Need Help with Point Source Pollution Regulations?

Point source pollution includes the discharge of pollutants from a point source such as a well, pipe, ditch, etc. to U.S. waters. To combat point source pollution, The NPDES permit program was established under Section 402 of the CWA, which prohibits the unauthorized discharge of point source pollutants from a point source to U.S. waters, including municipal, commercial, and industrial wastewater discharges and discharges from large animal feeding operations.

Organizations discharging pollutants directly from a point source into surface waters must obtain a NPDES discharge permit from their state environmental protection agency, or the appropriate EPA regional office if a state has not received EPA permit authorization (40 CFR 122.1). Point source pollution includes direct discharges of industrial and commercial wastewater and industrial storm water discharges.

NPDES permits establish effluent limitations for point source pollutants that determine what can be discharged and how much. Once you have a NPDES permit, you are required to verify compliance with permit requirements by monitoring their effluent, maintaining records, and filing periodic reports.

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Enviro.BLR.com delivers detailed and practical analysis on every major environmental topic, from the EPA regulations to point source pollution. You get plain-English summaries of federal and state environmental laws and regulations, plus the exclusive "Ask the Experts" service. The extensive compliance "Tools" section provides more than 7,000 guidance documents, sample plans, industrial wastewater forms, and checklists.

The EPA Library has more helpful environmental compliance resources like these:

Point source pollution regulations explained

NPDES Permit Writers' Guidance Manual

Point source pollutants that do not require a NPDES permit (40 CFR 112.3)

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