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Wild and Wonderful

Mission

The mission of the Division of Water and Waste Management (DWWM) is to preserve, protect, and enhance the state’s watersheds for the benefit and safety of all its citizens through implementation of programs controlling hazardous waste, solid waste and surface & groundwater pollution, from any source.

About

DWWM administers numerous programs to control surface and groundwater pollution caused by industrial, municipal and stormwater discharges, as well as oversight of construction, operation and closure of hazardous and solid waste and underground storage tank sites. DWWM also works to protect, restore and enhance West Virginia's watersheds through education, technical and financial assistance, comprehensive watershed assessments, groundwater monitoring, water quality standards recommendations, wetlands preservation, inspection and enforcement of NPDES permitted facilities, dams, hazardous and solid waste and underground storage tank sites.

News

  • Now Accepting Comments on Restoration Plan for Tug Fork River Watershed

    DWWM is now accepting comments and will hold a virtual public meeting for draft Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for select streams in the Tug Fork River watershed. WVDEP staff will host a virtual meeting to present an outline of the TMDL development process and answer questions on Wednesday, January 11, 2023 at 6 p.m. This meeting is open to the public. The draft report and resources for Tug Fork River Watershed can be found below by expanding the "Tug Fork" section.


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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
Fax: (304) 926-0463
Contact Regional Offices

Featured Content

Reports and resources produced by the various groups within the Division of Water and Waste Management.

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This site contains links and information on programs that provide direct services to the public to help in learning about working towards improving the environment. Explore more ways to get involved.

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  • DEP Mobile Aquarium

    The mobile aquarium highlights partnerships between the Division of Natural Resources and the Department of Environmental Protection in which both agencies strive to improve water quality, conserve resources, and restore fish habitat.

  • Nonpoint Source (NPS) Program

    Nonpoint Source (NPS) Program coordinates multi-agency and non-government organizations efforts to address nonpoint pollution.

  • Restoration Planting Tool

    Match your restoration site characteristics with corresponding native plant communities. Get a list of plants that are pre-adapted to your site, likely to thrive with minimal maintenance, and provide important habitat for birds, butterflies, and other native species.

  • Stream Partners Program

    SPP is a grant program created to support the efforts of local watershed groups.

  • Support for Watershed Groups

    WVDEP coordinates efforts through the Division of Water and Waste Management, Nonpoint Source Program, 106 and Stream Partners.

  • Water Education Today (Project WET)

    Project WET is an international, interdisciplinary water science and education program for educators of all sorts - public and private school teachers, water resource professionals, youth club leaders and many others. Project WET workshops are FREE and conducted throughout the state.

  • WV Save Our Streams

    The mission of WV Save Our Streams (SOS) is to promote the preservation and restoration of our state's waters by providing an understanding of their ecological integrity.

Environmental Enforcement (EE) promotes compliance with the Solid Waste Management Act, Water Pollution Control Act, Groundwater Protection Act, Hazardous Waste Management Act, Underground Storage Tank Act, and Dam Safety Act by providing assistance, inspecting regulated sites, and enforcing conditions required by these acts.

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  • Above and Underground Storage Tanks

    The Tanks Unit within Environmental Enforcement is comprised of Corrective Action and Prevention staff overseeing aboveground, underground, leaking aboveground, and leaking underground storage tanks.

  • Complaints

    Use this online form to file a complaint involving dam safety, underground storage tanks, hazardous waste, or water/waste.

  • Dam Safety (Non-Coal)

    The mission of the Dam Safety Section is to protect lives and property from the danger of a dam failure.

  • Hazardous Waste

    The hazardous waste (HW) section with Environmental Enforcement promotes compliance by providing assistance and/or enforcing regulatory requirements of hazardous waste generators and hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facilities

  • Spills

    In the event of an emergency, a spill or an accidential discharge, immediately call 1-800-642-3074

  • Water and Waste

    The Water and Waste (WW) section within Environmental Enforcement promotes compliance by providing assistance and / or enforcing permit conditions required of municipalities, solid waste facilities, industry and the public.

The permitting section of the Division of Water and Waste Management is a majory regulatory arm of the agency that manages all non-mining water permits, solid waste permits and hazardous waste permits.

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  • Hazardous Waste Permitting

    Anyone in West Virginia who is constructing, operating, modifying or closing a hazardous waste treatment, storage, or disposal facility must apply and receive a hazardous waste permit.

  • RCRA Hazardous Waste

    The Hazardous Waste Management Program has the primary responsibility of regulating the management of hazardous waste within the state.

  • Solid Waste Facilities Permitting

    The Solid Waste Unit is reponsible for ensuring that all appropriate solid waste facilities hold valid permits for the department to install, establish, construct, operate or close said facilities within the State of West Virginia.

  • Solid Waste Program

    Overview of the solid waste program within DWWM.

The permitting section of the Division of Water and Waste Management is a majory regulatory arm of the agency that manages all non-mining water permits, solid waste permits and hazardous waste permits.

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  • General NPDES Permits

    The Division of Water and Waste Management implements programs to control surface water pollution caused by point source discharges of wastewater from public and private sewage collection and treatment systems, industrial wastewater treatment facilities, and municipal and industrial landfills.

  • Individual NPDES Permits

    Facilities that discharge wastewater to receiving waters in West Virginia must apply for a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit for that discharge.

  • NPDES Discharge Monitoring Reporting

    After a facility receives an NPDES permit, the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP) requires the permittee to submit Discharge Monitoring Report (DMR) information.

  • Stream Disturbances Permit Guidance

    This booklet is for informational purposes only and provides a brief overview of the various permits or certifications required before land disturbing work is conducted in and around West Virginia streams and wetlands.

  • Non-Mining Underground Injection Control Permits

    The Underground Injection Control (UIC) program is designed to ensure that fluids injected underground will not endanger drinking water sources. The Division of Water and Waste Management regulates non-mining Class 5 injection wells.

  • Septic Tank Seal Registration

    Septic Tank Registration Seal Fees are required by any person/company who obtains a small sewage disposal installation permit.

  • Stormwater Permitting

    The Stormwater Permit Team administers all stormwater related General Permits.

  • Water Permitting

    Non-mining water permits, solid waste permits and hazardous waste permits.

Below is a subset of the programs overseen by the Division of Water and Waste Management. Explore additional Water and Waste programs.

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  • Chesapeake Bay Program

    Since 2002, West Virginia has been a formal partner in the Chesapeake Bay cleanup.

  • Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF)

    The Clean Water State Revolving Fund program is a funding program to address water quality problems through wastewater facility construction, upgrades, or expansions.

  • Groundwater/Underground Injection Control (UIC)

    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.

  • Laboratory Quality Assurance Program

    The Laboratory Quality Assurance Program (LQAP) is responsible for accrediting environmental laboratories to ensure that the data generated for covered statutory program purposes is accurate, reproducible, and verifiable

  • Nonpoint Source (NPS) Program

    Nonpoint Source (NPS) Program coordinates multi-agency and non-government organizations efforts to address nonpoint pollution

  • Water Quality Standards

    Water Quality Standards (Standards) are the foundation of the water quality based control program mandated by the Clean Water Act

  • Water Use

    Water Use information on the quantity and use of state surface and groundwater resources.

  • Watershed Management

    To establish a method to tackle these remaining problems managements must come together to better understand the interactions between the environmental components and the actions that can be taken by all towards the goal of ecosystem integrity.

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.

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