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Water Quality Permit Application and Miscellaneous Forms

MPCA water quality permits establish specific limits and requirements to protect Minnesota's surface and ground water quality for a variety of uses, including drinking water, fishing and recreation. Permits are regularly reviewed and updated as they expire, allowing the MPCA to incorporate new information about the impacts of pollutants to the environment in subsequent permits. Permits are enforced through a combination of self-reporting (reports to the MPCA, U.S. EPA or both) and compliance monitoring.

Small businesses are encouraged to visit the PDF Document Environmental Guide for Small Business — Water Quality information on this Web site for an overview of wastewater management issues.

Instructions for Completing and Submitting Application Forms

To apply for a water quality permit, look through the following list of instructions and forms to select those appropriate for your project. If you'd like assistance or have questions about the forms, please contact the MPCA at 651-296-6300, or toll-free at 1-800-657-3864. When you have completed your application, submit two copies of each form to Fiscal Services — 6th floor, 520 Lafayette Road N., St. Paul, Minnesota 55155-4194.

Permitting Efficiency Requirements as of July 1, 2011

Changes to Minn. Stat. 116.03, Subd. 2b., which were enacted on March 3, 2011, set a goal for the MPCA to issue or deny a permit within 150 days of receipt of a complete application. To achieve that goal, beginning July 1, 2011, the MPCA shall review permit applications for completeness within 30 business days of application receipt and notify the applicant of whether or not the application is complete enough for processing. If the permit application is incomplete, the MPCA will identify where deficiencies exist and advise the applicant on how they can be remedied.

If the MPCA fails to notify the project proposer within 30 business days, the application is deemed to be substantially complete. Even though an application may be determined to be complete enough for processing, the MPCA may request additional details to clarify information provided in the application package or to address additional issues that may arise. In order for the MPCA to meets the statutory goal of issuing permits within 150 days, your prompt response to all requests is necessary.

Success in meeting the 150-day goal will be reported to the Governor and Legislature semiannually. Some of the specific reasons for not achieving the goal that must be reported include the responsiveness of the proposer, lack of staff, scientific or technical disagreements, or public engagement.

To assist permit applicants with providing complete applications, the MPCA will be modifying, revising, and developing forms, checklists and other tools. All of these tools will be posted on this website. Please check back to this Web page frequently for new and updated forms.

Pre-Application Meetings

Some facilities and projects may benefit from a pre-application meeting with the MPCA prior to the completion and submission of a permit application. Water permit applications for new or expanding discharges are the most likely type that may benefit from pre-application submittals.

Specific activities that may warrant a pre-application meeting include a preliminary effulent limit determination, variance requests, anti-degradation review, an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), and facilities that may require permits from multiple MPCA programs.

Permit Application Forms

How to Determine which Application Forms are Required

To determine the required application forms, attachments, and other information that must be included for a completion application, use the checklists below for the specific waste types you discharge.

Some facilities may have more than one waste type covered under a single permit. Facilities with multiple types of wastes should review all of the permit application checklists to determine what forms, attachments, or other information may be required.

Include all of the checklists that were used to determine the information included with an application, as the cover pages for the submittal. Be sure to check the box next to each form, attachment, or supplemental information item that is included.

Note: For an application to be considered complete, all required forms must be completed in full according to the instructions provided with the form. If a specific item does not apply to your facility, you must state that it is not applicable and provide any additional justification for why it doesn't apply.

Requests for Permit Discharge Limits

To request preliminary effluent limits for a proposed facility with a surface water discharge, use the following form. When you've completed the form, submit to Fiscal Services, 520 Lafayette Road N, St Paul, Minnesota 55155-4194.

Permit Transfer/Name Change/Termination Form

The following application form should be used for all National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and State Disposal System (SDS) permit terminations, transfers and permittee name changes.

The following is guidance for Homeowner's Associations planning to become Permittee for an MPCA-permitted wastewater treatment facility.

