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.
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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.
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:
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The Water Quality Division will present proposed revisions to Water Quality Rules Chapter 1, Wyoming Surface Water Quality Standards; and Chapter 2, Permit Regulations for Discharges to Wyoming Surface Waters to the Water and Waste Advisory Board at their December 12, 2024 meeting, starting at 9:00 a.m. The proposed revisions to Chapter 1 (1) fulfill the federal requirements at 40 CFR § 131.20, (2) restructure and align requirements with state law and federal law, regulations, and guidance; (3) revise designated uses and remove the designated use classification system; and (4) provide minor updates to specific water quality criteria. The proposed revisions to Chapter 2 (1) update references to the designated use classification system to reflect proposed revisions to Chapter 1; and (2) incorporate provisions related to fish toxicants, aquatic pesticides, and short-term sediment disturbance that Water Quality Division proposes to move from Chapter 1 to Chapter 2. More information is available at: http://deq.wyoming.gov/shwd/wwab/ under the “Upcoming Meeting” tab
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.
The DEQ received a complaint and a request to investigate two septic systems in the Hoback Junction Area on February 10, 2020 to determine if these facilities required permitting through the WDEQ Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program.
The WDEQ in conjunction with Teton County conducted inspections of the two facilities and determined that one facility did not require a WDEQ UIC permit, and the second facility would require a UIC permit and had a non-permitted discharge to groundwater. The WDEQ worked with the landowner to remove the unpermitted discharge, and worked with the landowner to bring the facility into compliance with permitting requirements.
Subsequent to the facility inspection, the WDEQ received a second complaint and request for investigation on June 16, 2020 to investigate the cause of groundwater contamination in the Hoback Junction Area. The complaint specifically requested that the DEQ investigate and determine the cause(s) of nitrates in groundwater supplying local public and private water supply wells exceeding the EPA maximum contaminant level of 10 mg/L.
The study area is shown on the “Study Area” figure. The study area encompasses properties proximal to the Hoback Junction Area, including a subdivision immediately south of the Hoback River.
The scope of work for the Hoback Junction Area Investigation can be downloaded here.
Questions regarding the working groups can be directed to Lily Barkau at lily.barkau@wyo.gov or 307-777-7072.
To date, the working group has been compiling available information for the Hoback Junction Area, including but not limited to, geology, hyrdoegology, land uses, well information, and water quality data in order to develop a CSM. The CSM is a functional understanding of the area, and the contamination sources and extent. The Working Group has developed a draft outline of the information currently considered for inclusion in the CSM and can be downloaded here.
Questions regarding the CSM can be directed to Nicole Twing at nicole.twing@wyo.gov or 307-777-8275
The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), Teton County, and the Teton Conservation District hosted a virtual meeting on July 8, 2021 at 6:30 pm to discuss the ongoing investigation into the Hoback Junction area nitrate levels. Meeting topics included project background, scope of work, ongoing work, and associated challenges. A recording of the virtual public meeting can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/AFehFT-Fbp0
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