Source Water Wellhead Protection

Enforcement Actions

The DEQ undertakes enforcement actions to preserve safe environmental conditions throughout Wyoming. 

This page contains information on the enforcement actions that the Water Quality Division may undertake, as well as a record of enforcement actions that have been undertaken by WQD.

If the download box is not working below, please click here.

Electronic Documents Submittal

Electronic document submittal is available for WQD permit applications, reports, and other communications.
Visit:  WDEQ Water Quality Division Downloads

You do NOT need to follow up the electronic submission with a hard copy submission unless you are specifically contacted by a WQD staff person with a request to do so.

Need to report a spill or complaint? Please visit https://deqspills.wyo.gov/home

Submitting a public comment? WQD is unable to accept public notice comments through this system. Refer to the public notice document for instructions on how to submit comments or visit https://wq.wyomingdeq.commentinput.com/comment/search.

NOTICE: All applications for water distribution systems and/or sewage collection systems that are within the Cheyenne Board of Public Utilities (BOPU) district shall be submitted to the BOPU for approval. Contact Frank Strong or Bryce Dorr at (307) 637-6460, ENGreview@cheyennebopu.org, or http://cheyennebopu.org for additional information.

Recent General Permit Authorizations

The DEQ Water Quality Division accepts comments on all permits authorized under a general permit for a period of 30 days, as provided for in W.S. 35-11-801(d).

Interested persons may mail or fax comments to the main Cheyenne office. The ‘Date’ column in the table below indicates the date the authorization was posted to the website. Comments must be received before 5:00 pm on the 30th day after the authorization was posted to the website. For example, comments for an authorization posted on 10/1/18 must be received by 5:00 p.m. on 10/31/18. DEQ does not accept emailed comments.

You may sort the table by posting date or search for the type of general permit, the county where the permit was issued, the permit number, or the name of the person or company to whom the permit was issued.

If you wish to review the general permit documents, please go to the web page for each permitting program:

If the download box is not working below, please click here.

Proposed Rules and Regulations

Water Quality Rules Chapter 12

The Wyoming Environmental Quality Council will consider proposed revisions to the
Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality Water Quality Rules Chapter 12, Design and Construction Standards for Public Water Supplies, Docket 22-3103, at a hearing to be held on November 15, 2022 in the Capitol Extension Public Meeting Room 5, Herschler Building, 122 W. 25th Street, Cheyenne, WY, 82002, starting at 9:00 a.m. (MST). The revisions include new requirements for public water supplies that propose well acidization, updates to water treatment technologies, and the incorporation by reference of the Recommended Standards for Water Works, 2018 Edition. More information is available at: https://eqc.wyo.gov/Public/Pleadings.aspx?DocketId=4336

Water Quality Rules Chapter 3

The Department of Environmental Quality has revised Water Quality Rules, Chapter 3, Regulations for Permit to Construct, Install or Modify Public Water Supplies,
Wastewater Facilities, Disposal Systems, Biosolids Management Facilities, Treated
Wastewater Reuse Systems and Other Facilities Capable of Causing or Contributing to Pollution.

The Environmental Quality Council adopted the revised rules at a public hearing located at the Capitol Extension Public Meeting Room 5, Herschler Building, 122 W. 25th Street, Cheyenne, Wyoming on June 14, 2022. The final rule was filed with the Wyoming Secretary of State on August 19, 2022.

Electronic copies of the rule are available from the Secretary of State at rules.wyo.gov , under “Current Rules,” “Environmental Quality, Dept of (020),” “Water Quality,” “Chapter 3.”

Water Quality Rules Chapter 29

The Department of Environmental Quality has created a new rule: Water Quality Rules Chapter 29, Geologic Sequestration Special Revenue Account Requirements.

The Environmental Quality Council adopted the new rule at a public hearing located at the Capitol Extension Public Meeting Room 5, Herschler Building, 122 W. 25th Street, Cheyenne, Wyoming on June 14, 2022. The final rule was filed with the Wyoming Secretary of State on August 19, 2022.

Electronic copies of the rule are available from the Secretary of State at rules.wyo.gov, under “Current Rules,” “Environmental Quality, Dept of (020),” “Water Quality,” “Chapter 29.”

