CESSWI-ESM 2026 CERTIFIED EROSION, SEDIMENT
AND STORMWATER INSPECTOR INDUSTRY
CERTIFICATION PROGRAM CESSWI CERTIFICATION
EXAMINATION
EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL / STORMWATER INSPECTION AND MANAGEMENT
COMPREHENSIVE CERTIFICATION EXAMINATION – APRIL 2026 SESSION
Definitions of waters of the US
All waters used in interstate or foreign commerce, including those subject to tidal flows
o All interstate waters, including interstate wetlands
o All INTRAstate lakes, rivers, streams (intermittent also), mudflats, sand flats, wetlands,
sloughs, prairie potholes, wet meadows, playa lake, or natural ponds that the destruction of
which would affect interstate/foreign commerce including those which:
Could be used for recreational or other purposes
From which shellfish or fish could be retrieved and sold
Could be used for industrial purposes
o All impoundments of water defined by waters of the US by the above
o Tributaries of the waters defined above
o The territorial sea
o Wetlands adjacent to any of the waters defined above
1|Page
,Beneficial Uses definition
Uses necessary for the survival of and well-being of people, plants, and wildlife
Water quality standards definition
state or tribal requirements that define the water quality goals of a lake stream or other
wateerbody by designation the benefical uses and setting criteria to protect those uses
Section 303d
a process for states, territories, and tribes to i.d. impaired waters, also referred to as water
quality limited
TMDL
id's the amount of a specific pollutant that may be dicharged to a water body, states are
responsible for implementing
Waste load allocations
allocations of pollutant loadings to point sources
TMDL Implementation
Define waste load allocation, develop implementation plan to connect allocations and permits,
translate allocations to permit conditions.
2|Page
, Origin of NPDES stormwater regs
NURP studies showed stormwater had many of the same qualities of commercial, industrial
areas
NPDES Phase I and II regs implemented via
General permits for a group of similar dischages such as construction industry, industrial,
utilities
Individual permits for a single entity, facility or project
Phase I NPDES Permits ID'd as:
Industrial activity
Construction activity <5 acres
Cities over 100k population
Phase II NPDES Permits ID'd as:
Construction activity 1 - 5 acres
Cities 10k - 100k population
commercial, retail, light industrial, institutional
updated industrial and const. general permits
Phase II implemented MS4 requirements
SWMP with 6 MCMs
3|Page
AND STORMWATER INSPECTOR INDUSTRY
CERTIFICATION PROGRAM CESSWI CERTIFICATION
EXAMINATION
EROSION AND SEDIMENT CONTROL / STORMWATER INSPECTION AND MANAGEMENT
COMPREHENSIVE CERTIFICATION EXAMINATION – APRIL 2026 SESSION
Definitions of waters of the US
All waters used in interstate or foreign commerce, including those subject to tidal flows
o All interstate waters, including interstate wetlands
o All INTRAstate lakes, rivers, streams (intermittent also), mudflats, sand flats, wetlands,
sloughs, prairie potholes, wet meadows, playa lake, or natural ponds that the destruction of
which would affect interstate/foreign commerce including those which:
Could be used for recreational or other purposes
From which shellfish or fish could be retrieved and sold
Could be used for industrial purposes
o All impoundments of water defined by waters of the US by the above
o Tributaries of the waters defined above
o The territorial sea
o Wetlands adjacent to any of the waters defined above
1|Page
,Beneficial Uses definition
Uses necessary for the survival of and well-being of people, plants, and wildlife
Water quality standards definition
state or tribal requirements that define the water quality goals of a lake stream or other
wateerbody by designation the benefical uses and setting criteria to protect those uses
Section 303d
a process for states, territories, and tribes to i.d. impaired waters, also referred to as water
quality limited
TMDL
id's the amount of a specific pollutant that may be dicharged to a water body, states are
responsible for implementing
Waste load allocations
allocations of pollutant loadings to point sources
TMDL Implementation
Define waste load allocation, develop implementation plan to connect allocations and permits,
translate allocations to permit conditions.
2|Page
, Origin of NPDES stormwater regs
NURP studies showed stormwater had many of the same qualities of commercial, industrial
areas
NPDES Phase I and II regs implemented via
General permits for a group of similar dischages such as construction industry, industrial,
utilities
Individual permits for a single entity, facility or project
Phase I NPDES Permits ID'd as:
Industrial activity
Construction activity <5 acres
Cities over 100k population
Phase II NPDES Permits ID'd as:
Construction activity 1 - 5 acres
Cities 10k - 100k population
commercial, retail, light industrial, institutional
updated industrial and const. general permits
Phase II implemented MS4 requirements
SWMP with 6 MCMs
3|Page
