National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)

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DRINKING WATER SYSTEM DISCHARGES

Water purveyors regularly discharge drinking water into storm drains or other conveyances that drain to surface waters. Planned discharges are part of a water purveyor's essential operations to comply with the federal Safe Drinking Water Act and the California Health and Safety Code for providing reliable and safe drinking water. Surface water discharges also occur from pipe breaks, system failures, and emergencies.

Section 402 of the Clean Water Act requires that a discharge of any pollutant or combination of pollutants to surface waters that are deemed waters of the United States be regulated by a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. To provide coverage to discharges by water purveyors to waters of the United States in compliance with Clean Water Act section 402, the State Water Board adopted the Statewide General NPDES Permit for Drinking Water System Discharges to Waters of the United States on November 18, 2014. To get coverage under the permit, a water purveyor (community drinking water system or wholesaler) must submit an application to the State Water Board no later than September 1, 2015. Alternatively, if a water purveyor does not need coverage under the permit, it must submit a notice of non-applicability to the State Water Board also by September 1, 2015.

It is the intention of the State Water Board to regulate all mandatory low-threat-type discharges from community water systems statewide with consistent regulation. This means that with the transition from Regional Water Board permits to the statewide permit, the Regional Water Boards will no longer be regulating the mandatory low-threat-type discharges from drinking water systems that meet the criteria of the statewide permit. The new statewide permit provides coverage for unplanned and emergency discharges in addition to discharges from supply wells and distribution systems. The statewide permit also grants a regulatory exemption to water purveyors for compliance with federal water quality criteria (the California Toxic Rule), and requires minimal monitoring and reporting.

Current Permit | Fees | Email Subscription | Contacts

Current Permit

Fees

For Fee information please check this Fee Schedule link and see the section related to community water systems that are regulated by a general NPDES permit.

Please Note: The California Water Code requires the State Water Board to adjust the fees each fiscal year to conform with the revenue levels set forth in the California Budget Act. Thus, the fees could change every year.

Email Subscription

To receive notice of future public workshops and other communications from the State Water Board regarding drinking water system discharges, you may subscribe to an email notification list by following the link below, choosing the Drinking Water section, and selecting "Drinking Water System Discharges (Water Quality)":

https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/resources/email_subscriptions/swrcb_subscribe.html

Contacts