Wastewater Regulations

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has the responsibility and authority under the federal Clean Water Act to protect this country’s water resources from polution. EPA’s Office of Wastewater Management is responsible for implementing the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System in partnership with the EPA Regional Offices, states, tribes, and other stakeholders.

EPA has given the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality responsibility for implementing the these regulations in Texas. To do so, TCEQ has established the Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System for issuing permits to facilities that discharge effluent to surface waters of the State of Texas.

The Village Creek Water Reclamation Facility discharges treated effluent into the West Fork of the Trinity River, a sensitive stream that during dry months may be composed of up to 95 percent treated effluent. The wastewater treatment process at Village Creek also produces biosolids that are land applied at numerous sites around North Texas. The treated effluent and biosolids are regulated under a permit issued to the treatment plant by TCEQ. The permit contains effluent limits, as well as reporting, record keeping, monitoring, testing, and industrial pretreatment requirements.

• TPDES program