Understanding Source Registration And Water Pollution Control Permits

Source registration and water pollution permitting are key components of the Clean Water Act (CWA). The CWA prohibits the discharge of pollutants through a point source into navigable waters unless an NPDES permit is obtained. The NPDES permit sets limits on pollutant discharge, monitoring and reporting requirements, and other provisions to ensure water quality and public health. Point sources are defined broadly in the CWA and include pipes, ditches, channels, tunnels, conduits, wells, and vessels.

Point source definition: Any discernible, confined and discrete conveyance

The Clean Water Act (CWA) defines a point source as "any discernible, confined and discrete conveyance, including but not limited to any pipe, ditch, channel, tunnel, conduit, well, discrete fissure, container, rolling stock, concentrated animal feeding operation, or vessel or other floating craft."

This definition is broad and includes concentrated animal feeding operations, which are places where animals are confined and fed. However, agricultural stormwater discharges and return flows from irrigated agriculture are not considered point sources.

The term "point source" is important because a NPDES permit is only required for pollutants that are discharged from a point source. The Clean Water Act prohibits anybody from discharging "pollutants" through a "point source" into a "water of the United States" unless they have an NPDES permit.

The permit will contain limits on what you can discharge, monitoring and reporting requirements, and other provisions to ensure that the discharge does not hurt water quality or people's health. The term "pollutant" is defined very broadly in the Clean Water Act and includes any type of industrial, municipal, and agricultural waste discharged into water.

The Clean Water Act operates by requiring National Pollution Discharge Elimination System ("NPDES") permits for "point source" discharges of pollutants into navigable waters, authorizing water quality standards for surface waters, assisting with funding for the construction of municipal sewage treatment plants, and planning for control of nonpoint source pollution.

NPDES permit: Required for pollutants from a point source

The Clean Water Act (CWA) requires National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for point source discharges of pollutants into navigable waters. The term "point source" is defined very broadly in the CWA and includes concentrated animal feeding operations, which are places where animals are confined and fed. Agricultural stormwater discharges and return flows from irrigated agriculture are not "point sources".

The NPDES permit will contain limits on what you can discharge, monitoring and reporting requirements, and other provisions to ensure that the discharge does not hurt water quality or people's health. The permit translates the general requirements of the Clean Water Act into specific provisions tailored to the operations of each person discharging pollutants.

The term "pollutant" is also defined very broadly in the Clean Water Act and includes any type of industrial, municipal, and agricultural waste discharged into water. Some examples are dredged soil, solid waste, incinerator residue, sewage, garbage, sewage sludge, munitions, chemical wastes, biological materials, radioactive materials, heat, wrecked or discarded equipment, rock, sand, cellar dirt, and industrial, municipal, and agricultural waste.

The Clean Water Act prohibits anybody from discharging "pollutants" through a "point source" into a "water of the United States" unless they have an NPDES permit. The permit will contain limits on what you can discharge, monitoring and reporting requirements, and other provisions to ensure that the discharge does not hurt water quality or people's health.

The term "point source" is also defined very broadly in the Clean Water Act and it has been through 25 years of litigation. The CWA definition provides examples of things that fall under the category of point source, but it is not an exhaustive list.

Clean Water Act: Prohibits pollutants through a point source

The Clean Water Act (CWA) prohibits anybody from discharging "pollutants" through a "point source" into a "water of the United States" unless they have an NPDES permit. The term "point source" is defined very broadly in the Clean Water Act and it has been through 25 years of litigation. By law, the term "point source" also includes concentrated animal feeding operations, which are places where animals are confined and fed. By law, agricultural stormwater discharges and return flows from irrigated agriculture are not "point sources".

The term pollutant is defined very broadly in the Clean Water Act. It includes any type of industrial, municipal, and agricultural waste discharged into water. Some examples are dredged soil, solid waste, incinerator residue, sewage, garbage, sewage sludge, munitions, chemical wastes, biological materials, radioactive materials, heat, wrecked or discarded equipment, rock, sand, cellar dirt and industrial, municipal, and agricultural waste. By law, a pollutant is not sewage from vessels or discharges incidental to the normal operation of an Armed Forces vessel, or certain materials injected into an oil and gas production well.

The CWA operates by requiring National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for "point source" discharges of pollutants into navigable waters, authorizing water quality standards for surface waters, assisting with funding for the construction of municipal sewage treatment plants, and planning for control of nonpoint source pollution.

The permit will contain limits on what you can discharge, monitoring and reporting requirements, and other provisions to ensure that the discharge does not hurt water quality or people's health. In essence, the permit translates general requirements of the Clean Water Act into specific provisions tailored to the operations of each person discharging pollutants.

