What is the role of the inspector in preventing illicit discharges from a facility's operations?

• A. Inspect the site only during heavy rain events.
• B. Educate operators only.
• C. Identify potential illicit discharges, inspect outfalls, enforce permit requirements, educate operators, and require corrective actions.
• D. Ignore illicit discharges on weekends.

Answer: (C)

Preventing illicit discharges requires a proactive, comprehensive effort. The inspector should identify potential illicit discharges, inspect outfalls to observe actual discharges, enforce permit requirements to ensure compliance, educate operators to prevent improper practices, and require corrective actions to fix problems and prevent recurrence. This approach covers detection, accountability, and prevention across the facility’s operations, and it applies regardless of weather or time. Limiting activity to heavy rain events misses non-storm discharges, education alone doesn’t enforce standards, and ignoring weekends leaves violations unaddressed.