The Bureau of Ground Water, Residuals, and Permit Administration (BGRPA) consists of four primary programs: Ground Water Permitting, Residuals Management, Permit Administration, and Treatment Work Approval (TWA) Permitting.

The Ground Water Permitting program ensures that any facilities discharging pollutants to ground waters of the State require a New Jersey Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NJPDES) Discharge to Ground Water (DGW) permit. The state rule that sets forth the requirements on eligibility, procedures for obtaining, and general conditions for maintaining a NJPDES DGW permit are in N.J.A.C. 7:14A. The goal of the NJPDES DGW permitting program is to restore, enhance and maintain the ground water quality of New Jersey. This goal is achieved pursuant to the WPCA and the Ground Water Quality Standards (GWQS), which can be found at N.J.A.C. 7:9C et seq. The GWQS designate ground water classifications throughout the state, designated uses, and ground water quality criteria and constituent standards.

The Ground Water Permitting program is also responsible for administering the Onsite Wastewater Management program which maintains the regulations governing low volume residential and commercial onsite wastewater treatment systems, commonly called septic systems. These regulations, the Standards for Individual Subsurface Sewage Disposal Systems (N.J.A.C. 7:9A) contain requirements for the proper design, construction, and operation of systems to protect public health and the environment. This program is coordinated with, and implemented through, the local health departments. The program is committed to improving New Jersey’s water quality and protecting human health and the environment and both improving and promoting local septic management.

The Residuals Management program is responsible for regulating the residual management activities of domestic and industrial treatment works. The program regulates certain entities that accept residual from residual generators for the purpose of transportation, storage, transfer processing and/or ultimate management. Unit responsibilities include oversight of New Jersey’s Sludge Quality Assurance Regulations (SQAR, N.J.A.C. 7:14C), the Standards for the Use and Disposal of Residuals (NJPDES, N.J.A.C. 7:14A-20), and the Statewide Sludge Management Plan. The program also regulates the land application of food processing vegetative waste and food processing residuals.

The Permit Administration program provides information management services and administrative support to the NJPDES program, as well as other programs implemented through the Division of Water Quality’s Water Pollution Management Element (WPME). Specific functions performed by the Permit Administration program include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Administrative review of all NJPDES permit and TWA applications/forms
• Issuance of certain NJPDES permit actions (e.g. construction stormwater permit authorizations, permit transfer modifications, etc…)
• Information systems support for the NJPDES program (e.g. NJDEP Online services, NJEMS, PEGA, etc…)
• NJPDES data administration and reporting
• USEPA/NJDEP database coordination
• Administration of the NJPDES Fee program

The TWA Permitting program regulates the construction and operation of industrial and domestic wastewater collection, conveyance and treatment facilities, including treatment plants, pumping stations, interceptors, sewer mains and other collection, holding and conveyance systems. This program is aimed at protecting the waters of the state by preventing the entry of increased pollutants from inadequate facilities. In addition, this program administers the Capacity Assurance and Sewer Ban programs.

The Bureau of Environmental, Engineering and Permitting (BEEP) is responsible for the planning and design review of projects that are pursuing funding through the New Jersey Water Bank.

The Environmental Review Section conducts environmental and cultural resource impact assessments of all projects receiving financing under any of the programs administered by the Municipal Finance and Construction Element to ensure compliance with applicable state and federal environmental and cultural resource laws. The conclusions of this review process are communicated to interested and affected parties and to the general public by issuance of an Environmental Decision Document that summarizes project conditions, anticipated impacts, and necessary mitigating measures. Assistance is provided to address environmental concerns during the construction phase on an as-needed basis.

The Engineering Review Section reviews projects in the planning and design phases to ensure that funded projects meet all federal and state requirements, and that all required permits and approvals are obtained. It also provides overall project management and coordinates with other agencies to ensure those program requirements are met. Guidance is provided to applicants to facilitate timely funding in order to achieve water quality improvement objectives.

The Payment section of this bureau monitors policies and the financial integrity for the following programs: New Jersey Water Bank (NJWB) which includes federal and state bond act monies, the Pinelands Infrastructure Fund, and the Sewage Infrastructure Improvement Act Program (SIIAP).

The Construction Management Section of this bureau also assures the integrity of the construction and initial operational phases of projects funded through NJWB, The Pinelands Infrastructure Fund, Applicable Federal Grants and the Sewerage Infrastructure Improvement Act program. The section assists both public and private funded entities.

The administration section of this Bureau develops and finalizes the NJEIFP’s Clean Water Priority System, Intended Use Plan and Project Priority List and keep the program’s comprehensive project list up-to-date.

This Bureau is also responsible for the preparation of the State Revolving Fund (SRF) Capitalization Grant applications and SRF Annual Reports, coordination with EPA in negotiating grants, preparation of financing program rule proposals/adoptions, and the preparation of various communications documents such as press releases and advisories. In addition, the Bureau administers the Clean Watersheds Needs Survey (CWNS) for the State of New Jersey that collects wastewater and storm water infrastructure improvement needs and needs for the non-point source pollution control projects in the state and report to the EPA national database. The information is than presented in a report to congress every four years.