Individual NPDES Permits

While many facilities seek coverage through general stormwater permits, some comply with regulations through an individual stormwater permit that reflects the facility's unique permit conditions and limits. Examples of facilities that likely require an NPDES permit include a facility that discharges wastewater, a construction site, or a pretreatment operation. Individual NPDES permits are prepared with limits and conditions for specific facilities.

DEQ manages four kinds of individual discharge permits. Point source dischargers are divided by municipal operation and industrial operation. Both of these permits require an additional state permit for construction of any new wastewater facilities. Pretreatment requirements are enforced as industrial discharge permits issued by DEQ or by those Arkansas cities that have federal- and state-approved pretreatment programs.

All individual permits require public notices or public review. Find public notices of a specific individual permit:

  1. Data and Information
    Staff identifies all pollutants known or believed to be present in the effluent (the waste to be discharged).

    A review is made of existing information in the application and in DEQ files, such as effluent quality data, current permit conditions, inspections, construction permits, and compliance status.
  2. Applicability
    Staff determines the applicability of EPA technology-based effluent guidelines.
  3. Effluent Limits
    Staff determines the 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 limits, whichever are more stringent.
  4. Schedule for Compliance
    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, the applicant is not allowed a schedule of compliance.

Individual NPDES Permit Application Information

Please refer to the linked documents before submitting your NPDES permit application. The first is a list of common mistakes that are made when filling out the application. The second is a checklist to help ensure that all parts of the application package are included in the submittal.

Major Municipal Discharge

A major municipal facility is one owned by a municipality or regional sewer district with a design flow of 1 million gallons per day or greater. Municipal wastewater treatment facilities must obtain an NPDES permit before they can legally discharge treated wastewater.

Permit Action Required Documents Application Process
New Permit or Renewal:
  • DEQ Form 1
  • EPA Form 2A
  • DEQ Priority Pollutant Scan (PPS) Form
New: To obtain a municipal NPDES permit, file an application package with DEQ's Water Office. New facilities must submit the package at least 180 days before the expected date of the first wastewater discharge.

Renewal: Existing facilities must submit their application package at least 180 days before the expiration date of the existing NPDES permit.
Modification: Submit only as needed:
  • DEQ Priority Pollutant Scan (PPS) Form
Termination:
  • Notice of Termination
If all discharges have been eliminated, the permittee may request termination of the NPDES Permit

Minor Municipal Discharge

A minor municipal facility is one owned by a municipality with a design flow of less than 1 million gallons per day. Municipal wastewater treatment facilities must obtain an NPDES permit before they can legally discharge treated wastewater.

Permit Action Required Documents Application Process
New Permit or Renewal: New: To obtain a municipal NPDES permit, file an application package with DEQ's Water Office. New facilities must submit the package at least 180 days before the expected date of the first wastewater discharge.

Renewal: Existing facilities must submit their application package at least 180 days before the expiration date of the existing NPDES permit.
Modification:  
Termination:
  • Notice of Termination
If all discharges have been eliminated, the permittee may request termination of the NPDES Permit

Industrial Discharge Permit for EXISTING Facilities Applying to Discharge Process Wastewater

Any facility that is not owned by a municipality or regional sewer district is classified as an industrial facility. Industrial permits cover the discharge of process wastewater, and sanitary, or domestic, wastewater that is not discharged to a municipal treatment facility.

An “existing facility” is a facility that is already in operation, and is producing process wastewater. “Process wastewater” means any water which, during manufacturing or processing, comes into direct contact with or results from the production or use of any raw material, intermediate product, finished product, byproduct, or waste product.

Specific categories of facilities may seek coverage through a streamlined general permit process. See the general industrial (non-stormwater) permits rules, activities they regulate, and permitting forms and information.

Permit Action Required Documents As Needed Documents
New Permit or Renewal:
  • DEQ Form 1
  • EPA Form 2C
  • DEQ Priority Pollutant Scan (PPS) Form
  • Disclosure Statement
Submit only if stormwater is mixed with process water:
  • EPA Form 2F
Modification
Termination:
  • Notice of Termination
If all discharges have been eliminated, the permittee may request termination of the NPDES Permit

Industrial Discharge Permit for NEW Facilities Applying to Discharge Process Wastewater

Any facility that is not owned by a municipality or regional sewer district is classified as an industrial facility. Industrial permits cover the discharge of process wastewater, and sanitary, or domestic, wastewater that is not discharged to a municipal treatment facility.

