NPDES and LAS General Permits

In addition to individual permits, EPD has identified several types of dischargers that have similar operational and effluent characteristics. Rather than each facility receive an individual permit, general permits serve as an “umbrella” permit under which anyone who meets the specific eligibility criteria may apply to receive coverage. General permits exist for both NPDES and LAS, public and private facilities.

New or expanding facilities should be advised that they may be required to submit additional documentation with their NOI, including but not limited to a Design Development Report. All new or expanding facilities requesting coverage under a NPDES general permit must additionally submit an Antidegradation Analysis for review and approval. The associated Antidegradation Analysis forms for both domestic and industrial wastewater facilities may be found by clicking here. Please carefully review the applicable permit and any associated guidance for information on additional requirements.

Below is a list of the current effective general permits offered by EPD. Basic information may be found at each of the corresponding links. Once you have identified a permit under which you would like to receive coverage, all associated documents, forms, and guidance may be found by clicking here. While not listed on this page, Storm Water general permits may be found here. Facilities that intend to terminate their coverage must complete the Notice of Termination, which may be found here.

Animal Feeding Operation, 301-1000 animal units – LAS (GAG920000)

This permit regulates the disposal of manure and process wastewater from new and existing animal feeding operations (AFOs) on a land treatment system within the State of Georgia for owners of existing, new, and expanding AFOs with more than 300 but equal to or less than 1000 animal units.

This permit does not authorize coverage to the following land application systems:

• Systems associated with or containing biosolids
• Systems that are covered by an individual land application system permit
• Systems associated with or containing grease trap waste
• Systems associated with or containing industrial, commercial, hazardous, or non-biodegradable waste or municipal solid wastes
• Systems associated with or containing domestic septage

DRAFT PERMIT REISSUANCE: General LAS Permit for Animal Feeding Operations – 301 – 1000 Animal Units

Public Hearing:

EPD will host a public hearing via Zoom software at 7:00 p.m. on January 23, 2024. Zoom is a free web conferencing platform that also allows participation by phone. The purpose of the public hearing is to receive comments on the draft LAS General Permits for Animal Feeding Operations GAG920000 and GAG940000. Due to the similarities between the proposed draft permits, EPD will be holding a join hearing to receive comments on both permits.

To log into the public hearing on your computer, please click this link or copy and paste it into your browser to join the meeting: https://gaepd.zoom.us/j/6071665276

To ensure that you are ready to participate when the meeting begins, we recommend that you download Zoom in advance. Zoom can be found here: https://zoom.us/

To dial in by phone, please call this number: 1-470-381-2552

The meeting ID is 607 166 5276

Please note that if you choose to participate by phone, your number may be visible to other meeting attendees.

Animal Feeding Operation, greater than 1000 animal units – LAS (GAG940000)

This permit regulates manure and process wastewater from new and existing animal feeding operations (AFOs) land application systems within the State of Georgia for owners of existing, new, and expanding AFOs with over 1000 animal units.

This permit does not authorize coverage to the following land application systems:

• Systems associated with or containing biosolids
• Systems that are covered by an individual land application system permit
• Systems associated with or containing grease trap waste
• Systems associated with or containing industrial, commercial, hazardous, or non-biodegradable waste or municipal solid wastes
• Systems associated with or containing domestic septage

DRAFT PERMIT REISSUANCE: General LAS Permit for Animal Feeding Operations - More than 1000 Animal Units

Public Hearing:

EPD will host a public hearing via Zoom software at 7:00 p.m. on January 23, 2024. Zoom is a free web conferencing platform that also allows participation by phone. The purpose of the public hearing is to receive comments on the draft LAS General Permits for Animal Feeding Operations GAG920000 and GAG940000. Due to the similarities between the proposed draft permits, EPD will be holding a join hearing to receive comments on both permits.

To log into the public hearing on your computer, please click this link or copy and paste it into your browser to join the meeting: https://gaepd.zoom.us/j/6071665276

To ensure that you are ready to participate when the meeting begins, we recommend that you download Zoom in advance. Zoom can be found here: https://zoom.us/

To dial in by phone, please call this number: 1-470-381-2552

The meeting ID is 607 166 5276

Please note that if you choose to participate by phone, your number may be visible to other meeting attendees.

Animal Feeding Operation – NPDES (GAG930000)

This permit regulates the disposal of manure and process wastewater from new and existing animal feeding operations (AFOs) on a land application system and emergency discharges to waters of the State for owners of existing, new, and expanding AFOs.

The following facilities are eligible for coverage:

• Existing AFOs in operation before February 28, 2001 with more than 300 but equal to or less than 3000 animal units (AU)
• Existing AFOs in operation before February 28, 2001 with more than 3000 AU
• New or expanding AFOs commencing on or after February 28, 2001 with more than 300 AU

Aquatic Pesticides – NPDES (GAG820000)

This permit regulates the application of pesticides directly into, over, or near waters of the State. For this permit, the term “pesticide” also means herbicides, rodenticides, insecticides, fungicides, plant growth regulators, and defoliants. Pesticides in accordance with the FIFRA label will still need a permit if the pesticide is applied directly into, over, or near waters of the State.

