Permitting

Discharge permits define the quality of a permitted discharge deemed necessary to protect the waters of the State. Waters of the State is defined by statute as "all waters situated wholly or partly within or bordering upon this State, including but not limited to:

• All streams, lakes, ponds, impounding reservoirs, marshes, water courses, waterways, wells, springs, irrigation systems and drainage systems; and
• All bodies or accumulations of water, surface and underground, natural or artificial." Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) 445A.415

Depending upon the types of regulated discharges, the duration, and potentially impacted waters, the BWPC may issue individual, general or temporary permits. Individual permits are issued considering the waters that may be impacted as outlined below:

• Discharges to surface water bodies are permitted under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Program pursuant to Section 402 of the federal Clean Water Act as amended and the State of Nevada Water Pollution Control Law (NRS 445A.300-445A.730).
• Discharges that may impact subsurface waters, and other waters of the State that are not covered under the NPDES permits, are permitted pursuant to Water Pollution Control Law and referred to as the State's Water Pollution Control (WPC) Permits
• Injections of fluids underground for storage or disposal, as authorized pursuant to Section 1422 of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and the State Water Pollution Control Law, are permitted under the Underground Injection Control Program.

For additional information on Permitting please see our Permits Overview Document 

For tracer dye discharges associated with hydrologic studies and other water tracing activities, the General Tracer Dye Permit and Fact Sheet are on our Permit Forms page under NPDES.

Below, is a picture of the Truckee Meadows Water Reclamation Facility (WRF).