Overview
The Division of Water & Waste Management (DWWM) oversees programs tasked with controlling surface and groundwater pollution caused by industrial, municipal, and stormwater discharges, regulating the construction, operation, and closure of tank sites, and enhancing West Virginia’s watersheds through education, technical and financial assistance, monitoring and assessments, and more.
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Contents
401 Certification
Section 401 Water Quality Certification is required for each permit or license issued by a federal agency to ensure that projects will not violate the state's water quality standards or stream designated uses. States are authorized to issue Certification under Section 401 of the Federal Clean Water Act.
The majority of certification requests are for dredge and fill operations regulated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The U.S. Coast Guard issues permits for bridge constuction on navigable waterways. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is responsible for licenses related to hydropower facilities. Applicants must receive State 401 Water Quality Certification before they can receive a permit from the federal agency.
Contact Us
Dawn Newell, Program Manager
601 57th Street SE
Charleston, WV 25304
Phone: (304) 926-0499 x41114
Email: Dawn.A.Newell@wv.gov
Nancy Dixon, Environmental Resources Analyst
601 57th Street SE
Charleston, WV 25304
Phone: (304) 926-0499 x43834
Email: Nancy.J.Dixon@wv.gov
Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds
The Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds program is a funding program to address water quality problems
through wastewater facility construction, upgrades, or expansions. The program is charged with general oversight, fiscal
management and administrative compliance review of local governmental entities that receive funds. This section provides
information and guidance on what administrative actions are needed to process a loan through the program. When a community
has been recommended by the West Virginia Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council to seek the Clean Water and
Drinking Water State Revolving Funds program for financial assistance, that community will be contacted by one of the
financial managers.
Contact Us
West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection
Division of Water & Waste Management
601 57th Street SE
Charleston, WV 25304
Phone: (304) 926-0495
Groundwater/UIC Program
The Division of Water and Waste Management's Groundwater/UIC Program coordinates the groundwater protection efforts of the Bureau for Public Health,
the Department of Agriculture, and various DEP programs under the authority of the 1991 Groundwater Protection Act and the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency. The Groundwater/UIC Program has seven main responsibilities: Underground Injection Control (UIC), Groundwater Remediation,
Groundwater Protection Plans, Groundwater Variances, Septic Tank Seal Registration, Monitoring Well Driller Certification, and Monitor Well
Construction/Abandonment.
In-Lieu Fee Program
The In Lieu Fee (ILF) Program was initiated by DEP to provide an additional tool for achieving compensatory mitigation for unavoidable impacts to
waters of the United States and state waters, including wetlands, streams and associated buffers. Permits that are required for such impacts by
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under §404 of the Clean Water Act, under §10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act, and by the State of West Virginia
under §401 of the Clean Water Act. The permit allows permittees to participate in the state's ILF Program if there are no Mitigation Banks
available to provide compensatory mitigation. Permittees participate by paying a fee, which is determined by inputting qualitative and quantitative
data from proposed impacts to streams and wetlands into the West Virginia Stream and Wetland Valuation Metric.
Contact Us
Dallas Settle, Environmental Resource Analyst
601 57th Street SE
Charleston, WV 25304
Phone: (304) 926-0499
Email: Dallas.S.Settle@wv.gov
Laboratory Quality Assurance Program
The Quality Assurance Program is responsible for certifying environmental laboratories to ensure that the DEP receives accurate and reliable analytical data. Laboratories are certified when they follow approved methods, employ well-trained capable staff, and use equipment and instrumentation suited to the work they perform.
Quality Assurance personnel provide laboratory certification services to all divisions of DEP and is open to any U.S. laboratory seeking to provide data to the DEP. In states with reciprocity agreements with West Virginia, laboratories can be granted certification without an on-site inspection by a West Virginia certification officer.
