Implementation and Permitting
Implementation & Permitting for NY's Waters
Once the monitoring, assessment and planning stages of the Division of Water's (DOW) watershed management cycle are complete, the process moves into the implementation and permitting stage. The State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) permit program is a primary way the DOW implements its water protection and restoration activities.
Monitoring information, assessment reports and public input all help create watershed plans. DOW permit writers issue SPDES permits to point- and non-point sources of pollution to ensure that a waterbody's best use is maintained and to protect watersheds from wastewater and stormwater pollution. Even though SPDES permits address specific sources of pollution, they are written with an entire watershed in mind. This means that responsibility for meeting a watershed-wide water quality goal does not necessarily fall entirely on one source of pollution.
While the SPDES program focuses on point sources of pollution, the DOW also encourages water quality protection and restoration activities that address nonpoint sources of pollution. The Water Quality Improvement Project grant program is an avenue used by the DOW to fund projects that address both point and nonpoint sources of pollution.