Discharge to Waters of the State

Temporary discharge permits are required for activities lasting 180 days or less, such as:

• Remediation and disinfection activities
• Well pump testing
• Aquifer drawdown testing
• Dewatering
• Dust suppression
• Other temporary or emergency discharges

This permit is required before any discharge that may directly or indirectly affect waters of the State.

Permit duration and limitations

• A project may typically receive up to two temporary permits (maximum of one year total).
• Further reissuances are considered on a case by case basis.
• Projects expected to last longer than one year generally must apply for an Individual Discharge Permit.

If you are unsure which permit applies, contact the BWPC Permits Branch for assistance.

Waters of the State include any waters located in Nevada, whether surface or underground, natural or artificial. Examples include:

• Streams
• Washes
• Wells
• Lakes
• Watercourses
• Reservoirs
• Ponds
• Irrigation systems
• Marshes
• Springs
• Drainage systems
• Any bodies of accumulated water

If your discharge could enter any of these waters directly or indirectly, you may need a permit.
 

You must complete the following two steps to get coverage:

1. Complete a Notice of Intent (NOI)

The NOI is submitted online through the General Permits System. In the system, you can:

• Check the Status of your permit 
• View the contact information for your permit 

Guidance is available to help with the online application:

• Download Applying for a Temporary Discharge to Waters of the State Permit
• Download Temporary Discharge to Waters of the State Application Checklist

2. Submit the filing fee and mail the signed Notice of Intent

Your NOI must be signed by one of the following:

• A principal executive officer of a corporation
• A general partner of a partnership
• The proprietor of a sole proprietorship
• A principal executive officer, ranking elected official, or authorized employee of a public facility
• A duly authorized representative with an authorization letter on file with BWPC 
  • The authorization letter must be written by someone listed above
  • It must name either a specific person or a position within the organization

You must receive an approval letter from BWPC before starting any ground disturbing work.
 

You can pay the application and annual permit fees online or by check. Make sure to include your site ID with every payment.

Pay online

• Visit E-Payments 

Enter your site ID when submitting your fee.

Pay by check

Include your site ID on the check and mail it to:

Nevada Division of Environmental Protection
Bureau of Water Pollution Control
901 South Stewart Street, Suite 4001
Carson City, NV 89701

For current fees and the latest fee schedule:

• Visit Water Pollution Control Fees

Monthly Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs) must be submitted by the 28th day of each month during the permit term.

The DMR must include:

• Analytical data
• Monitoring results
• Signature of the authorized representative

Timely reporting is required to maintain permit coverage.

A final narrative report is required at the end of the project. It must include:

• Photos showing project conditions before, during, and after activities
• The project logbook

The final report is due:

• By the 28th day of the month following permit expiration, or
• By the 28th day of the month following project completion

Whichever occurs first.

Temporary discharge permit coverage automatically expires after 180 days from the effective date.

Some projects may require additional permits, including permits for construction sites or dewatering. The Construction Project Permitting Flowchart provides general guidance, but operators must ensure they contact all necessary agencies.

• Download Construction Project Permitting Flowchart

The flowchart gives general guidance but does not cover every situation. It is the owner or operator’s responsibility to contact all required agencies to make sure all permits are in place.

• Visit Nevada Certified Labs
• Visit Online Spill Report

If you need assistance or can’t find the information you need, please visit our Bureau of Water Pollution Control Contacts page to connect with a staff member who can help.

• Visit Bureau of Water Pollution Control Contacts | NDEP