Contact Us
Justin Carpenter, Program Manager
601 57th Street SE
Charleston, WV 25304
Phone: (304) 926-0499 x43765
Email: Justin.D.Carpenter@wv.gov
Nonpoint Source Program
The Nonpoint Source (NPS) Program is part of WVDEP's Watershed Improvement Branch (WIB). The NPS Program coordinates multi-agency and non-government
organizations efforts to address nonpoint pollution by: Providing assistance in the proper installation and maintenance of (BMPs), Supporting citizen
based watershed organizations, Supporting partners whose activities relate to nonpoint issues, Restoring impaired watersheds with nonpoint abatement projects.
§319 grants are used for Nonpoint Program administration and Watershed projects. Watershed projects attempt to restore waters impaired by nonpoint pollution.
303(d) listings, TMDL development and Management Plan priorities determine eligibility.
RCRA Hazardous Waste
Hazardous waste is waste that is dangerous or potentially harmful to our health or the environment. The wastes can be liquid, solid, gas, or sludge.
Examples of potential hazardous wastes are discarded commercial products, like cleaning fluids or pesticides, or the by-products of manufacturing processes.
The Division of Water and Waste Management's Hazardous Waste Management Program has the primary responsibility of regulating the management of hazardous
waste within the state. This responsibility includes monitoring facilities that generate, treat, store or dispose of hazardous waste for compliance with
state and federal regulatory requirements.
Solid Waste
The Solid Waste Program is responsible for ensuring that all appropriate solid waste facilities hold a valid permit from the department to install, establish, construct, modify, operate or close said facilities within the State of West Virginia.
Contact Us
West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection
Division of Water & Waste Management
601 57th Street SE
Charleston, WV 25304
Phone: (304) 926-0495
Stormwater Program
The Stormwater Permit Team administers all stormwater related General Permits. The Stormwater Team is responsible for administrative and technical
review of applications and stormwater pollution prevention plans (SWPPP’s) submitted for coverage under stormwater permits.
Contact Us
West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection
Division of Water and Waste Management
601 57th Street SE
Charleston, WV 25304
Phone: (304) 926-0495
Water Quality Assessment Program
The Assessment Unit of the WVDEP Water Quality Standards and Assessment Section
performs assessments of data collected to measure water quality in West Virginia
waters, including streams, lakes, and wetlands. The Assessment Unit is responsible for
carrying out requirements of the Clean Water Act Section 303(d) and 305(b) to report on
water quality. Specifically, the Assessment Unit prepares and releases the Integrated
Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report, which includes impaired streams list.
The Assessment Unit is also responsible for developing “Total Maximum Daily Loads”. A
Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) is a plan of action used to clean up streams that are
not meeting water quality standards. The plan includes pollution source identification and
strategy development for contaminant source reduction or elimination.
Water Quality Monitoring Program
The Monitoring Unit of the WVDEP Water Quality Standards and Assessment Section is
responsible for monitoring water quality for West Virginia waters. This is accomplished
through several ongoing monitoring programs that focus on different aspects of water
quality. Environmental specialists measure water chemistry and habitat information on-site;
collect water samples for laboratory analysis; and collect benthic macroinvertebrate
and fish. Data from all water quality monitoring efforts are maintained in a central
database and are available to the public upon request.
Water Quality Standards
Water Quality Standards (Standards) are the foundation of the water quality based control program mandated by the Clean Water Act. The Standards form the
legal basis for controls on the amount of pollution entering West Virginia waters from sources such as industrial facilities, wastewater treatment plants
and storm sewers. Standards are also the technical basis for reducing runoff from rural and urban areas. A standard can consist of either numeric or
narrative limits for a specific physical or chemical parameter. Ultimately, a water quality standard is developed to help protect and maintain water
quality necessary to meet and maintain designated or assigned uses, such as swimming, recreation, public water supply, and/or aquatic life.
Water Use
In 2004, the West Virginia legislature passed the Water Resources Protection Act. The purpose of the act was to gather Water Use information on the
quantity and use of state surface and groundwater resources. In 2008, the act was amended and renamed the Water Resources Protection and Management
Act. The amended act required the development of a water resources management plan for the state by 2013. A Water Resources Management Plan for the
State was adopted in March of 2014 and can be downloaded from WVWaterPlan. Progress reports to the Joint Legislative Oversight Commission on State
Water Resources are required each November.