Transmittal Form

All National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and State Disposal System (SDS) permit applications (except for permit transfer/name change/termination, sanitary sewer extensions and ballast water) must have a Transmittal Form.

Feedlots

For feedlot permit applications and information, visit the Feedlots page on this Web site.

Stormwater

If you are applying for permits involving the management of stormwater or run-off, either from a construction project or an industrial facility, visit the stormwater page on the MPCA Web site.

Municipal/Domestic Facilities

Those facilities that process primarily wastewater from domestic sanitary sewer sources (sewage) are considered municipal facilities. These include city wastewater districts treatment, sanitary districts, wayside rest areas, national or state parks, mobile home parks, and resorts. Municipal permits can be "major," "minor," or "general," depending upon how much wastewater is discharged and what types of pollutants might be found in the wastewater. If you have any questions about what category your facility is in, contact the MPCA Customer Assistance Center. Additional information is available on the wastewater page on this Web site.

Major Facilities

Municipal major facilities must complete U.S. Environmental Protection Agency EPA) forms. These EPA forms are provided for your convenience. (Appendix A, under "Forms Required for All Applications," will be necessary here.) You may also obtain these forms on the U.S. EPA Web site.

Minor Facilities

The following form is appropriate for facilities that discharge surface water but are not classified as major facilities.

Land Application of Wastewater

If you are applying for a permit for the land application of domestic wastewater, for example by spray irrigation or rapid infiltration basin, complete the following form.

If you are applying for a permit for the land application of domestic wastewater using a Large Subsurface Sewage Treatment System (LSTS), complete the following form.

Stabilization Ponds

If your facility has a pond treatment component,complete the following form in addition to the appropriate application.

Septic Systems (Individual Sewage Treatment Systems — ISTS)

For permitting and other regulatory information on septic systems serving other than a single-family home, visit the Businesses with ISTS, Class V, Small Communities and Cluster Septic Systems: Regulatory and Other Considerations Web page.

Sanitary Sewer Extensions — New Application Forms for 2009

New application form is now available. Beginning January 1, 2010 applications that are not on the new form will be returned.

Changes from the previous forms:

  • The application and design certification forms have been combined into a single application
  • A location map is required to be submitted with all applications
  • New questions regarding bypass/overflows in the collection and treatment system.
  • Additional signature is required from the wastewater treatment plant authority, or sanitary district if other than the city.

Minn. Stat. 115.07, Subd. 3, states that it is unlawful for any person to make any change in, addition to or extension of an existing disposal system (includes sewer system) or point source, or part thereof, to effect any facility expansion, production increase (change in influent flow), or process modification which results in a new or increased discharge of pollutants until plans and specifications have been approved by the agency.

New Fact Sheet regarding when a permit is required - 2009

See the new Sanitary Sewer Modification or Extension fact sheet below for more detailed information about when a permit is required. Individual sewer service connections may not require a permit if they are covered under another permit. If you have questions about the permit process or whether a permit is required or not, contact the Municipal Wastewater Section compliance staff assigned to the region the project is located. MPCA regional staff directories are located on the Regional Office Web page.

Please note the following:

  • The average turnaround time for the MPCA to review a sanitary sewer application and issue/mail a sanitary sewer permit (following the fast-track process) is about two weeks. However, during spring and summer when large numbers of permit applications are received, the turnaround time may be up to four to six weeks or longer
  • When submitting projects located in the seven county metropolitan area, the application form must be sent to the the Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES) for review at: MCES, 390 N. Robert St., St. Paul, MN 55101, and approved prior to submittal to the MPCA.
  • For any other city served by a sanitary district or another city’s wastewater treatment plant, the application form must also be signed by the that treatment authority prior to submittal to the MPCA.

Sanitary Sewer Extension Permit Information and Forms

Biosolids

If your facility produces biosolids (sewage sludge), complete the following form in addition to the appropriate application.

