Water Pollution Control Program

The Water Pollution Control Program is responsible for administering the Virgin Islands’ Territorial Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TPDES) which regulates the discharge of pollutants into waters of the Virgin Islands. Pursuant to 12 V.I.C. Section 185, all discharges into waters of the Virgin Islands require a permit. This program is administered per Title 12 Chapter 7 of the Virgin Islands Code, and the Federal Clean Water Act. The Program administers individual permits and general permits. Applicants are required to apply for new or renewal permits at least 180 days before the intended date of commencing discharging or before the existing permit expires.

Most human activity produces a waste stream. Many of the US Virgin Islands’ essential industries and services operate under the TPDES Program. Establishments that produce fresh water from seawater (hotels, power plants and residences), manufacturers, refineries and power generation plants are just a few types of facilities producing waste streams that must be regulated to minimize harmful effects to coastal waters.

Such facilities must comply with site-specific discharge limits for turbidity, suspended solids, temperature and other factors or face enforcement actions and/or fines. These discharge limits are set to minimize impacts to the waters of the US Virgin Islands and to guarantee the long-term health and safety of not only the Territory’s people but also the coastal/marine environment. Facilities must obtain permits and must provide periodic reports on their discharge in order to comply with the TPDES program. DPNR-DEP also monitors the waters near these discharges as part of the Ambient Monitoring Program.