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What is the "Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TPDES)"?

Regulatory program to control discharges of pollutants to surface waters. Texas assumed the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) September 14, 1998.

The State of Texas assumed the authority to administer the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program in Texas on September 14, 1998. NPDES is a federal regulatory program to control discharges of pollutants to surface waters of the United States. The TCEQ Texas Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (TPDES) program now has federal regulatory authority over discharges of pollutants to Texas surface water.

On January 15, 2021, TCEQ received authority from EPA to administer discharges of certain waste streams (including hydrostatic test water) associated with crude oil and natural gas operations, which were previously regulated by the Railroad Commission of Texas .