TPDES General Permit vs. Individual Permit for Construction Discharges: When the Standard Permit Is Not Enough

Which general permits cover construction discharges?

Three general permits do most of the work on a Texas job site. Each covers a different kind of water, and each has its own conditions. TCEQ's general permits page lists them:

• TXR150000, the Construction General Permit: stormwater from construction, plus listed non-stormwater flows and dewatering.
• TXG670000, the hydrostatic test water permit: test water from pipelines, tanks and similar vessels.
• TXG830000, the petroleum contaminated water permit: discharges of water contaminated by petroleum substances.

The first question is not "general or individual." It is "which general permit, if any, describes this water?" Our post on the Construction General Permit, TXR150000, covers the stormwater side in detail.

Is construction dewatering covered by the Construction General Permit?

Yes, when the water is uncontaminated and the controls are in place. The current Construction General Permit, TXR150000, runs through March 5, 2028. It allows a short list of non-stormwater discharges (Part II, Section A.3), including:

• uncontaminated groundwater or spring water, including foundation and footing drains;
• potable water sources, including waterline flushings, but not hyperchlorinated water unless it is first dechlorinated;
• uncontaminated fire hydrant flushings, on the same chlorine terms.

Dewatering of trenches and excavations is prohibited unless sediment and erosion controls are in place (Part IV, Section C). Permittee personnel must observe and evaluate those controls once a day on days when dewatering discharges occur (Part III, Section F.7).

The key word is "uncontaminated." Groundwater pumped near a former fuel station or industrial site may carry more than sediment, and the CGP does not cover that. Test before you pump to a creek.

Where does hydrostatic test water fit?

It has its own general permit, with its own limits. TXG670000 covers test water from new vessels, potable and raw water vessels, elemental gas vessels and petroleum or natural gas vessels. Hyperchlorinated water from potable water vessels is held to 0.10 mg/L total residual chlorine (Part III, Section A.1).

The permit also says when it stops. Test water made from domestic wastewater or reclaimed water, pre-test cleaning water and pigging material are excluded (Part II, Section B). For an ineligible discharge, the discharger must get an individual permit or other general permit coverage before discharging (Part II, Section B.8).

What pushes a construction discharge into an individual permit?

Water quality and the receiving stream, more than size. Both the CGP and TXG670000 name the triggers. Under the CGP, a discharge that would cause or contribute to a water quality standards violation is not eligible (Part II, Section C.3). Under Part II, Section H.3, the executive director may require an individual permit because of:

• the conditions of an approved TMDL or TMDL implementation plan on the receiving water;
• a discharge that causes, or may cause, a water quality violation or loss of a designated use;
• the operator's noncompliance with TCEQ rules, orders or permits, including unpaid fees.

TXG670000 adds its own limits (Part II, Section B). New discharges of a pollutant of concern to an impaired water are out, and so are discharges that would harm a listed species. The executive director may also require an individual permit if a discharge will not maintain existing uses of the receiving water (Part II, Section B.5). Edwards Aquifer sites carry additional requirements under 30 TAC Chapter 213.

How long does an individual permit take?

Long enough that it has to be on the schedule from the start. The CGP says an individual permit application for construction stormwater must be submitted at least 330 days before construction begins to ensure timely authorization (Part II, Section H.1). That is TCEQ's published lead time, not a promise of when any permit issues.

An individual permit is reviewed site by site under 30 TAC Chapter 305, with technical review and public notice. Learn more about that process in our post on municipal TPDES individual permits.

What does a late discovery cost the schedule?

The discharge stops, and everything that depends on it stops too. A main cannot go into service without its test. A utility trench cannot advance while the water in it has nowhere to go.

The fix after the fact is rarely only a permit. It can include idle crews, holding or hauling water, and enforcement exposure for anything already released. The way to avoid it is to list every discharge the project will make, by phase, and check each one against a general permit during design.

Limits of this article: this is general education on TXR150000 (2023) and TXG670000 (2025) as of October 2026. It is not an eligibility determination for any site. If a discharge may fall outside a general permit, confirm the path with TCEQ early.

Frequently asked questions

Does every construction discharge in Texas need a permit?

A discharge to water in the state needs authorization, and for most construction water that is a general permit. Some routes need no TCEQ discharge permit, such as hauling test water to an authorized facility or sending it to a sewer with the utility's approval.

Can a large discharge still use a general permit?

Size alone is not the test in TXG670000 or the CGP's dewatering section. Quality, the receiving water and the permit's exclusions decide eligibility. Size still drives rate control and erosion.

What general permit covers petroleum contaminated water?

TCEQ lists TXG830000 for discharges of water contaminated by petroleum substances. Check its eligibility terms for your site before relying on it.

I'm a developer in Central Texas and our trench dewatering will discharge to a creek listed as impaired for bacteria. Does that change our permit path?

It can. The CGP does not authorize new discharges of a pollutant of concern to an impaired water (Part II, Section C.4), and a TMDL on the receiving water is a named trigger for an individual permit (Part II, Section H.3). Check the creek's listing and TMDL status, then talk to TCEQ early.

I'm a contractor and our site is on an old industrial tract where the groundwater has never been tested. Can we pump excavation water to the storm drain under our SWPPP?

Only if it is uncontaminated, which you cannot know without testing. Sample before the first pump runs. If the water is not clean, it needs another authorization or another disposal route.

Related resources

• Hydrostatic Test Water: What Texas Developers and Contractors Need to Know Before Discharge
• Does Test Water Volume Trigger a Different Permit Tier? What TXG670000 Actually Requires for Pipeline Tests
• Industrial TPDES vs. TLAP: Which Wastewater Permit Path Fits Your Texas Facility?
• Discharging to a Storm Drain vs. Sanitary Sewer: Why Texas Contractors Get It Wrong on Pipeline and Tank Projects

Not sure your construction discharge fits a general permit?

We list every discharge a project will make, check each against the right TPDES permit during design, and prepare the individual permit where one is needed.

We specialize in:

• TPDES discharge permit applications
• SWPPPs and erosion and sediment control plans
• Hydrostatic test water discharge planning
• Water and sewer utility design
• Construction administration for Texas land development
• Wastewater engineering for Texas developments

Modern Engineering Solutions, McKinney, Texas. Contact: (214) 833-6748 or mod-eng.com