If you must obtain an individual permit to discharge industrial
wastewater into or adjacent to "waters in the state," take
these steps to begin the permitting process:
-
Contact TCEQ staff well
before you apply for the permit. This is not a
requirement, but is highly recommended. Our staff will help you
determine if and what type of permit is needed as well as what
information needs to go into a permit application package.
-
Find out whether the water body receiving the discharge
is on the Texas Clean
Water Act Section 303(d) list (PDF). (Help with PDF.)
The 303(d) list identifies water bodies which are identified as
impaired or threatened in accordance with the Federal Clean Water
Act. New discharges into water bodies on the
303(d) list (PDF) may not be allowed or may come with stringent
requirements.
-
Complete and submit a permit application
package (one original and three copies) at least 330 days
before the proposed discharge begins or as soon as possible. This
package includes (
instructions) (PDF):
-
Administrative
Report for Industrial Wastewater (PDF). Complete applicable
sections and the checklist, and include the appropriate signatures.
Submit the appropriate fees. If the report is not in the same
format and page numbering sequence, the application will not be
processed.
-
Industrial
Wastewater Technical Report (PDF). Complete applicable sections
and worksheets. They will become the main body of your application.
Submit the entire Technical Report in your application package. If
the report is not in the same format and page numbering sequence,
the application will not be processed.
-
Submission Checklist
(PDF). Complete and submit as part of your application.
-
Core Data Form (PDF). (Instructions) (PDF)
Complete and submit as part of your application. It requests basic
information about the owner, the operator and the site.
-
As part of the application package, you will need to pay an
application fee. For more information on fees, see the "How Much Is
the Application Fee?" section in
Completing the Industrial Wastewater Permit Application
(Instructions) (PDF).
After the TCEQ receives the application, it will go through a
two-step review:
-
Administrative Review. Staff will check to make
sure the application is complete. If not, you will be sent a Notice
of Deficiency letter describing what information is needed by a
certain date. If deficiencies are not addressed within a specified
time period, the application may be returned.
-
Templates for Publishing First Notices into
Spanish. After being notified by the Water Quality
Division that it is time to issue a public notice, you may need to
translate the Notice of Receipt and Intent to Obtain a Permit into
Spanish. The applicant is responsible for getting notices
translated. However, because Spanish is the most common alternate
language, we have provided some commonly needed translated templates.
-
Technical Review. The technical aspects of the
application will be reviewed and evaluated. You may be contacted
for additional information. If information is not received by the
date requested, the application may be returned. This review will
include public notices, and may include public meetings and
hearings.
After the TCEQ review process, the applicant is given the
opportunity to review and provide comments on the draft permit.
Once the TCEQ and applicant have resolved differences over
requirements in the draft permit, the applicant must publish notice
in a local and widely distributed newspaper. This Public Notice
informs the public that a draft permit has been prepared for
disposal of wastewater. The public may provide comments or request
a public meeting or request a public hearing on the draft
permit.
Depending on the outcome of any public meetings or hearing
requests, the permit will be denied or issued.
If a permit is issued, you will need to do the following:
-
Comply with the provisions of the permit. (This includes any
monitoring and reporting requirements.)
-
Notify TCEQ if you wish to discontinue permit coverage.
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Pay an Annual Water Quality Fee. As long as the permit
is active on September 1st of the year, you will receive an invoice
for this fee.
To view some of the relevant rules regarding wastewater permits,
click here.
Contact us if you have
questions.
