Water Permits

Permitting program which addresses water pollution by regulating point sources that discharge pollutants to waters of Tennessee.

Persons who construct or modify a public water system are required to obtain an approval from the Tennessee Division of Water Resources. 

Persons who wish to make an alteration to a stream, river, lake or wetland must first obtain a water quality permit from the Division of Water Resources.

This includes Septic Tank Pumping Contractor, Domestic Septage Disposal Site, Septic System Installer and Septic System Construction Permits.

This general permit authorizes the land application of non-exceptional quality (non-EQ) biosolids within the State of Tennessee provided that the permittee complies with all conditions in this general permit.

Animal Feeding Operations (AFOs) are agricultural operations where animals are kept and raised in confined situations. Permitting for this in Tennessee is currently being revised. 

The Inter-basin permit is authorized by Rule 0400-40-13, that regulates water withdrawals from basins in Tennessee which discharges into basins different than the originating basins.

Persons who drill any hole in excess of one hundred (100) feet for the specific purpose of exploring for minerals, excluding oil and gas, must obtain a permit from the Tennessee Division of Water Resources, Oil and Gas Section.

Anyone who performs a dye trace study in streams or groundwater systems of the state.

Persons engaged in the operation of a sewage treatment system, i.e., package plant; industrial waste or other waste treatment systems that do not have a direct discharge to any surface or subsurface waters must obtain a State Operation Permit from the Division of Water Resources.

Anyone who discharges industrial/commercial wastes into a subsurface system other than city sewers or who modifies Karst features is required to submit an underground injection control application to the Division of Water Resources.

Each person in direct charge at a water treatment plant, a wastewater treatment plant, a water distribution system, or a wastewater collection system must have a certificate in a grade equal to or higher than the grade of the treatment plant, distribution system, or collection system he/she operates.

All public water systems that use groundwater as a source are required to develop a Wellhead Protection Plan and obtain an approval for each phase of planning from the TDEC Division of Water Resources.

Anyone who manages or supervises the digging, drilling, or redrilling of a well or anyone who installs, or repairs well pumps or filters and treatment devices must obtain a license.

Persons who engage in mining and surface disturbances related to mining require a state mining permit which is obtained from the Tennessee Division of Water Resources, Mining Section. In all counties mining of the following minerals requires a permit: clay, stone, phosphate rock, metallic ore and any other solid material or substance of commercial value found in natural deposits on or in the earth. 

Persons who construct, alter, remove or operate a non-federal dam must obtain approval from the Tennessee Division of Water Resources, Dams Section.

The pretreatment program is a component of the NPDES program that addresses dischargers who discharge into publicly owned treatment works.