Additional Biosolids Forms (not needed for a permit application)

Water Treatment Residual Wastes

If you are applying for a permit for a facility for the disposal of residual wastewater from the treatment of water to supply potable, industrial or other water uses, complete the following form.

In addition to this Water Treatment Residual Wastes Application form, the applicable attachments below must be completed based on the type(s) of water treatment at your facility. For example, residual wastewater disposal from water supply treatment with both a carbon filter and a lime softening system would need both the Media Filter and Water Softening Attachments.

Industrial Process Wastewater

Industrial process wastewater is wastewater which, during manufacturing or processing, comes into direct contact with (or is left over from production of) a raw material, intermediate product, finished product, byproduct or waste product. (Industrial process wastewater must not be routed to a septic system, because this may lead to groundwater contamination that can be expensive and difficult to clean up.) Additional information is available on the wastewater page on this Web site.

Major Facilities

Industrial major facilities must complete the U.S. EPA forms outlined below. You may also obtain these forms on the U.S. EPA web site.

Process Wastewater

The forms needed for process wastewater are dependent upon whether the wastewater from the facility is discharged to surface water or land-applied.

If your facility has a pond treatment component, complete the following form in addition to the appropriate application.

Pretreatment

Use of the sanitary sewer for non-domestic wastewater requires the approval of the local wastewater treatment authority. Since non-domestic wastewater is often very different from domestic wastewater, pretreatment before sewering is usually needed.

If a facility generates industrial process wastewater that comes from metal-finishing or other industrial processes covered by the EPA categories listed in 40 CFR 413 - 471 and if this wastewater is routed to the sanitary sewer system, the pretreatment form below must be provided to the MPCA directly.

Sand/Gravel/Stone/Asphalt/Concrete

Dredged Materials

Industrial By-products

Examples of industrial byproducts include drinking water treatment lime sludges, wastewater pretreatment sludges, industrial process wastewater treatment sludges, pulp and paper mill sludges, and food processing wastes (including silage and whey). For more information and additional forms, visit the Land Application of Industrial Products page on this Web site.

Noncontact Cooling Water

Groundwater Pump Outs

Additional Attachments

Permit User Manual

    Pesticide Permit Program

    Wetlands

    While the MPCA is not the primary agency processing wetland permits, the agency does review them after other appropriate environmental agencies. If you plan to conduct activities that may impact wetlands, visit the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources Web site. Exit to the Web

    Clean Water Act Section 401 Certification

    Forms to Provide Feedback to MPCA

    The MPCA recently revised many of its forms and would appreciate your comments on what would make these forms, the permit application process, or the instructions more "user-friendly." Return this form (1 page) either with your permit package or in a separate envelope, if you'd like to provide feedback anonymously.

    Phosphorus Links

    • MPCA Phosphorus Strategy. One part of the MPCA's comprehensive phosphorus strategy is a strategy for addressing phosphorus in National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitting. The purpose of the NPDES Phosphorus Strategy is to develop a consistent framework for applying phosphorus controls in permits, which outlines the variables to be considered by MPCA staff in making decisions on what should be included in a permit.
    • Phosphorus Management Plan Development Resources. Use a template to help prepare Phosphorus Management Plans for wastewater treament facilities. A checklist, tip sheet and fact sheets are also included to help identify sources of phosphorus and evaluate strategies for phosphorus reduction. Read about how industries and businesses have successfully reduced phosphorus effluent to wastewater treatment facilities.
    • Minnesota River Basin General Phosphorus Permit. This permit, issued on December 1, 2006, is derived from the Lower Minnesota River Watershed Dissolved Oxygen TMDL. It regulates the discharge of phosphorus from NPDES sources in the Minnesota River Basin and establishes a pollutant trading program.

    Permit-related Fact Sheets

    Fact sheets with guidance information for water permits is available on the following page:

    Water Quality Permit Fees

    Information about MPCA fees for water quality permits is available on the following page:















    Last modified on June 26, 2012 09:45
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