Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the General Permits topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
TCEQ updates multiple general permits: aquaculture, hydrostatic test water, evaporation ponds, water‑treatment plant
Summary
Staff presented proposed renewals or amendments for several state and federal general permits governing aquaculture, hydrostatic test discharges, evaporation ponds and conventional water‑treatment plant discharges, including a dechlorination requirement for some water‑treatment discharges.
TCEQ staff summarized recent and proposed changes to multiple general permits that affect aquaculture, hydrostatic testing, evaporation ponds and conventional water‑treatment plant discharges.
Shannon Gibson, technical specialist with the Water Quality Division, said TCEQ is proposing to renew and amend the aquaculture general permit (TXG‑130000), including changes that clarify allowable oyster mariculture systems, expand the wastewater definition to include wash‑down and processing water, and exempt certain facility types. The draft permit was sent to Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for a 45‑day review and to EPA for review; staff anticipated public notice in September 2025 pending EPA conclusion.
On hydrostatic test water, Gibson said TCEQ recently renewed the hydrostatic test water general permit (TXG‑670000). That reissuance replaced the prior permit when it expired April 5, 2025. Existing permittees have 90 days to submit a new notice of intent for coverage through TCEQ's STEERS online permitting system.
For evaporation pond discharges (WQG‑1000000), staff proposed renewal and amendment and noted the permit is state‑only and does not require EPA review. Major amendments include updated liner requirements for ponds constructed on or after the reissued permit date; staff said the amendments would not affect existing permittees. TCEQ published notice and held a public meeting; staff reported no public comments on the proposal.
On the water‑treatment plant general permit (TXG‑640000), Gibson said EPA reviewed and approved the draft on Dec. 19, 2024, and that a key change in the draft is a requirement that discharges be dechlorinated to less than 0.1 milligrams per liter total chlorine residual prior to discharge when chlorination is used for disinfection.
Why it matters: these general permits regulate routine industrial and municipal discharges; updates change technical requirements and compliance procedures for permittees across sectors.
Ending: staff offered to provide line‑by‑line permit changes and track‑change documents to interested stakeholders after the advisory meeting.
