Regulator Entities - Iowa Great Lakes Sanitary District

Dickinson County Zoning and Environmental Health has control over private sewer system within Dickinson County. Properties that are within the jurisdiction of the County must follow the requirements of the County for private/onsite sewer systems. The county has requirements for connection for properties within a specific distance of a public sewer system. To learn more about the county regulations, visit their site, Dickinson County Zoning and Environmental Health.

DNR

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is the state agency that provides the permit for wastewater management and discharge. The permit is a granted to the Iowa Great Lakes Sanitary District every five years. The last permit renewal was in 2015. The requirements of that permit can be found on the DNR website, the Iowa Great Lakes Sanitary District permit number is #30-50-9-01. To learn more about the permitting process, visit the Iowa DNR NPDES Wastewater Permitting site. The current permit was approved in September of 2021.

Iowa DNR also has regulation over private sewer systems. The DNR regulates private sewer systems under Iowa Administrative Code 69. This code provides some requirements of when property owners are required to connect to a public sewer system.

EPA

The United States Environmental Protection (EPA) is overall regulator body for the Clean Water Act. The wastewater treatment plants NPDES discharge is regulated under the Clean Water Act. The EPA has authority to delegate their authority to the states. The State of Iowa has been delegated the regulatory authority by EPA Region 7 for NPDES permits within the State. Visit the EPA website to find out more about the EPAs Municipal Wastewater program.