The following pesticide use patterns are eligible for coverage:

• Mosquito and Other Nuisance Insect Pest Control
• Aquatic Weed and Algae Control
• Aquatic Nuisance Animal Control
• Forest Canopy and Area-Wide Pest Control

This permit does not apply to the application of pesticides to areas which do not require a NPDES permit, including:

• Any introduction of pollutants from non-point source agricultural and silvicultural activities including storm runoff from orchards, cultivated crops, pastures, and forest lands
• Return flows from irrigated agriculture

This permit does not authorize coverage if any of the following apply:

• The water is identified as impaired by that pesticide or its degradates.
• Discharges currently covered under another NPDES permit
• Discharges covered within five years prior to the effective date of this permit by an individual permit or alternative general permit where that permit established site-specific numeric water quality-based limitations
• Discharges from activities where any NPDES permit has been or is in the process of being denied, terminated, or revoked by EPD (this does not apply to the routine reissuance of permits every five years)

Filter Backwash for Water Treatment Plants – NPDES (GAG640000)

This permit regulates new and existing filter backwash discharges to the waters of the State of Georgia from drinking water treatment plants that have sludge handling capabilities.

Land Disposal of Domestic Septage – LAS (GAG620000)

This permit regulates new and existing sites that receive septage, any person who prepares septage for land application, and/or any person who applies septage to the land for subsurface injection or incorporation into soil within the State of Georgia.

This permit does not authorize coverage to the following land application systems:

• Systems associated with or containing biosolids
• Systems that are covered by an individual permit
• Systems associated with or containing grease trap waste
• Systems associated with or containing industrial, commercial, solid, hazardous, or non-biodegradable wastes
• Systems that incinerate septage
• Systems that generate ash during the firing of septage in a septage incinerator
• Systems that dispose septage by means other than land application at agronomic rates via subsurface injection or incorporation into soil
• Grit and screenings generated during pretreatment of septage
• Persons proposing to sell or give away septage in a bag or other container for application to the land

Mining and Processing Facilities – NPDES (GAG300000)

This permit regulates new and existing discharges of process water, mine dewatering, and stormwater associated with certain types of mining operations, concrete, and asphalt production.

Facilities with the following SIC Codes may have the most appropriate eligibility for coverage:

• 1411 Dimension Stone
• 1422 Crushed and Broken Limestone
• 1423 Crushed and Broken Granite
• 1429 Crushed and Broken Stone, Not Elsewhere Classified
• 1459 Clay, Ceramic, and Refractory Minerals, Not Otherwise Classified
• 2951 Asphalt Paving Mixtures and Blocks, including recycle
• 3273 Ready-Mixed Concrete
• 3272 Concrete Pipe Manufacturing
• 3272 Other Concrete Product Manufacturing

Private and Institutional Development – NPDES (GAG550000)

This permit regulates existing private and institutional development (PID) water pollution control plants that discharge treated domestic wastewater. Facilities with design flows less than 10,000 gallons per day or 0.010 million gallons per day (MGD) will be in the “small” (low flow) category and facilities with design flows greater than or equal to 0.010 MGD up to 0.075 MGD will be in the “large” (high flow) category. Facilities with design flows between 0.075 MGD and 0.50 MGD may receive coverage under the large category on a case by case basis. Any facility that has a design flow higher than 0.50 MGD is not eligible for coverage under the general PID permit, but may be permitted under an individual NPDES permit.

The following facilities are eligible for coverage:

• An existing privately owned or institutional system that operate as a pond system, mechanical system, or septic tank/sand filter system at low or high design flows, including but are not limited to: mobile home parks, campgrounds/camps, City or County owned schools, City or County owned prisons, churches, nursing homes and motels
• No new applications for this General Permit are being considered at this time.

Once-Through Non-Contact Cooling Water with No Chemical Additives – NPDES (GAG200000)

This permit regulates any new and existing sites that discharge once through noncontact cooling water with no chemical additives.

This permit does not authorize coverage to the following National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems:

• Systems that discharge process generated wastewater
• Systems that discharge blowdown from recirculating systems
• Systems regulated under the steam electric power generating point source category 40 CFR 423. Such discharges required an individual National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits
• No system will be allowed to discharge to Wild and Scenic Rivers
• Facilities subject to the Clean Water Act 316(b) Cooling Water Intake Structure Rules are no eligible to be covered under this General Permit

Settlement Pond Discharge from Sand & Gravel Dredgers – NPDES (GAG100000)

This permit regulates new and existing discharges of process wastewater from Sediment Ponds from Sand and Gravel Dischargers.

Facilities with the following SIC Codes are eligible for coverage:

• 1442 Construction Sand & Gravel
• 1446 Industrial Sand

Subsurface Systems for Large Communities – LAS (GAG278000)

This permit regulates new and existing discharges of sanitary wastes from large community systems to subsurface fluid distribution systems within the State of Georgia.

This permit does not authorize the following discharges:

• Discharges associated with non-domestic septic systems (NDSS)
• Discharges that are covered by an individual LAS permit
• Single-family residences that are served by their individual subsurface disposal system
• Discharges from small community systems to a subsurface disposal system
• Discharges of sanitary wastes from community systems to subsurface disposal systems that are designed for flows greater than 150,000 gpd (0.15 MGD)

Treated Water Associated with the Use of Reclaimed Water Discharges From Reclaimed Water Treatment Systems in the City of Pooler- NPDES (GAG600000)

This permit regulates the occasional discharges from holding ponds, which are used to store reclaimed water received from city of Pooler permitted NPDES facilities. The Division recognizes that many of these holding ponds are part of the stormwater management system and will discharge intermittently to waters of the State.  Therefore, this permit will allow discharges from these impoundments to waters of the State in response to rain events and storm events.