National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems (NPDES) Overview

An NPDES permit must be obtained from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OPEA) Division of Surface Water (DSW) whenever an entity wishes to discharge water to a surface water of the State.  NPDES permits exist to regulate wastewater discharges by placing limitations on the quantity of pollutants that may be discharged and to establish monitoring requirements and other conditions.  Federal regulations, Ohio water quality standards and NPDES permits were written to protect public health and the aquatic environment.

NPDES General Permit for Household Sewage Treatment Systems

The OEPA established two NPDES general permits for household sewage treatment systems (HSTS).  The permits are known as the HSTS general NPDES permits OHK000001 and OHL000001.  The difference between these two permits is explained in the Local Health District (LHD) column of the table below.  Only certain conditions qualify a property for the need of NPDES permit coverage.  These conditions are found under the "Limitations of Coverage" section of each permit.  Links to both permits are also located in the LHD column of the table below.

 Obtaining Permit Coverage

To aid in the process of discovering what steps to take in the NPDES process, as well as NPDES system owner responsibilities, ODH has created a homeowner fact sheet.  The OEPA Division of Surface Water and your local health district are also available for further assistance.

Agencies Involved

There are three government agencies involved with the HSTS general NPDES permits:  OEPA, the LHD and ODH.  The table below outlines the roles and responsibilities of these agencies and provides links to their websites and additional information and guidance.