New Jersey Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NJPDES)

DIVISION: Water Quality – Watershed Permitting Element
GENERAL PHONE NUMBER: (609) 292-4543
FAX NUMBER: (609) 984-7938
WEB SITE

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

The NJPDES Permitting Program protects New Jersey's ground and surface water quality by assuring the proper treatment and discharge of wastewater and stormwater from various types of facilities and activities. This includes the generation, monitoring, and management of residual (commonly known as sludge) and residual derived products. It is unlawful for any person to discharge to surface water any pollutant, except in conformance with a valid NJPDES Discharge to Surface Water (DSW) permit. Dischargers to ground water that exceed 2,000 gallons per day are required to get a NJPDES Discharge to Ground Water (DGW) permit.

A NJPDES permit may be an individual permit tailored to a specific facility or an authorization under a general permit covering a group of similar facilities. The NJPDES program permit universe is greater than 5,200 individual permits and general permit authorizations. The program also regulates stormwater discharges at over 4,000 construction sites throughout the state in cooperation with local Soil Conservation Districts.

The Pretreatment Program protects local agency sewage treatment plants from non-domestic wastewater which may interfere with treatment processes, contaminate sewage sludge, or pass through sewage treatment plants. The division has approved local pretreatment programs at delegated local agencies (DLAs) that operate the larger municipal wastewater treatment plants in the state. The division oversees the implementation of pretreatment programs by DLAs, which issue NJPDES Significant Indirect User (SIU) permits in their systems. For areas of the state not serviced by a DLA, the division issues the SIU permits.

MONETARY ASSISTANCE PROVIDED:

For information on low cost loans see the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Financing Program.

PERMITTING RESPONSIBILITIES:

1.         DSW permits (municipal/domestic and industrial)
2.         Stormwater Permits (municipal and industrial)
3.         DGW permits (including the Underground Injection Control Program)
4.         SIU permits (addressing indirect discharges of non-domestic wastewater to municipal sewer systems)
5.         Residual permits (such as land application of sewage sludge, food processing wastes and potable water residual)

PUBLICATIONS AVAILABLE:

NJPDES Program Regulations (N.J.A.C. 7:14A et. seq.)