Data Quality Assurance

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.

Data Quality Assurance

The Data Quality Assurance Program oversees all sections in the Water Quality Division. The underlying goal is to ensure that all environmental data (e.g., field-collected data, scientific literature) aligns with standard scientific methods, state statutes, and federal regulations for defensible decision-making. These objectives are accomplished by establishing QA/QC procedures, developing guidance and policy, and providing training and audits to ensure data credibility and compliance with state and/or federal requirements.

About QA/QC

Each year, federal, state, private and public groups or agencies, industry, academic researchers and interested citizen organizations spend increasing amounts of time and money on water quality monitoring, data analyses and interpretation.

In order for the information gathered to be useful to other interested parties and to be used for an accurate, cost-effective and efficient assessment of water quality, all monitoring data must come from comparable project design, methods (including QA/QC), analyses and interpretation.

Establishing Consistency

Collaboration among water quality monitoring programs and organizations is possible if there is a technical and administrative framework to promote data comparability and to assure data of known quality. In addition, environmental issues and related data operations are becoming increasingly complex.

Existing and anticipated environmental decision-making objectives drive the need to establish a systematic process and structure. Establishing these characteristics will ensure the data quality and consistency that decision-makers must have if they are to have confidence in the data that supports their decisions. 

Environmental Data

Environmental data include any measurements or information that help describe:

  • Environmental processes, location, and conditions
  • Ecological and human health effects
  • The performance of environmental technology 
  • Information collected directly from measurements

Environmental data quality assurance and quality control are achieved by adhering to established methods, procedures, and techniques.

Contact

Jillian Scott
WQD QA Officer
307-777-6372
 jillian.scott@wyo.gov

Guidance Documents

This page contains a variety of downloadable Guidance documents that contain important information on Data Quality Assurance procedures and policies.

If you are unable to open the documents below, click here.

QAPPs

This page contains downloadable versions of Water Quality Division Quality Assurance Program Plans (QAPPs).

These documents include important information that establishes the degree of state-defined data credibility. Included are explanations of a variety of program/project requirements, procedures, and instructions.

SAPs

This page contains downloadable versions of Water Quality Division Sampling and Analysis Plans (SAPs).

These documents are project-specific guides and references for field sampling personnel regarding methods used to collect, evaluate, and validate water quality data using standard QA/QC procedures.

Reports

This page contains current and previous years’ Quality Assurance/Quality Control Annual Reports.

These documents contain information on activities which were conducted for Quality Assurance/Quality Control during the listed year.

The 2022 WQD Data Quality Assurance Program Annual Report is available in an ArcGIS Story Map format and can be accessed here.

Standard Operating Procedures

This page contains downloadable standard operating procedures with important information for practicing correct methods, procedures, and techniques. Adhering to these practices helps ensure environmental data quality and quality control.