The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will hold two public stakeholder meetings in May to collect public comments on proposed National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) water quality permits. Meetings will be held May 20 in the DNR Water Supply Office in the Wallace State Office Building, 502 East Ninth St. in Des Moines, in the second floor conference room 2N.

A meeting from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. will discuss a potential general wastewater permit for hydrostatic test water, underground storage tank ballast water, and potable water line testing discharges (General Permit Number 8). A second meeting from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. will cover a potential general wastewater permit for dewatering and household geothermal discharges (General Permit Number 9).

If issued, General Permit 8 would authorize discharges resulting from hydrostatic testing, which is a process that uses water to verify that a container, like a pipe or tank, will not leak when put into service. The permit would also authorize discharges from underground storage tank ballasting, where water is used to weigh down a tank at installation, and from potable water line testing.

General Permit 9, if issued, would authorize discharge of wastewater from excavation and groundwater dewatering activities. It would also authorize discharges to waters of the United States from residential open-loop geothermal systems.

Both permits will establish eligibility requirements and best management practices to ensure discharges meet state water quality standards. People may make oral or written comments at the public meetings, or can submit written comments through May 27th to Julie Faas, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, 502 E. Ninth Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0034; fax at 515-725-8202; or by email, including the commenter’s name, to Julie.Faas@dnr.iowa.gov.