NPDES General Permits

NPDES General Permits (HAR, Chapter 11-55, Appendices B through L)
The Department of Health (DOH), Clean Water Branch (CWB) has adopted the NPDES General Permits as Appendices to the Hawaii Administrative Rules (HAR), Chapter 11-55. If you would like to request coverage under one (1) of these NPDES General Permits, you are required to:

Download, read, and understand the NPDES General Permit for which you would like to request coverage. Please see below for the NPDES General Permits with Standard General Permit Conditions.

(EXPIRED) HAR 11-55, Appendices B and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Storm Water Associated with Industrial Activities (Expired December 5, 2017) Appendix B covers discharges of storm water associated with industrial activities. NPDES permit coverage is required for discharges of storm water runoff associated with industrial activity(ies), as categorized in 40 CFR 122.26(b)(14)(i) through 122.26(b)(14)(ix) and 122.26(b)(14)(xi).
HAR 11-55, Appendices C and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Storm Water Associated with Construction Activities (Expires February 8, 2024) Appendix C covers discharges of storm water associated with construction activities. NPDES permit coverage is required for activities that disturb one (1) acre or more of total land area. NPDES permit coverage is also required for activities that disturb less than one (1) acre of total land area that are part of a larger common plan of development or sale if the larger common plan will ultimately disturb one (1) acre or more of total land area [40 CFR 122.26(b)(15)]. Land disturbance includes, but is not limited to clearing, grubbing, grading, excavation, demolition (even if leaving foundation), uprooting of vegetation, equipment staging on grassed areas or bare ground, equipment staging on a paved roadway (only if area blocked off from public usage), storage areas, and roadway work that touches the base course. Note: Areas which are cleared, graded, and/or excavated for the sole purpose of growing crops are considered to be agricultural and are therefore not included in the disturbed area quantity. This exemption does not extend to the construction of buildings and roads of agricultural or agriculture-related operations that disturb one (1) acre or more.
HAR 11-55, Appendices D and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Treated Effluent from Leaking Underground Storage Tank Remedial Activities (Expires July 12, 2023) Appendix D covers discharges of treated effluent from leaking underground storage tank remedial activities. NPDES permit coverage is required for the release or discharge of treated ground water to State waters from the cleanup (or remedial action) of underground storage tanks that have leaked petroleum hydrocarbons.
HAR 11-55, Appendices E and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Once Through Cooling Water Less Than One (1) Million Gallons Per Day (Expires July 12, 2022) Appendix E covers discharges of once through cooling water less than (1) million gallons per day. NPDES permit coverage is required for discharges to State waters of once through cooling water with a total flow of less than one (1) million gallons per day. “once through cooling water” means water passed through the main cooling condensers one or two times for the purpose of removing waste heat.
HAR 11-55, Appendices F and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Hydrotesting Waters (Expires July 12, 2022) Appendix F covers discharges of hydrotesting waters. NPDES permit coverage is required for the release or discharge of hydrotesting waters to State waters. “Hydrotesting Waters” means water used to test the integrity of a tank or pipeline, pipeline disinfection, and/or pipeline flushing.
HAR 11-55, Appendices G and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges Associated with Construction Activity Dewatering (Expires July 12, 2022) Appendix G covers discharges of construction activity dewatering. NPDES permit coverage is required for discharges to State waters of construction activity dewatering effluent. “Dewatering Effluent” is any type of water (e.g. ground water, storm water, stream water, ocean water, etc.) pumped from a construction area. Please see the Dewatering FAQs for additional information.
HAR 11-55, Appendices H and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Treated Process Wastewater Associated with Petroleum Bulk Stations and Terminals (Expires July 12, 2023) Appendix H covers discharges of treated process wastewater associated with petroleum bulk stations and terminals. NPDES permit coverage is required for discharges to State waters of treated process wastewater effluent from petroleum bulk stations and terminals. Treated process wastewater effluent includes tank water draws, product displacement process wastewater, wash down and fire hydrant system test waters, service station tank draws, recovered groundwater, and contaminated storm water runoff from the product storage and handling areas.
HAR 11-55, Appendices I and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Treated Process Wastewater Associated with Well Drilling Activities (Expires July 12, 2023) Appendix I covers discharges of treated process wastewater associated with well drilling activities. NPDES permit coverage is required for discharges to State waters of treated process wastewater associated with well drilling activities. Treated process wastewater includes well drilling slurries, lubricating fluids wastewaters, and well purge wastewaters.
HAR 11-55, Appendices J and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Occasional or Unintentional Discharges from Recycled Water Systems (Please contact the DOH, Wastewater Branch at 808-586-4294 if you wish to be covered under this NPDES General Permit.)
(EXPIRED) HAR 11-55, Appendices K and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Storm Water and Certain Non-Storm Water Discharges from Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (Expired December 5, 2016) Appendix K covers discharges of storm water and certain non-storm water discharges from small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s). NPDES permit coverage is required for storm water and certain non-storm water discharges to State waters from small MS4s.
HAR 11-55, Appendices L and A – NPDES General Permit Authorizing Discharges of Circulation Water from Decorative Ponds or Tanks (Expires February 8, 2024) Appendix L covers discharges of circulation water from decorative ponds or tanks. NPDES permit coverage is required for discharges to State waters of circulation water from decorative ponds or tanks containing fish or other aquatic species.

Determine if your project/activity and your organization will comply with every requirement in the applicable NPDES General Permit.

Only after you determine that you can comply and you understand your responsibilities and legal obligations, you may submit the CWB NOI Form through the e-Permitting Portal website at: https://eha-cloud.doh.hawaii.gov/epermit/. You will be asked to do a one-time registration to obtain your login and password. After you register, click on the Application Finder tool and locate the “CWB NOI Form.” Follow the instructions to complete and submit this form.

If you have any questions, please download and read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) before contacting the DOH-CWB. If you do not see an answer to your specific question in the FAQs, please contact the DOH-CWB, Engineering Section at (808) 586-4309.

FAQs (Updated 8/9/18)

NPDES Pesticides General Permit The Department of Health (DOH) issued an NPDES General Permit to authorize point source discharges from the application of pesticides (including insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, rodenticides, and various other substances to control pests) to State waters. This NPDES Pesticides General Permit is in Hawaii Administrative Rules (HAR), Chapter 11-55, Appendix M. Please see below for HAR 11-55, Appendix M (effective July 13, 2018) and the Standard NPDES General Permit Conditions.

HAR 11-55 Appendix M

To request coverage under this NPDES General Permit, you must submit the CWB NOI Form M through the e-Permitting Portal website at: https://eha-cloud.doh.hawaii.gov/epermit/. You will be asked to do a one-time registration to obtain your login and password. After you register, click on the Application Finder tool and locate the “CWB NOI Form M.” Follow the instructions to complete and submit this form.