Watershed Regulatory
Industrial Permitting
In California, industrial facilities can comply with the Clean Water Act Section 402(p) by applying for either an individual NPDES permit or enrolling in the Statewide Industrial General NPDES Permit (IGP). The applicability of the two types of permits is as follows:
- Individual NPDES permit: applies to a single facility
- IGP: a single permit that can cover many facilities, including those in broad industrial activity categories
The IGP regulates stormwater discharges associated with industrial activities from nine categories of facilities, provided in Attachment A of the IGP, which are described with Standardized Industrial Classification (SIC) codes. Facilities may apply for coverage under the IGP; however, each facility must comply with its requirements for their own facility. Additional information on the IGP, including staff contact information, for the Los Angeles and Ventura Counties may be found at: https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/losangeles/water_issues/programs/stormwater/sw_index.html
Individual industrial permits are written for industrial facilities that are not covered by the IGP. The Individual industrial permit includes permit limits and conditions specifically designed to protect water quality and beneficial uses of surface waters and prevent the pollution of surface waters such as estuaries, lakes, rivers, and streams that reflect the site-specific conditions of a single discharger and are specific to that facility. The Industrial Permitting Unit at the Los Angeles Water Board prepares and oversees individual industrial NPDES permits in the Los Angeles Region. Some examples of these facilities include refineries and refinery operations, power generating stations, seawater desalination plants, and other types of industrial facilities.
Stormwater - Industrial General Permit (IGP)
State Board Page for Power Generating Stations Once-Through-Cooling Policy
