online filing system and to selecting, completing and submitting the groundwater forms to DEP.
MS Word 1.5 MB | PDF 979 KB

When are the groundwater monitoring reports due to be submitted to DEP?

The timeframe for submitting groundwater reports through eDEP is as stated in each groundwater discharge permit and is no different from when the previously submitted hard copies were due. For the majority of permits reports are due by the 15th or the 30th of the month following the sampling event.

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What do I need to submit with my eDEP reports?

The new eDEP groundwater forms are the Groundwater Program's official "DMRs" for monitoring data. Operational records required by 314 CMR 12.00 and any additional compliance sampling beyond permit requirements should also be submitted each month. eDEP provides a place for this information to be typed in at the Comments section and/or attached electronically.

At this time the Department is not requiring that laboratory reports be submitted with reports submitted through eDEP. Please be advised that per the groundwater regulations permittees are required to maintain all records, logs and data reports on file for a minimum of 3 years.

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Should I still submit hard copy reports to the regional office and Board of Health?

Your eDEP submittal serves as both the submittal to the regional office and the Boston office as required by your permit. Copies of these reports still need to be sent to the local Board of Health. This can be done either via hard copy or, if the Board of Health Agent registers as an Individual user on eDEP, via the Share feature.

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Why are there parameters on the daily form that are not required by my permit?

The Daily form is the only form that is not permit specific. The daily form is a static form listing possible parameters that could be required to be monitored daily in any permit. If a parameter on the daily form is not required by your permit then the fields for that parameter should be left blank.

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What should I do if there are missing or "extra" parameters on my forms?

If, when filling out your Discharge Monitoring Report form and Monitoring Well Data Report form, you notice that there are parameters listed that are not required by your permit, or required but not listed, or listed under the wrong frequency of sampling, please contact the Groundwater Permit Program at (617) 556-1029.

Please be advised corrections to the eDEP forms will take 24 hours to appear online.

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When does someone leave a field blank in the report form?

The Daily form can have blank fields. All the other groundwater forms need to be completely filled out in order to be validated and submitted.

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What do I enter in the fields for the Volatile Organic Compounds not analyzed by the method used?

The VOC list is comprised of analytes for Method #624 and some additional analytes. For any analyte not tested enter "NS" for "Not Sampled" in the field.

If you find there are analytes tested that are not on the list, please contact the Groundwater Permit Program at (617) 556-1029.

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What values other than numerical values can be entered in each field?

The values that can be entered in a field are dictated by the parameter. Possible entries for the fields are noted at the top of each form and are as follows:

ND = For a parameter that was tested and found "Not Detected"

TNTC = "Too numerous to count" for fecal and total coliform results

NS = "Not Sampled" - For use when a sample was required but none was done (explanation should be provided in the Comments section)

DRY = Indicates that there was not enough water to sample a monitoring well

YES/NO = MS-2 phage testing only

< or > = For these values, enter the number value of the result only and note the < or > in the comments section.

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If I monitor a permit parameter more frequently than required by the permit how do I submit these results with eDEP?

Per the Groundwater Discharge Permit Regulations, any additional compliance sampling beyond permit requirements analyzed by approved methods must be reported to DEP. At this time, because the Discharge Monitoring Report form and Monitoring Well Data Report form are based on the frequencies of each permit, there is not a field for "extra" samples. Therefore these parameters will need to be reported, inclusive of the date of sampling, either in the comments section, as an attachment with the submittal or mailed in as hard copy (with a note stating such in the eDEP comments section).

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If I monitor a permit parameter more frequently than required by the permit, which result should be reported on the eDEP groundwater form?

The results submitted on the groundwater forms (DMR & MWDR) should be the maximum result obtained. Averages should not be submitted.

For example, if two separate samples are run during the same week for a weekly BOD requirement, then the maximum result should be entered on the appropriate groundwater weekly form and the other result, inclusive of date of sampling, noted either in the comments section, sent as an attachment with the submittal or mailed in as hard copy (with a note stating such in the eDEP comments section).

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Can I add data taken at a later time to a submitted form?

Once a groundwater form has been submitted it is no longer available for data entry or changes, only viewing and printing.

If you tested the monitoring wells for the quarter but were unable to sample a well that was dry, the quarterly MWDR form would be submitted with the results for the wells tested and a "DRY" in the fields for the one that was not. If in the next month you were able to sample the dry well you would not be able to update the previously submitted form. Instead these results, inclusive of date of sampling, should be noted in the comments section, attached electronically with the submittal or mailed in as hard copy (with a note stating such in the eDEP comments section).

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How do I complete my submittal?

Section B. of the groundwater Permit Form in eDEP is where you select each form to be filled out for your submittal and where you indicate that all forms for the submittal have been completed. This can be done in two different ways:

1. Check the box "All forms for submittal have been completed" instead of choosing a form in B.1 or,
2. Select a form from the drop down menu at B.1 and check the box at B.2, "This is the last selection."

Either of these options will complete Step 1 and move you to the Comments Step of the submittal.

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