Underground Injection Control (UIC)

Underground Injection Control Program — UIC

The Nevada UIC Program prevents degradation of underground sources of drinking water within the State due to underground injection practices. The Nevada UIC Program is located at the Division of Environmental Protection's (DEP) offices in Carson City. The UIC Program regulates injection wells under the authority of the Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) 445A.300 - 445A.730 and the Nevada Administrative Code (NAC) NAC 445A.810 - 445A.925, inclusive.

The Safe Drinking Water Act of 1977 authorized the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to establish regulations for underground injection control (UIC). State of Nevada UIC regulations were adopted and became effective in July of 1987. The DEP, within the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, was designated as the lead agency in administering the State UIC program, and has authority under NRS 445A to regulate all classes of injection wells. Primacy for the federal UIC program was granted to Nevada in October, 1988. Nevada is part of USEPA's Region 9, with headquarters in San Francisco.

One of the major differences between the federal and State of Nevada UIC regulations is that a permit is required in Nevada for all injection activities, regardless of well class. State UIC and Division of Health regulations prohibit cesspools and injection wells associated with septic tanks, injection wells for municipal sewage or effluent from a waste treatment plant, and injection of any hazardous waste through a well.