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1. What is the difference between an approval and a permit?

An approval allows a new water or wastewater treatment facility, reclaimed water facility, or reuse water system to be constructed, or an existing facility or system to be modified. A permit allows a facility or system to be operated.

For example, when the engineering plan review process for a new water treatment plant project is completed an Approval to Construct certificate is issued to allow the construction of the plant to commence. After construction of the water treatment plant is completed an Approval of Construction certificate is issued and the treatment plant is allowed to be operated as stipulated by the conditions of its permit. For more information, please call 602-506-1069.

2. What types of approvals are issued by the Water and Wastewater Treatment Program?

The following types of approvals are issued by the Water and Wastewater Treatment Program:
- Approval to Construct and Approval of Construction
- Approval of Proposed Plan
- Approval to Transfer Ownership
- Approval to Decommission and Approval Of Decommissioning

For more information, please call 602-506-1069.

3. When is an approval required?

An approval must be obtained for a water or wastewater treatment facility, reclaimed water facility or system or reuse water system when:
- An existing facility or system is to be decommissioned
- An existing facility or system is to be modified and the modification affects the capacity, quality, flow, location or operational performance of the facility or system
- An existing facility's or system's ownership is to be transferred
- A new facility or system is to be constructed
- A new or revised plan for a facility or system is being proposed

For more information, please call 602-506-1069.

4. How are approvals made?

Approvals are made on a case-by-case basis depending on the characteristics of a particular project. When a project is initially submitted for approval it is reviewed by Water and Wastewater Treatment Program engineering staff. Find issues on which the review is primarily focused.

5. What are approval certificates?

Approval certificates are issued as the formal approval document for a project. The certificates specify the approval, listing any restrictions and stipulating any conditions of the approval.

The Water and Wastewater Treatment Program issues several different types of approval certificates as follows:
- Approval To Construct with Stipulations - Issued after the engineering design review is complete and prior to the start of construction of or modifications to the facility or system.
- Interim Approval To Construct with Stipulations - Issued after the engineering design review is complete and prior to the start of construction or modifications being made to the facility or system. This is a special case of an Approval To Construct that is usually issued so that equipment may be pre-purchased or construction may be completed in phases for time constrained projects.
- Approval to Commence Operations with Stipulations - Issued after construction is complete to allow start-up of a facility or system to commence. This approval is usually issued for a facility or system which utilizes a complex treatment process or system that is required to be validated prior to the facility or system being placed into full operation.
- Approval of Construction with Stipulations - Final approval after construction is complete, start-up and validation testing is complete, an Engineer's Certificate of Completion has been submitted, as-built design drawings have been submitted, an Operations and Maintenance manual has been submitted and approved, and all Approval to Construct and/or Interim Approval to Construct stipulations have been satisfied.
- Approval of Blending Plan with Stipulations - Issued for blending plans which do not involve construction.
- Approval to Proceed with Stipulations - Issued to allow implementation of a proposed plan to proceed. For some plans an authorization letter may be issued in lieu of an Approval to Proceed certificate.
- Approval to Transfer Ownership - Issued as a letter authorizing transfer of ownership of the facility or system.
- Approval to Decommission with Stipulations - Issued after the engineering design review is complete and prior to the start of demolition of the facility or system.
- Approval of Decommissioning with Stipulations - Final approval after demolition is complete, demolition test reports, water quality analyses and remediation reports have been submitted, an Engineer's Certificate of Completion has been submitted and all Approval To Decommission stipulations have been satisfied. This approval may be issued as a letter acknowledging the closure of the facility or system.

The particular approval certificate that is issued will depend on the type of project being approved and whether or not a phased approval is being implemented. For more information, please call 602-506-1069.

6. Why are there stipulations on the approval certificates?

Restrictions and conditions related to an approval are listed as stipulations on an approval certificate. Stipulations are approval specific and are requirements in addition to the requirements of the rules and regulations governing water or wastewater treatment facilities, reclaimed water facilities or reuse water systems.

