Publication Summary

Washington State requires a permit to discharge wastewater to waters of the state. Since wastewater includes stormwater and waters of the state include groundwater as well as surface water, nearly all facilities require a discharge permit. The sand and gravel general permit provides permit coverage for discharges of process water, stormwater, and mine dewatering water associated with sand and gravel operations, rock quarries, and similar mining operations, including stockpiles of mined materials. It also provides coverage for concrete batch operations and hot mix asphalt operations.

Washington State requires a permit to discharge wastewater to waters of the state. Since wastewater includes stormwater and waters of the state include groundwater as well as surface water, nearly all facilities require a discharge permit. The sand and gravel general permit provides permit coverage for discharges of process water, stormwater, and mine dewatering water associated with sand and gravel operations, rock quarries, and similar mining operations, including stockpiles of mined materials. It also provides coverage for concrete batch operations and hot mix asphalt operations.

The permit authorizes wastewater discharges to waters of the state of Washington subject to the permit conditions. Permit conditions require the permit holder to provide environmental protection through best management practices and wastewater treatment.

Best management practices (BMPs) are physical, structural, or managerial practices designed to prevent or reduce pollutants in the discharge. Typical BMPs include channeling stormwater to prevent mixing with process water, coverage of chemicals, and contain-ment of spills.

Wastewater treatment alters the character of the waste-water before discharge and it is required as necessary to achieve compliance. Examples of treatment often used to comply with permit conditions include pH adjustment of concrete waste-water and solids settling of stormwater before discharge to surface water.

This booklet provides general guidance on what facilities require coverage but does not examine all aspects of permit requirements. The permittee is responsible for reading the full text of the permit and comply-ing with all applicable permit requirements.