Water Quality PermitsHandbook Page

Water Quality Permits

The people of Washington State are supported in their goal for clean water by many state laws and regulations, including the state's Water Pollution Control Act (Chapter 90.48 RCW), which explains that Washington State's policy is to ". . . maintain the highest possible standards to insure the purity of all waters of the state consistent with public health and public enjoyment . . . the propagation and protection of wildlife, birds, game, fish and other aquatic life, and the industrial development of the state." Ecology is also delegated by Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program from the Clean Water Act.

In general, the discharge of any wastewater, except domestic wastewater going to a municipal treatment plant, requires a wastewater discharge permit. This includes stormwater from industrial and construction sites and some municipal sites. Discharges to surface waters require a NPDES individual permit or coverage under a general NPDES permit. Discharges to ground and industrial discharges to a municipal treatment plant require a State wastewater permit.

Construction of any wastewater treatment facility other than an on-site sewage system below 100,000 gallons/day needs Ecology approval (Chapter 90.48 RCW and 173-240 WAC). Because these same facilities may or may not require an individual wastewater discharge permit, the project should be discussed with Ecology as project planning begins.

Other permits or authorizations are required for public water systems regulated by Department of Health, on-site sewage systems below 100,000 gpd, reclamation and reuse of treated wastewater, underground injection, construction that impacts surface water, laboratory analysis of material if the data goes to Ecology or Department of Health for drinking water systems, and operating a wastewater treatment plant.

Permits:

Drinking Water Operating Permit: Operating a public water system that has 15 or more services or serves more than 25 people a day for more than sixty days a year.

Laboratory Accreditation: Submittal of data from analysis of environmental or drinking water samples.

Large On-Site Sewage System Operating Permit (Between 3,500 and 100,000 gallons per day): Treatment and disposal of residential-strength sewage through septic tanks or other treatment processes and drainfields with a design flow, at any common point, between 3,500 and 100,000 gallons per day. Sewage containing industrial waste must be permitted by Department of Ecology, regardless of treatment and disposal method. On-site sewage systems that discharge to surface water, including those that discharge to ground through a drainfield, where groundwater is in hydraulic continuity with surface water, are regulated and permitted by Ecology.

NPDES Aquatic Pesticides General Permit: To find out the specific activities that trigger each of the NPDES Aquatic Pesticides General Permits, please select the appropriate permit link below. Once you are on the permit�s information page select the permit 'fact sheet'. � Aquatic Mosquito Control Permit � Aquatic Plant and Algae Management Permit � Aquatic Noxious Weed Permit � Irrigation System Aquatic Weed Control Permit

NPDES Boatyard General Permit: Operating a boatyard with a discharge of pressure wash water to a sanitary sewer or discharge of stormwater to surface waters are activities, which require coverage under this permit. A boatyard is a commercial business engaged in the construction, repair and maintenance of small vessels, 85% of which are 65 feet or less in length, or revenues from which constitute more than 85% of gross receipts. Services typically provided include, but are not limited to: pressure washing hulls, painting and coating, engine and propulsion system repair and replacement, hull repair, joinery, bilge cleaning, fuel and lubrication system repair and replacement, welding and grinding of hull, buffing and waxing, marine sanitation device (MSD) repair and replacement, and other activities necessary to maintain a vessel. This includes mobile facilities. Pollutant control is through implementation of best management practices (BMPs) or treatment.

NPDES Construction Stormwater General Permit: Ecology requires any construction activity which disturbs one acre or more and which may result in a discharge of stormwater to surface waters of the state, which includes storm drains, ditches, wetlands, creeks, rivers, lakes and marine waters to obtain permit coverage. For more information, please go to the construction stormwater homepage

NPDES Fresh Fruit Packing General Permit: New or existing fresh fruit packing facility which receives, packs, stores and/or ships either hard or soft fruit and discharges wastewater.

NPDES General Permit Coverage: Point source discharge of pollutants into surface waters and belonging to a category of discharger for which Ecology has developed a General NPDES permit.

NPDES Individual Permit: Any discharge of wastewater into surface waters through a conveyance system.

NPDES Industrial Stormwater General Permit Coverage: Industrial Facilities: Public or private operation of an industrial facility with a stormwater discharge to surface waters or a storm sewer.

NPDES Municipal Stormwater General Permit: Generally this permit is required of all cities defined as an urban area by the U.S. Census Bureau and for designated cities with a population over 10,000 located outside of urban areas.

On-Site Sewage Disposal Permit (More than 100,000 gallons per day): Large On-site Sewage Systems with a design flow exceeding 100,000 gallons per day, systems whose discharge includes industrial/commercial process wastewater or stormwater, systems that discharge to the land surface (such as wetlands or infiltration lagoons without a drainfield) and systems that discharge to surface water (including those that discharge to ground, where groundwater is in hydraulic continuity with surface water).

On-Site Sewage System Permit (Less than 3,500 gallons per day): The installation, repair, modification, connection to, or expansion of an on-site sewage system with design flow of less than 3,500 gallons per day of residential-strength sewage.

Sand & Gravel General Permit - Portable Facilities (A National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System and State Waste Discharge General Permit): The Department of Ecology (Ecology) requires a permit whenever a portable facility:
- Operates at a location that does not have permit coverage for the activity the portable will be performing.
- Operates at a location that does not have active operating status.
- Produces crushed rock or washed gravel for forest management if a discernable, confined, and discrete conveyance discharges pollutants to surface waters of the state.

Sand & Gravel Permit for Non-Portable Facilities (A National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System and State Waste Discharge General Permit): The discharge of wastewater, including process water, stormwater or mine dewatering water from industrial activities.

State Wastewater Discharge Permit: A discharge of wastewater to the ground or a discharge of industrial process wastewater to a municipal treatment plant.

Underground Injection Control Registration: Applicants who have installed or are planning to install an Underground Injection Control (UIC) well are required to register. New wells need to be registered before use.

Waste Discharge Permit - Reclaimed Water: Using water reclaimed according to provisions of the State Reclaimed Water Use Act.

Wastewater Plant Operator's Certificate: Required for being in charge of a domestic wastewater treatment plant or a shift at a plant.

Water System Construction and Operation Approval: Providing water through pipes or other conveyances to one or more commercial connections or two or more residential connections where people have access to use the water. A system with four or fewer connections all of which serve residences on the same farm is excluded.

Waterworks Operator Certification: Operating a waterworks, or a portion of waterworks, including any treatment facilities or distribution systems.

Permit Handbook