A treatment plant's NPDES/CDPS permit is not one number — it's a structured document made up of specific, interlocking components, and as a Class C operator you need to be able to read it, not just know that it exists. This guide breaks the permit apart into its working pieces, introduces the federal floor every municipal plant must clear (secondary treatment standards), and explains how Colorado actually classifies WWT operator certifications.
Anatomy of an NPDES/CDPS Permit
Every NPDES/CDPS permit is built around three interlocking components:
- Effluent limits — the maximum allowable concentrations or loads of specific pollutants your discharge may contain.
- Monitoring requirements — what you must sample, how often, and using what methods.
- Reporting requirements — how and when you must tell the regulatory agency what your monitoring found.
These three pieces w