DEQ’s Water Quality Divisions ensure the state’s surface, ground, and drinking water resources meet state water quality standards. The divisions’ major duties include the following:

• Adopting water quality standards to protect public health and meet the requirements of the federal Clean Water Act.
• Certifying that projects requiring federal permits or licenses will not violate water quality standards.
• Monitoring, assessing, and reporting on surface water quality.
• Working with community, industry, and citizen groups to develop and implement water quality improvement plans.
• Providing grants for water quality improvement activities.
• Working with public health districts to ensure public drinking water systems meet state requirements.
• Protecting ground water from pollution and cleaning up degraded ground water to support beneficial uses.
• Providing guidance for managing storm water discharges.
• Establishing standards for treating and disposing of wastewater managed by septic systems that are not served by public sewer systems.
• Issuing wastewater reuse permits, establish wastewater reuse limits, provide technical assistance, conduct inspections, and enforce permits.