Applying for Coverage Under the General Permit for Discharges of Hydrostatic Test Water

Before releasing hydrostatic test water to water in the state of Texas, you must do the following:

1. Review your facility's compliance history ranking (HTML):

   • If your facility either has a ranking of "high" or "average" or "average by default," continue with Item 2.

   • If it is "poor," then your facility is not eligible for coverage under a general permit.

2. Read the general permit (TXG670000) (PDF) to make sure it applies to your situation. (Help with PDF).

3. If the general permit does NOT apply, you may need to obtain an individual permit. However, if the general permit does apply, continue with item 4.

4. Submit a Notice of Intent (NOI) (PDF) and application fee.

Provisional coverage under this general permit begins 48 hours after the NOI is postmarked.

After TCEQ review, you will receive one of the following:

• A Notice of Deficiency, in which case you will have 30 days in which to respond.

• A Denial Letter informing you that coverage has been denied (usually the result of information requested in a Notice of Deficiency letter not being fully provided).

After obtaining coverage under this permit, you will need to do the following:

• Adhere to the requirements of the general permit (TXG670000) (PDF). (Help with PDF).

• Complete and submit the EPA's Discharge Monitoring Report Form (3320-1), as required.

• If the owner or operator changes, the present owner and operator must submit a Notice of Termination (NOT) (PDF) and the new owner and operator must submit a NOI. The NOT and NOI must be submitted at least 10 days before the changes.

• If the discharge becomes unnecessary, is delayed or is completed, the permittee may voluntarily terminate coverage by submitting a NOT.

• If you are discharging to a MS4 (HTML), you must submit a copy of the following to the operator of that system at the same time you submit them to the TCEQ:

  • Notice of Intent (NOI)

  • Notice of Termination

  Note: MS4s (HTML) can include things such as ditches, streets, gutters, manmade channels, etc., which are maintained by entities such as the city, state, county, drainage district, etc.

The permit is in effect until the NOT is submitted. Fees will accrue annually on September 1. This particular general permit will expire at midnight April 5, 2010.

Even if the general permit described above applies to your situation, you may request coverage under an individual permit (HTML).

Contact us if you have questions.