Rules and Regulations

All official Wyoming State Rules and Regulations are kept at the Wyoming Secretary of State’s Office. Click here to view all current Rules and Regulations.

Source Water Wellhead Protection

The Source Water and Wellhead Protection Program is a tool to protect water supplies from contamination.

Source Water Assessments
Wyoming provided 385 public water supplies with source water assessments in 2004. Each assessment provided the public water supply with the following information:

Delineation

DEQ determined the area that contributes water to the well or surface water intake. DEQ calls this area the source water area.
Inventory.  DEQ conducted an inventory of potential sources of contamination within the source water area that may affect the water supply.

Susceptibility Analysis

DEQ conducted an analysis of the located potential sources of contamination. This analysis identified the potential contaminant sources with the greatest likelihood of affecting the water supply.

Assessment Report

DEQ produced a report summarizing all the information gained during the assessment. The reports contain maps of the source water area, lists of major potential sources of contamination, and summaries of the susceptibility analyses.  To obtain a copy of an assessment report conducted in 2004, please submit a public records request.

Source Water Protection Plans

The Wyoming Wellhead Protection Guidance Document describes the process of developing a wellhead protection plan in detail.  This same document can also guide a public water system or homeowner through the development of a surface water, wellfield, or aquifer protection plan using the same basic steps.

Source Water Protection Benefits
  • Prevent Contamination. Knowing what sources of contamination may affect your water supply gives you a chance to prevent or minimize contamination. Finding and developing new sources of water is increasingly difficult and expensive, so the most effective thing to do is to protect your current water supply.

  • Better Planning.  Emergency response plans, new water supply development plans, and city and county planning efforts will need the best information possible to make good planning decisions.

  • Minimize Treatment and Monitoring Costs. Several Safe Drinking Water Act rules require additional treatment or monitoring when contaminants are present in the source water.  Public water supplies may avoid or minimize treatment or chemical cost increases, requirements to add new treatment facilities, or requirements to monitor more frequently or for more contaminants.
Contact

Please contact us with any questions you have about the Water and Wastewater Section.  

Water and Wastewater Section Manager:

  • Keenan Hendon
    Tel 307-777-7075, email: keenan.hendon2@wyo.gov

Water and Wastewater Construction Permitting:

  • Bradley Ellis, P.E.- Northeast District Engineer
    Tel 307-473-3469, email: bradley.ellis@wyo.gov
  • Dale Lee, P.E -Assistant Northeast District Engineer
    Tel 307-675-5640, email: dale.lee@wyo.gov
  • James Brough, P.E. – Northwest District Engineer
    Tel 307-335-6961, email: james.brough@wyo.gov
  • Dennis Lewis, P.E. – Southeast District Engineer
    Tel 307-777-7088, email: dennis.lewis@wyo.gov
  • Jason Fernandez, P.E. - Assistant Southeast District Engineer
    Tel 307-777-7388, email: jason.fernandez4@wyo.gov
  • Mark Baron, P.E. – Southwest District Engineer
    Tel 307-335-6962, email: mark.baron@wyo.gov

State Revolving Loan Fund (SRF):

  • Stan Miller, SRF Principal Engineer  
    Tel 307-777-6371, email: stanley.miller@wyo.gov
  • Shawn King, SRF Project Manager  
    Tel 307-777-6941, email: shawn.king2@wyo.gov 

Oil and Gas Produced Water Treatment and Disposal:

  • Dennis Lamb, P.G., Principal
    Tel 307-473-3452, email: dennis.lamb@wyo.gov
  • Hannes Stueckler, P.E.  
    Tel 307-777-6941, email: hannes.stueckler@wyo.gov

Operator Certification:

  • Kim Parker
    Tel 307-777-6128, email: kim.parker@wyo.gov

Enforcement:

Anthony Rivers
Tel 307-777-6183, email: anthony.rivers@wyo.gov

Guidance Documents

Groundwater Protection Fact Sheets:

2004 Source Water Assessment Documents:

Wellhead Protection Guidance Document

Helpful Links

EPA Source Water Protection

Know Your Well

Private Well Class  The Private Well Class is designed to help a homeowner better understand how to properly care for their water well, to ensure their water remains safe to drink. By understanding the basic science of water wells and following best practices to maintain and protect water supplies, this class will provide a homeowner the tools need to ensure a safe water supply and help extend the life of the well.