A “new facility” is a facility that is not yet in operation, and is not producing process wastewater. “Process wastewater” means any water which, during manufacturing or processing, comes into direct contact with or results from the production or use of any raw material, intermediate product, finished product, byproduct, or waste product.

Specific categories of facilities may seek coverage through a streamlined general permit process. See the general industrial (non-stormwater) permits rules, activities they regulate, and permitting forms and information.

Permit Action Required Documents As Needed Documents
New Permit or Renewal:
  • DEQ Form 1
  • EPA Form 2D
  • DEQ Priority Pollutant Scan (PPS) Form
  • Disclosure Statement
Submit only if stormwater is mixed with process water:
  • EPA Form 2F

Industrial Discharge Permit for Facilities that do NOT Discharge Process Wastewater (NEW or EXISTING)

Any facility that is not owned by a municipality or regional sewer district is classified as an industrial facility. Industrial permits cover the discharge of process wastewater, and sanitary, or domestic, wastewater that is not discharged to a municipal treatment facility.

“Facilities that do NOT Discharge Process Wastewater” include, but are not limited to, facilities that are operated by: businesses that are manufacturers, but have only a sanitary wastewater discharge; businesses that discharge sanitary and food-preparation wastewater; schools; and nonmunicipal domestic sewage treatment works (subdivisions, apartments, etc.).

“Process wastewater” means any water which, during manufacturing or processing, comes into direct contact with or results from the production or use of any raw material, intermediate product, finished product, byproduct, or waste product.

Specific categories of facilities may seek coverage through a streamlined general permit process. See the general industrial (non-stormwater) permits rules, activities they regulate, and permitting forms and information.

Permit Action Required Documents As Needed Documents
New Permit or Renewal: Submit only for a nonmunicipal domestic sewage treatment works (NDSTW) facility:
  • NDSTW Trust Fund Certification Form
Modification: Submit only for a nonmunicipal domestic sewage treatment works (NDSTW) facility:
  • NDSTW Trust Fund Certification Form
Termination:
  • Notice of Termination
If all discharges have been eliminated, the permittee may request termination of the NPDES Permit

Individual Stormwater Permit

While many facilities seek coverage through general stormwater permits, some comply with regulations through an individual NPDES stormwater permit that reflects the facility's unique permit conditions and limits.

Permit Action Required Documents As Needed Documents
New Permit or Renewal:
  • DEQ Priority Pollutant Scan (PPS) Form
Modification:
Termination:
  • Notice of Termination
If all discharges have been eliminated, the permittee may request termination of the NPDES Permit

Construction of a Wastewater Treatment Facility

Permits are required for the construction of any municipal and industrial treatment and collection facilities that discharge treated wastewater to a waterbody. Wastewater treatment construction permits are also required for small on-site wastewater disposal systems that commonly serve developments or small areas in the treatment of domestic wastewater. The NPDES Section of DEQ's Water Office issues state wastewater treatment construction permits under authority of Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission Rule 6, Section 6.202.

Permits are required for the construction of any municipal and industrial treatment and collection facilities that discharge DEQ does not require the use or installation of particular technologies. Rather, the Clean Water Act requires operators to meet certain performance standards that are based on the proper operation of pollution prevention and treatment technologies identified by EPA . For more information, visit Treatment Technologies.

Permits are required for the construction of any municipal and industrial treatment and collection facilities that discharge All wastewater treatment systems must be designed based on the latest edition of "Recommended Standards for Wastewater Facilities" by the Great Lakes - Upper Mississippi River Board of State and Provincial Public Health and Environmental Managers. This design manual is commonly referred to as “The 10 States Standards” and is updated periodically by a board including 10 Midwestern states and the province of Ontario.

Permit Action Required Documents As Needed Documents
New Permit or Modification:
  • DEQ Form 1
  • Design Calculations
  • Plans and Specifications signed and stamped by a professional engineer registered in Arkansas
  • Disclosure Statement
For Sanitary Wastewater ONLY:
  • Arkansas Department of Health Approval Letter
Completion of Construction:
  • Notice of Completion of Construction for State Construction Permits