Application forms and instructions for applying for wastewater permits are available below. All required forms must be completed as indicated in the accompanying instructions before the application will be considered. You must note if any part of the application doesn't apply to your facility, and explain why it doesn't apply. Contact your assigned permit writer with questions about application forms:
Before you apply for a permit
Some facilities and projects, particularly those involving new or expanding discharges, may benefit from a pre-application meeting with the MPCA. If your project requires a preliminary effluent-limit determination, variance request, anti-degradation assessment and review, environmental assessment worksheet or environmental impact statement, or multiple MPCA permits, contact the agency to see if a pre-application meeting is warranted.
For new and expanding discharges, an antidegradation review may be needed:
Requesting preliminary effluent limits
Preliminary effluent limit requests are submitted before a permit application, when applicants are considering one or more options for wastewater treatment type, discharge type, or discharge location.
Complete this request form for:
- New facilities with a surface water discharge
- Existing facilities with a surface water discharge where the design flow, outfall location, or quality of effluent is changing
- Existing facilities with a surface water discharge where changes to treatment type would impact the quality of the effluent.
- For facilities that process wastewater primarily from domestic sanitary sewer sources and may include contributions from commercial and industrial facilities in the service area. These facilities typically include city wastewater treatment facilities and sanitary districts, but also include non-municipal facilities such as mobile home parks, schools, campgrounds, resorts, and industries that treat their own sanitary waste.
- Form for industrial process wastewater, water treatment facilities, non-contact cooling water, and gravel/stone/asphalt facilities. Industrial process wastewater is wastewater which, during the 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. Water treatment waste types are discharges of residuals, such as solids and filter backwash, from the treatment of water for potable, non-potable, industrial, or other uses.
Wastewater permit applications: Start here
To determine the required application forms, attachments, and other information needed to complete your application, use the checklists below. 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 are required.
Mark the box next to each checklist item you include, and submit the checklists you used as the cover pages to your application package. The checklist and the transmittal form explain how to submit your application package.
Transmittal form
All NPDES/SDS permit application packages (except permit transfers/name changes/terminations, sanitary sewer extensions, and ballast water permits) must include a transmittal form:
Coordinate reference tool
This link below provides the necessary location information for permit applications.
Multiple permitted stations
Facilities whose permitted stations exceed the space available for station locations on the transmittal form use this attachment.
Chemical additives
Ponds
Facilities with a pond treatment component should complete this form in addition to the appropriate application:
Stormwater management
Stormwater from major municipal wastewater treatment plants and many types of privately owned facilities that process wastewater is considered industrial stormwater and must be permitted. Facilities have two coverage options:
- Apply for coverage under the industrial stormwater multi-sector general permit on the Industrial stormwater pages.
- Request that the stormwater requirements be incorporated into your NPDES/SDS wastewater permit:
For information on complying with industrial stormwater requirements, see the Wastewater permit additional guidance and information page.
Additional forms: Industrial facilities
Major NPDES/SDS industrial facilities
Major facilities must complete U.S. EPA forms in addition to MPCA forms. You may also obtain these forms on the U.S. EPA website.
- EPA Application Form 1 (revised March 2019)
Industrial process wastewater
During manufacturing or processing, industrial process wastewater comes in contact with (or is left over from production of) a raw material, intermediate product, finished product, byproduct, or waste product. The first form is for facilities with surface water discharges, and the second is for facilities that land-apply wastewater:
Dredged materials
Learn more on the Dredged materials management page.
Industrial by-products
For facilities that produce water treatment lime sludge, wastewater pretreatment sludge, industrial process wastewater treatment sludge, pulp and paper mill sludge, and food processing wastes (including silage and whey):
For information on land application, see the Industrial by-products page.
Groundwater pump outs
Non-contact cooling water
Nonmetallic mining and associated activities
Learn more on the Nonmetallic mining page.
Vessel discharge
Learn more on the Vessel discharge page.
Additional forms: domestic facilities
Major NPDES/SDS facilities
Major facilities must complete U.S. EPA forms in addition to MPCA forms. You may also obtain these forms on the U.S. EPA website.
- EPA NPDES Form 2A Application (revised March 2019)
- EPA NPDES Form 2A instructions
Discharge to surface water (for major and minor facilities)
Facilities that discharge to surface water must complete this form.
Land application of wastewater
For a permit for land application of domestic wastewater, such as by spray irrigation or rapid infiltration basin:
Large subsurface sewage treatment system
For a permit for the land application of domestic wastewater using a large subsurface sewage treatment system (LSTS):
Sanitary sewer extensions
MPCA permits are required for extensions, additions, or other modifications to sanitary sewer collection systems that result in new or increased discharges of pollutants.
Biosolids
If your facility produces biosolids (sewage sludge), complete this form in addition to the appropriate application.
For information on land application, visit the Biosolids page.
Homeowners' associations
Guidance for homeowner's associations on becoming permittees for an MPCA-permitted wastewater treatment facility:
More information
Water treatment plants
For permits for the disposal of residual wastewater from water treatment (to supply potable, industrial, or other water uses):
Also, complete these attachments, based on your facility's treatment type:
- (ex. sand filter)
- (ex. lime or ion exchange)
- (ex. reverse osmosis)
Example: A treatment facility with both carbon filter and lime softening systems must submit both the media filter and water softening attachments
Pretreatment
For industrial facilities and other non-domestic wastewater sources discharging to a municipal sewer system:
Learn more about pretreatment requirements on the Wastewater pretreatment page.
Water quality standard variances
Learn more on the Water quality variances page.
Permit changes and terminations
Permit termination requests are now available via the MPCA’s e-Services. Wastewater discharge permit holders are able to create/log into their accounts to apply for a permit termination. The permit terminations are not automatic. Following submittal, the agency will review the request and the assigned permit writer will send a confirmation letter. If you need assistance, please contact your assigned permit writer.