Researching Wastewater Discharge Permits in Iowa

In an agricultural state like Iowa, non-point sources are the major contributors to water quality impairment. Unfortunately, the state has no regulatory programs to deal with these problems of silt and excess nutrients, even though these impairments are covered under the Clean Water Act. Large animal feeding operations always have been considered a point source under the CWA, but Iowa has still not implemented an effective National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program for industrial animal factories.

Finding the legal sources of point-source pollution in your watershed is relatively easy. These will typically be point sources like industrial and municipal wastewater treatment plants, mobile home parks and housing clusters outside the city limits, homes and businesses using a discharging type of septic treatment ending in a discharge pipe, construction sites, etc. All of these entities are required to have NPDES permits. The last two categories (discharging septic systems and construction sites) are covered by two state-wide "general permits". Detailed information about these is typically available from the county sanitarian.

To begin researching the point-source polluters in your watershed, you have two choices. The first involves using a web-based Geographical Information Systems (GIS) map to locate the facilities. Start at the IOWATER site (www.iowater.net), then proceed to Data Base -> Interactive Mapping -> Iowa Water Monitoring Atlas.  The second method uses a DNR NPDES Spreadsheet available at http://www.iowadnr.com/water/npdes/holders.html that lists all permits in the state. In either case, the first step is to determine the unique EPA NPDES ID Number.

Having the NPDES ID number will allow you to search for information at two EPA-managed web sites, one called ECHO (www.epa.gov/echo/), and the other called Envirofacts (www.epa.gov/enviro/). Please be aware that additional details will be available in printed documents and records. A copy of the actual permit and various correspondence can be viewed or copied at the Records Desk located at DNR headquarters in the Wallace Building, 502 E. 9th St. in Des Moines. Additional details and original monitoring records are usually kept at the DNR Regional Field Offices (www.iowadnr.com/fo/fomap.html).

Detailed procedures for three types of searches are discussed in the documents below. Be sure to verify any conclusions you reach by reviewing the actual printed permit documents and records, but be properly skeptical of any verbal explanations given to you by DNR staff. If their conclusions differ from yours, ask for clarification from them in writing.

Part One - ECHO (PDF 1.1 Mb)

Part Two - Envirofacts Regular PCS Queries (PDF 1.2 MB)

Part Three - Envirofacts Customized PCS Queries (Coming Soon)