Revised Arizona ADEQ Stormwater Permit Requirements for Dischargers Near Impaired Waters or Unique Waters

On February 29, 2008, the revised Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) general permit for the discharge of stormwater from construction sites became effective. This permit replaced an earlier general permit which had expired. The revised general permit now applies to all construction sites greater than one acre in size, with the exception of sites located on Indian lands within the State. For these sites, a different permit, issued by U.S. EPA, applies.

The requirements under the ADEQ permit will change substantially depending on the location of the project. The key criteria will be whether the site is within ¼-mile of:

• An impaired water
• A listed unique water (also known as an “Outstanding Arizona Water”, or OAW)

For project sites located within this radius, significantly more stringent permit compliance requirements may apply which include:

• Submittal of SWPPP with NOI, and extended waiting period for permit coverage
• Additional prohibitions on non-stormwater discharges
• Additional prohibitions on post-construction discharges
• Additional inspection requirements
• Stormwater monitoring

For project sites located with ¼-mile of either an impaired water or a listed unique water, a Stormwater Monitoring Plan must be developed and implemented. Monitoring of stormwater includes visual monitoring each week and collection and analysis of samples when stormwater is discharged. Monitoring results are then reported to ADEQ on Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR) forms.

For more information on this permit, go to:

Summary of Revised ADEQ Permit