Water Pollution Permitting

Water pollution permitting (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System" or NPDES permitting) is a core program established by the Clean Water Act and has arguably been the greatest success of the Clean Water Act, as it has brought about drastic reductions in water pollution from the most concentrated sources. The NPDES program was developed to eliminate pollution from "point sources," which include sewage treatment plants, discharges from industrial operations, mining, stormwater runoff from many areas, and most other types of polluted water entering streams through pipes or ditches.

Anyone who discharges from a "point source" must get an NPDES permit that specifies terms under which the discharge is allowed. These terms include specific limits on the amount of pollution that is allowed, and they must assure that the discharge will not violate water quality standards or any other provision of the CWA.

However, according to Illinois Environmental Protection Agency's (IEPA's) report on the state's water quality, more than a third of the impaired waters in the state are impaired due, at least in part, to point sources. When properly implemented and enforced, the NPDES program will prohibit these sources from contributing to impairments, but your participation is needed. In many cases, citizens provide important information to IEPA that is used to strengthen permits and ensure that their waters are safe for children to play and safe for fish and other aquatic life.

All permits that are issued, must be made available for the public to provide comments. Written comments are accepted and addressed, and a public hearing may be held if citizens request. The comment period is typically only 30 days, so you must act fast. To find out if any permits are proposed in your watershed check the public notices issued by IEPA, ask IEPA to add your name to its mailing list.

For guidance reviewing permits and developing comments, please see the publication Permitting an End to Pollution, which you can download here:

  • Introduction
  • Chapter 1
  • Chapter 2 Part 1, Part 2
  • Chapter 3
  • Chapter 4
  • Appendices
  • Costs for analytical procedures
    • and contact Prairie Rivers Network. If you are interested in attending a training course for advocates on reviewing permits, contact Prairie Rivers Network.

    For information on a variety of NPDES permitting issues, check USEPA's NPDES webpages.