Oregon Water - General: What you need to know

Oregon National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program: Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR) 340-045-0005 to 340-045-0080

Effluent limitations: OAR 340-041-0001 to 340-041-0150

Pretreatment: OAR 340-045-0063

Stormwater permits: OAR 340-045-0033

Agricultural waste: OAR 603-074-0005 to 603-074-0080

Wastewater plant operator: OAR 340-049-0005 to 340-049-0085

Drinking water: OAR 333-061-0005 to 333-061-0098

Groundwater: OAR 340-040-0001 to 340-040-0090

Oil spills: OAR 340-141-0001 to 340-141-0240 and OAR 340-141-142-0001 to 340-142-0130

Wetlands: Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) 196.600 to 196.692

Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Water Quality Division

Oregon Department of Water Resources

Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) Office of Public Health Systems Drinking Water Program

Oregon Division of State Lands (DSL)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 10

See ADDRESSES & CONTACTS for addresses and telephone numbers.

See national section for basic information and federal regulations.

• Rules. The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is the state agency responsible for protecting Oregon's public water for a wide range of uses. DEQ sets water quality standards to protect "beneficial uses" such as recreation, fish habitat, drinking water supplies, and aesthetics. DEQ monitors water quality with regular sampling of more than 50 rivers and streams in the 18 designated river basins found in Oregon.

DEQ regulates approximately 550 municipal wastewater sewage treatment plants and 2,600 industrial dischargers through permits that set limits on pollutants discharged. DEQ also permits and inspects septic ...