The application process for submitting a water board permit can be incredibly complicated. You’ve got many different loopholes to jump through when filling out an application, and the specific language you’ve got to use when filling out your permit can prove to be a major nuisance.
Taking advantage of water board permitting assistance is a great way to ensure that your permit is filled out incorrectly. This can help avoid unnecessary delays and further frustration on your end.
Local and state laws will dictate the exact requirements that you must follow when applying for a permit. However, before you submit a permit, you must successfully complete a preliminary technical report.
A preliminary technical report consists of many different things. In the state of California, for example, other existing public water systems must be contacted to verify whether the service area of your proposed system could instead be served by an already-existing system. In addition to this, the report also evaluates the financial feasibility of developing a new public water system.
An important note to mention is that the preliminary technical report must be submitted six months in advance of any water-related construction, so be sure to get a headstart on the application process! Templates of all of the aforementioned documents can easily be found online.
Beyond the preliminary technical report, Stormwater Pollution Prevention Planning (SWPPP) is another important step in getting your public water system up and running. The plan is a document that clearly defines the activities that could cause water pollution and also lays out the action plan you will take to combat said pollution.
Then, there is the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, which “addresses water pollution by regulating point sources that discharge pollutants to waters of the United States”, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
All of the planning and permits are essential to ensure that no stone is left unturned when creating a public water system. However, even with the best plan in the world, it is useless unless it is implemented correctly. That is where Qualified Stormwater Practitioners (QSPs) come in: they exist to uphold the SWPPP and identify possible issues that could arise, such as heavy weather, which could compromise the integrity of water systems.
The exact requirements of creating and maintaining a public water system vary from state to state, so be sure to view information from your local Water Resources Control Board for specific details. Generally speaking, though, public water systems are held to high health-based standards, and the standards do not fluctuate much.
Author Bio-
Building off over 3 decades of experience from working with his father Jim Mayfield (Mayfield Enterprises, Inc.), James mastered the industry in Foremanship for over 15 years on HAZMAT and Superfund Sites throughout Southern California. Among many other partners, we has worked with Project Navigator, RE Solutions, Crew Grading Inc., WSP, SCS Engineers, TRC Corporation, GeoSyntec, NV5 Environmental, Entact Corp, Waste by Rail, Michael Baker, ERRG, O&M Corp, Largo Concrete, B&D Construction, Xebec, WorkSmart, JLL Enterprises, Mayfield Enterprises, Inc., Arcadis, and more. In addition to being a Stanford-educated Professor with over 30 publications and books in several languages (see Academic Resume), James’ real passion lies in Construction-related Project Management, Environmental Cleanups, HAZMAT, Excavation, and Field Labor. We are also Minority-Owned. James Mayfield is a Native American citizen of the Iowa Tribe of Kansas & Nebraska.
