Water Compliance Resources

Drinking Water

Public Water Supply: Compliance Resources — Information, guidance, and forms for public water systems in Texas.

Obtaining Approval for a New or Existing Public Water System

• Submit Public Water System Plans for Review — Information for new water systems to submit plans before construction begins.
• You're a Public Water System…Now What? (RG-496) — Guide for owners and operators of water systems, especially those who have recently learned they own a PWS.

Water Funding

• Water and Wastewater Funding Sources — View a list of financial assistance programs for water and wastewater projects.
• Texas On-Site Sewage Facility Grant Program (In revision 2024) — TCEQ awards competitive grants to support applied research and demonstration projects for on-site wastewater treatment technology and systems.

Drought Planning for Public Water Systems

• Drought and Public Water Systems — Information about water use restrictions, drought contingency planning, and water conservation.

Asset Management for Public Water Systems

• Managing Small Public Water Systems (RG-501) — A five-part series helping owners, managers, or operators of small water utilities understand and comply with rules and develop tools for planning and operation.

Water at Your R.V. Park or Temporary Housing Site

• RV Parks: Am I Regulated (RG-499) — How to comply with TCEQ rules at your RV park.

Sampling, Record Keeping and Reporting

• Public Water System Monitoring Plans — How to comply with requirements for monitoring plans for public water systems in Texas.
• Managing Small Public Water Systems: Compliance (RG-501d) — Pages 13-22 of this guide cover sampling and report requirements for public water systems.

Tools

• Security Vulnerability Self-Assessment Guide for Water Systems — This Security Vulnerability Self-Assessment Guide is designed to help small water systems determine possible vulnerable components and identify security measures that should be considered. This document is designed particularly for systems that serve populations of 3,300 or fewer.
• Emergency Response Planning for Public Drinking Water Systems — Preparing an emergency response plan (ERP) is an essential part of managing a drinking water system.

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Wastewater

• Managing Small Domestic Wastewater Systems (RG-530) — A five-part series helping owners, managers, or operators of small wastewater systems understand and comply with rules and develop plans to manage and operate a sustainable utility.
• Wastewater Treatment Plants — Provides reporting and compliance information for wastewater treatment plants, including wastewater compliance spreadsheets and compliance tools.
• Troubleshooting Bacteria Effluent from Wastewater Treatment Plants (RG-515) — regulatory guidance to help wastewater systems minimize bacteria in effluent
• Help for Wastewater Treatment Plant Owners and Operators — Learn the advantages and disadvantages, applicability, performance, design criteria, operation and maintenance, and costs of various techniques for treating wastewater.
• Requirements for Reclaimed Water — Provides definitions for and uses of municipal and industrial reclaimed water.
• Fats, Oils, and Grease (FOG) — Learn how to keep FOG out of sewers and septic systems to avoid plumbing emergencies.

Notification Forms and Reporting

• Water Quality Noncompliance Notification (TCEQ-00501) — form to notify the TCEQ of a water quality noncompliance or unauthorized discharge
• Accidental Discharge or Spill Monthly Summary Form (TCEQ-20756) — form to report any single, accidental discharge or spill of treated or untreated domestic wastewater that occurs at a wastewater treatment or collection system owned or operated by a local government
• Public Notification Form for Wastewater Discharges (TCEQ-20627) — form to notify the public that an unauthorized discharge has occurred
• EPA NPDES Reporting Requirement Handbook — Walks users through how to report using DMRs
• NetDMR Online — Information on the electronic reporting of discharge-monitoring reports and associated hot topics
• Reporting on Monthly Effluent Report (MER) Forms — Resources for small business owners and local governments who have state-only (non TPDES) wastewater permits

Wastewater Compliance Spreadsheets and Tools

• Geometric Mean Calculator for Wastewater — Interactive calculator to compute the geometric mean on a set of numbers to assist with completion of discharge monitoring reports (DMR) for domestic wastewater facilities.
• Minor Discharge - Rectangular Weir with End Contractions  
• Minor Discharge V-Notch Weir  
• Texas Land Application Permits (TLAP) - Rectangular Weir with End Contractions  
• TLAP V-Notch Weir

Septic Systems

• On-Site Sewage Facilities — Information on permitting a Septic System

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Water Quality

Stormwater

• Check the status of your stormwater permit online.
• Industrial Stormwater General Permit — Industrial facilities with an applicable Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code that discharge stormwater into a storm drain system or to surface waters in the state of Texas must comply with stormwater permitting requirements.
• Construction Stormwater General Permit — Operators of construction sites that disturb one or more acres of land must comply with stormwater permitting requirements.
• Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) — MS4s consist of a conveyance or system of conveyances, including roads with drainage systems, streets, catch basins, curbs, gutters, ditches, human-made channels, or storm drains. MS4s with Urbanized Areas must comply with stormwater permitting requirements.

Pesticide Applications

• Pesticides General Permit: Am I Regulated? — Those applying certain pesticides in, over, or near waters of the United States (U.S.) in Texas must comply with permitting requirements.

Aggregate Production Operations

• Dirt, Sand, and Rock Quarries and Aggregate Processing Plants: Compliance Resources — If you own or operate a rock quarry, gravel pit, borrow pit, or similar aggregate production operation, you may be required to register with the TCEQ as an Aggregate Production Operation.

Reclaimed Water, Graywater, and Alternative On-Site Water

• Requirements for Reclaimed Water — Definition for and uses of municipal (also called domestic) and industrial reclaimed water.

• Beneficial Re-Use of Graywater and Alternative Onsite Water — Definition for and beneficial re-uses of graywater and alternative onsite water from private residences, and commercial, industrial, institutional, and agricultural facilities.
  • Graywater and Alternative On-Site Water: A Guide for Homeowners (RG-536) — This regulatory guidance provides an overview of the requirements for the use of graywater and alternative on-site water by homeowners (private residences).
  • Graywater and Alternative On-Site Water: A Guide for Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional Users (RG-539) — This regulatory guidance provides an overview of the requirements for the use of graywater and alternative on-site water by industrial, commercial, and institutional users.
  • Graywater and Alternative On-Site Water: A Guide for Agricultural Users (RG-541) — This regulatory guidance provides an overview of the requirements for the use of graywater and alternative on-site water by agricultural users.

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Edwards Aquifer

• Edwards Aquifer: Compliance Resources — Information and resources for small-business owners and local governments planning any construction activity over the Edwards Aquifer in Texas.
• Edwards Aquifer Protection Program — Tools, guidance and other information regarding the Edwards Aquifer Protection Program which serves to regulate activities, including construction, that have the potential for polluting the Edwards Aquifer.

Small Business and Local Government Assistance

TCEQ's Small Business and Local Government Assistance section offers free, confidential help to small businesses and local governments working to follow state environmental regulations. Call us at (800) 447-2827 or visit our webpage at TexasEnviroHelp.org.

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