The term point source is also defined very broadly in the Clean Water Act and it has been through 25 years of litigation. By law, the term "point source" also includes concentrated animal feeding operations, which are places where animals are confined and fed. By law, agricultural stormwater discharges and return flows from irrigated agriculture are not "point sources".

Pretreatment standards: Ensure compliance with pollutant character and volume

The Clean Water Act prohibits anybody from discharging "pollutants" through a "point source" into a "water of the United States" unless they have an NPDES permit. The permit will contain limits on what you can discharge, monitoring and reporting requirements, and other provisions to ensure that the discharge does not hurt water quality or people's health. In essence, the permit translates general requirements of the Clean Water Act into specific provisions tailored to the operations of each person discharging pollutants.

By law, the term "point source" also includes concentrated animal feeding operations, which are places where animals are confined and fed. By law, agricultural stormwater discharges and return flows from irrigated agriculture are not "point sources."

The term pollutant is defined very broadly in the Clean Water Act. It includes any type of industrial, municipal, and agricultural waste discharged into water. Some examples are dredged soil, solid waste, incinerator residue, sewage, garbage, sewage sludge, munitions, chemical wastes, biological materials, radioactive materials, heat, wrecked or discarded equipment, rock, sand, cellar dirt and industrial, municipal, and agricultural waste. By law, a pollutant is not sewage from vessels or discharges incidental to the normal operation of an Armed Forces vessel, or certain materials injected into an oil and gas production well.

The objective of the CWA is “to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters.” The CWA operates by requiring National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (“NPDES”) permits for “point source” discharges of pollutants into navigable waters, authorizing water quality standards for surface waters, assisting with funding for the construction of municipal sewage treatment plants, and planning for control of nonpoint source pollution.

To ensure that any permit for a discharge from a publicly owned treatment works includes conditions to require the identification in terms of character and volume of pollutants of any significant source introducing pollutants subject to pretreatment standards under section 1317(b) of this title into such works and a program to assure compliance with such pretreatment standards by each such source, in addition to adequate notice to the permitting agency of (A) new introductions into such works of pollutants from any source which would be a new source as defined in section 1316 of this title if such source were discharging pollutants, (B) new introductions of pollutants into such works from a source which would be subject to section 1311 of this title if it were discharging such pollutants, or (C) a substantial change in volume or character of pollutants being introduced into such works by a source introducing pollutants into such works at the time of issuance of the permit.

Pollution discharges: NPDES permits for point source discharges

The Clean Water Act (CWA) prohibits anybody from discharging pollutants through a "point source" into a "water of the United States" unless they have an NPDES permit. The permit will contain limits on what you can discharge, monitoring and reporting requirements, and other provisions to ensure that the discharge does not hurt water quality or people's health. In essence, the permit translates general requirements of the Clean Water Act into specific provisions tailored to the operations of each person discharging pollutants.

The term "point source" is defined very broadly in the Clean Water Act and it has been through 25 years of litigation. By law, the term "point source" also includes concentrated animal feeding operations, which are places where animals are confined and fed. By law, agricultural stormwater discharges and return flows from irrigated agriculture are not "point sources". The term "pollutant" is defined very broadly in the Clean Water Act. It includes any type of industrial, municipal, and agricultural waste discharged into water. Some examples are dredged soil, solid waste, incinerator residue, sewage, garbage, sewage sludge, munitions, chemical wastes, biological materials, radioactive materials, heat, wrecked or discarded equipment, rock, sand, cellar dirt and industrial, municipal, and agricultural waste. By law, a pollutant is not sewage from vessels or discharges incidental to the normal operation of an Armed Forces vessel, or certain materials injected into an oil and gas production well.

Under the CWA, a point source is defined as “any discernible, confined and discrete conveyance, including but not limited to any pipe, ditch, channel, tunnel, conduit, well, discrete fissure, container, rolling stock, concentrated animal feeding operation, or vessel or other floating craft.” The term does not include agricultural discharges and return flows from irrigated agriculture. Although the CWA definition provides examples of things that fall under the category of point source, it is not an exhaustive list.

The objective of the CWA is "to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Nation’s waters." The CWA operates by requiring National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits for "point source" discharges of pollutants into navigable waters, authorizing water quality standards for surface waters, assisting with funding for the construction of municipal sewage treatment plants, and planning for control of nonpoint source pollution.

The Clean Water Act prohibits anybody from discharging "pollutants" through a "point source" into a "water of the United States" unless they have an NPDES permit. The permit will contain limits on what you can discharge, monitoring and reporting requirements, and other provisions to ensure that the discharge does not hurt water quality or people's health. In essence, the permit translates general requirements of the Clean Water Act into specific provisions tailored to the operations of each person discharging pollutants.

Frequently asked questions