The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program is authorized by Section 402 of the Clean Water Act. NPDES permits are issued by the State of Arkansas through the implementation of a memorandum of agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The purpose of the NPDES permit is to control the point source discharge of pollutants into the waters of the State such that the quality of the water of the State is maintained.

If a facility discharges pollutants from any point source into waters of the state of Arkansas, then the operator of that facility must apply for a NPDES permit from the NPDES Section of ADEQ. Industrial facilities discharging wastewater into municipal sewage treatment systems are covered by the Pretreatment Section.

The NPDES permit controls point source discharges of pollutants into the Waters of the State through the establishment of effluent limitations and operating requirements. Generally, a NPDES permit is developed in the following manner:

Identification of all pollutants known or believed to be present in the effluent. Review of all existing information in the application and the ADEQ files such as effluent quality data, current permit conditions, inspections, construction permits, and compliance status.
Determining applicability of EPA technology-based effluent guidelines (40 CFR Subpart N) for a discharger and the limits based on the guidelines. If EPA guidelines don’t exist, development of effluent limits based on best engineering judgement of the permit writer of the technology representing the best available treatment.
Determining water quality-based effluent limits for pollutants required by EPA guidelines as well as any additional pollutants believed to be present in the effluent. Water quality- based effluent limits take into account characteristics of the receiving stream such as the low flow value and hardness of the stream at the point of discharge.
The permit is drafted with the effluent limits based on either the technology-based limits or water quality-based effluent limits, whichever are more stringent.
The permit may contain a time schedule for the permittee to achieve compliance with effluent limits that were either not included in the previous permit or are more stringent than the effluent limits in the previous permit. This schedule of compliance is included in the permit only if it is determined that the permittee is unable to meet the limits at the time of permit issuance. If the permit applicant is a new facility or an existing facility that is recommencing its discharge, they are not allowed a schedule of compliance.

To obtain an industrial NPDES Permit, an application package must be filed with the NPDES Section of ADEQ. New facilities must submit the appropriate application forms at least one hundred and eighty (180) days prior to the expected date of the first wastewater discharge. Existing facilities must submit the appropriate application forms at least one hundred and eighty (180) days prior to the expiration date of the existing NPDES Permit.

Facilities Which Do Not Discharge Process Wastewater

domestic facilities
schools
non-contact cooling water

Form	MS Word	PDF File
ADEQ Form 1 (New, renewal, modification)	MS Word 2002 document template	PDF File
EPA Form 2E (New, renewal)		EPA Form 2E
ADEQ Disclosure Form		Disclosure Statement

Facilities Which Discharge Process Wastewater For Existing Facilities

Form	MS Word	PDF File
ADEQ Form 1 (New, renewal, modification)	MS Word 2002 document template	PDF File
EPA Form 2C (New, renewal, modification)		EPA Form 2C
EPA Form 2F (If stormwater mixing with process water) (New, renewal)		EPA Form 2F
ADEQ PPS Form (See 40 CFR 122 Appendix A) (New, renewal)	Application Form PPS (Priority Pollutant Scan)	Application Form PPS (Priority Pollutant Scan)
ADEQ Disclosure Form		Disclosure Statement

Facilities Which Discharge Process Wastewater For Initial Facilities

Form	MS Word	PDF File
ADEQ Form 1 (New, renewal, modification)	MS Word 2002 document template	PDF File
EPA Form 2D (New, renewal, modification)		EPA Form 2D
EPA Form 2F (If stormwater mixing with process water) (New, renewal)		EPA Form 2F
ADEQ Disclosure Form		Disclosure Statement

Individual Stormwater Permit

Form	MS Word	PDF File
ADEQ Form 1 (New, renewal, modification)	MS Word 2002 document template	PDF File
EPA Form 2F (If stormwater mixing with process water) (New, renewal)		EPA Form 2F