State Waste Discharge permits (SWD permits) regulate discharges from:
- Municipalities or industries to groundwater.
- Commercial industry to a publicly owned treatment works (POTWs).
SWD permits are issued:
- Individually or through general permit coverage.
- Based on state groundwater quality standards or federal effluent limit guidelines for industrial discharges to a publicly owned treatment works.
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Wastewater Discharge Permits regulate direct discharges to surface water from POTWs or commercial industry. We have delegation from the EPA to write these federal permits. These permits are a requirement of the federal Clean Water Act.
We issue these permits based on state surface water quality standards, which can be more stringent than federal water quality standards. NPDES permits are issued individually or through general permit coverage.