Stipulations listed on an Approval to Construct, Interim Approval to Construct, Approval to Commence Operations or Approval to Decommission certificate must be completed before proceeding to the next step of the approval process.

Stipulations listed on an Approval of Construction, Approval of Blending Plan or Approval to Proceed certificate become the restrictions and conditions of the operating permit issued by the Maricopa County Environmental Services Department for a facility or system. For more information, please call 602-506-1069.

7. What other types of approvals and permits may be required by other regulatory agencies?

A number of other types of approvals and permits may be required for a particular project by other regulatory agencies. Find some of the other agencies that may require approvals and permits.

8. Will I need to submit copies of permits issued by other regulatory agencies?

The Water and Wastewater Treatment Program may require that copies of permits issued by other regulatory agencies be submitted prior to an approval certificate being issued. Since each project is unique, the exact permit submittal requirements will vary depending on the type of project and the complexity of the equipment and processes used at the facility or system.

For wastewater treatment facilities copies of the Aquifer Protection Permit (APP) and the Arizona Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (AZPDES) Permit issued by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality are usually required to be submitted prior to an Approval Of Construction certificate being issued.

For non-hazardous liquid waste (NHLW) facilities a copy of the Pretreatment Permit, issued by the owner of the sanitary sewer collection system into which the NHLW facility is discharging, is usually required to be submitted prior to an Approval Of Construction certificate being issued.

For reclaimed water facilities or reuse systems copies of the Reuse Permit issued by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and any Underground Storage Facility, Water Storage, and Recovery Well Permits issued by the Arizona Department of Water Resources are usually required to be submitted prior to an Approval Of Construction certificate being issued. For more information, please call 602-506-1069.

9. When can I start construction on my project?

Construction may commence once an Approval to Construct or Interim Approval to Construct certificate has been issued. For more information, please call 602-506-1069.

10. How long do I have before I must start construction of my project?

Construction must commence within 1 year after the date of issue of an Approval to Construct or Interim Approval to Construct certificate or else the certificate expires. For more information, please call 602-506-1069.

11. How long do I have to complete construction of my project?

Construction must be completed within 3 years after the date of issue of an Approval to Construct or Interim Approval to Construct certificate or else the certificate expires. For more information, please call 602-506-1069.

12. Is the approval still valid if construction of my project has been halted?

An Approval to Construct or Interim Approval to Construct certificate expires if construction of a project has been halted for more than 1 year. For more information, please call 602-506-1069.

13. Can I renew an expired approval certificate?

An expired Interim Approval to Construct, Approval to Construct or Approval to Decommission certificate can be renewed once within an 18 month period from its date of expiration provided the original design is unchanged.

A Request for Approval to Construct Water and/or Wastewater Treatment/Reuse Facilities application must be submitted with a check for the renewal fee. The renewal fee is equal to 1/2 the initial fee amount originally charged for the project. The renewal grants a 1 year extension from the date the certificate is renewed.

If an Interim Approval to Construct, Approval to Construct or Approval to Decommission certificate has expired and cannot be renewed because it was previously renewed or the design of the project has changed, then a new project approval must be obtained. For more information, please call 602-506-1069.

14. When can I start-up my facility or system?

The initial testing requirements for facilities or systems utilizing a simple treatment process are stipulated on the Approval to Construct certificate. If an Approval of Construction certificate has been issued, start-up and full operation of the facility or system may commence immediately. Otherwise, start-up of a facility or system will be governed by the initial testing requirements stipulated on the Approval to Commence Operations certificate.

Facilities or systems utilizing a complex treatment process require an approved start-up plan detailing the initial testing procedures and methodology. An Approval to Commence Operations certificate is issued to allow initial testing to proceed to validate the performance of the facility or system.

When initial testing is successfully completed an Approval of Construction certificate is issued and full operation of the facility or system may commence. For more information, please call 602-506-1069.