A discharge from an industrial wastewater treatment system flows into the Mississippi River.

Wastewater Permits Control Discharges DEQ Division and EPA Fight Pollution of Louisiana Waters

THE CHANGING LIFE-STYLES OF the '90s reflect an ever-increasing concern for our environment. One of the concerns often expressed is, "How are the discharges of pollutants into Louisiana's waterways controlled?"

	Storm-water runoff from industrial plants and other wastewater discharges are regulated by EPA and DEQ. Click "here" for full size photo.

The regulatory entity responsible for this function Is the Water Pollution Control Division of DEQ's Office of Water Resources. Its primary mission is to regulate the discharge of pollutants into the state's waterways and ensure that we have clean and healthy surface water now and in the future.

The Water Pollution Control Division and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are both authorized to regulate all wastewater discharges into Louisiana waters. On a national level, with the passage of the Clean Water Act of 1972, EPA was given the primary responsibility for directing the nation's water pollution control program by the issuance of wastewater discharge permits under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).

The potential exists, therefore, for a facility to need two permits for the same discharge, since permits are required both by the NPDES regulations and by existing DEQ regulations.

DEQ is currently pursuing authorization to assume the national permit program; if it is successful, a single permit would be required in the future. Permits issued under such a delegated program would be required to meet all federal requirements as well as requirements of state law or regulation.