Water Regulation in Mississippi

The Mississippi Water Resources Law, Miss. Code Ann. § 51-3-1 et seq., establishes that the state will control and develop beneficial water use by effective and efficient management.  The Mississippi Individual Onsite Wastewater Systems Law, Miss Code Ann. § 41-67-1 et seq., established controls for implementing individual and community wastewater systems. The Mississippi Safe Drinking Water Act of 1997, Miss. Code Ann. § 41-26-1 et seq., is Mississippi's version of the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act.

MDEQ issues permits for and regulates many types of wastewater, including process Wastewater (wastewater that comes in direct contact with or results from the production or use of any raw material, intermediate product, finished product, byproduct, waste product, or wastewater), non-contact cooling water, sanitary water, boiler blow-down water, storm water, animal waste water, aquaculture, mining, and others.  MDEQ also issues permits to and regulates any existing stationary source that is intends to discharge wastewater from existing operations to waters of the U.S.  Similarly, MDEQ issues permits and regulates any new "Greenfield" stationary source that intends to discharge process wastewater to waters of the U.S.  MDEQ issues another permit for a new or existing stationary source that intends to discharge only non-process wastewater.  A New "Greenfield" or existing stationary source that only intends to discharge storm water associated with an industrial activity to waters of the U.S. is issued a different permit.  Another permit covers any new "Greenfield" or existing stationary source that intends to discharge wastewater to a POTW   Finally, any new "Greenfield" or existing stationary source that intends to treat wastewater but not discharge it to waters of the U.S. or a POTW is issued a permit, as well.