NC ADMINISTRATIVE CODES & STATUTES

What Is On This Web Page?

This site contains the North Carolina Administrative Code (NCAC) rules used by the Division of Water Quality (DWQ). At the bottom of this page is a document containing many of North Carolina's water quality related General Statutes and links to federal regulations.  All documents on this page are provided by DWQ for the ease and convenience of locating relevant regulations in one place.  Please note that you must have PDF viewer such as Adobe Reader (free download) in order to open most of the documents located on this page.  The NC Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) is responsible for maintaining the official NCAC: search OAH Administrative codes, view OAH reports, or contact OAH rules staff.   The NC General Assembly is responsible for maintaining the official General Statutes.

FREQUENTLY REQUESTED DOCUMENTS

• 2B "RED BOOK": Surface Water Standards [May 1, 2007]
  • SECTION .0225 Updated ORW Rule [Jul 1, 2009]
  • SECTION .0262 - .0311 Jordan Lake Rules [Aug 11, 2009] (see Jordan Lake webpage for more info)
• 2L "TAN BOOK": Groundwater Standards [Jan 1, 2010]
• 2T "PURPLE BOOK": Waste Not Discharged to Surface Water [Jan 1, 2009]

NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL STATUTES

• Selected Water Quality Statutes & Session Laws - August 2008 version. Please read Disclaimer on cover page.
• NC General Assembly Homepage

FEDERAL REGULATIONS

• Code of Federal Regulations
• Clean Water Act

UPDATES: HOW CAN I STAY INFORMED?

1. Subscribe to the DWQrules Listserv to receive emails  concerning rule-making announcements by simply sending a blank email to DENR.DWQ.DWQrules-join@lists.ncmail.net. You may also visit the listserv archive.
2. Visit the DWQ Public Event Calendar for upcoming public events. 

North Carolina Administrative Code (NCAC)
TITLE 15A - ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES

Classification Schedules Updated Weekly

(UA) = Undergoing Amendments

CHAPTER 1: Departmental Rules
SUBCHAPTER 1A	GENERAL ORGANIZATION	Mar 1 1990
SUBCHAPTER 1B	GENERAL ADMINISTRATION	Mar 1 1990
SUBCHAPTER 1C	CONFORMITY WITH NORTH CAROLINA ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT	July 19 2005
CHAPTER 2: Environmental Management
SUBCHAPTER 2A	ORGANIZATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION	Mar 1 1993
SUBCHAPTER 2B	SURFACE WATER AND WETLAND STANDARDS (RED BOOK)	May 1 2007
SECTION .0100	Procedures for Assignment of Water Quality Standards	May 1 2007
SECTION .0200	Classifications and Water Quality Standards UA	May 1 2007
SECTION .0225	Updated ORW Rule	Jul 1 2009
SECTION .0262 - .0311	Jordan Lake Rules (see Jordan Lake webpage for more info)	Aug 11 2009
SECTION .0300	Applicable to Surface Waters of NC	May 1 2007
SECTION .0301 UA	Assignment of Stream Classifications Classifications: General	Aug 1 1995
RIVER BASIN REPORTS For details and explanations about specific classifications, please visit the Classifications webpage. = Download STREAMS file (PDF),  = Download RULE file (PDF)
SECTION .0302	HIWASSEE	Aug 1 2002
SECTION .0303	LITTLE TENNESSEE	Jul 1 2009
SECTION .0303	SAVANNAH	Jul 1 2009
SECTION .0304	FRENCH BROAD (UA)	Sep 1 2009
SECTION .0305	WATAUGA	Nov 1 2007
SECTION .0306	BROAD	Mar 1 2007
SECTION .0307	NEW (UA)	Nov 1 2007
SECTION .0308	CATAWBA (UA)	May 1 2007
SECTION .0309	YADKIN-PEE DEE	Nov 1 2007
SECTION .0310	LUMBER	Nov 1 2007
SECTION .0311	CAPE FEAR	Sep 1 2009
SECTION .0312	WHITE OAK	Nov 1 2007
SECTION .0313	ROANOKE (UA)	Nov 1 2007
SECTION .0314	CHOWAN	Aug 1 1985
SECTION .0315	NEUSE	Nov 1 2007
SECTION .0316	TAR-PAMLICO	Nov 1 2007
SECTION .0317	PASQUOTANK	Nov 1 2007
SECTION .0400	Effluent Limitations	Jul 1 1988
SECTION .0500	Surface Water Monitoring: Reporting	Aug 2 1993
SECTION .0600	Water Quality Management Plans
SECTION .0601-.0609	Goose Creek Watershed (Yadkin Pee-Dee River Basin)	Feb 1 2009
SUBCHAPTER 2C	WELL CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS
SECTION .0100	Criteria and Standards Applicable to Water Supply and Certain Other Wells	Oct 1 2009
SECTION .0200	Criteria and Standards Applicable to Injection Wells	Feb 1 1997
SUBCHAPTER 2F	CONSTRUCTION LOANS	Aug 1 1990
SUBCHAPTER 2H	PROCEDURES FOR PERMITS: APPROVALS
SECTION .0100	Point Source Discharges to the Surface Waters See also Senate Bill 1566 Session Law 2006-246	Sep 1 2006
SECTION .0200	Repealed and Recodified to Subchapter 2T (see below)
SECTION .0400	Coastal Waste Treatment Disposal	Jan 1 1988
SECTION .0500	Water Quality Certification	Oct 1 1996
SECTION .0800	Laboratory Certification	Aug 1 2002
SECTION .0900	Local Pretreatment Programs	Nov 1 1994
SECTION .1000	Stormwater Management Also see Senate Bill 1566 Session Law 2006-246 and Senate Bill 1967	Dec 1 1995
SECTION .1020	Universal Stormwater Management Program	Jan 1 2007
SECTION .1100	Biological Laboratory Certification	Oct 1 1993
SECTION .1200	Special Orders	Aug 3 1992
SECTION .1300 (UA)	Discharges to Isolated Wetlands and Isolated Waters	Apr 1 2003
SUBCHAPTER 2I	HEARINGS
SECTION .0100	Scope: Definitions: Delegations	July 1 1988
SECTION .0200	Rule Making Hearings: Notice: Procedures	July 1 1988
SECTION .0300	Administrative Hearings	July 1 1988
SECTION .0400	Special Hearings	July 1 1988
SECTION .0500	Petitions for Rulemaking	Apr 1 2003
SECTION .0600	Declaratory Rulings	Aug 1 2004
SUBCHAPTER 2J	CIVIL PENALTIES	Jan 1 1991
SUBCHAPTER 2L	GROUNDWATER CLASSIFICATIONS STANDARDS (TAN BOOK)	Jan 1 2010
SECTION .0100	General Considerations	Dec 1 2005
SECTION .0200 (UA)	Classifications and Groundwater Quality Standards	Apr 1 2005
SECTION .0300	Assignment of Underground Water Classifications	Aug 1 1989
SUBCHAPTER 2M	NC WATER POLLUTION CONTROL REVOLVING FUND	Nov 2 1992
SUBCHAPTER 2T	WASTE NOT DISCHARGED TO SURFACE WATER (PURPLE BOOK)	Jan 1 2009
SECTION .0100	General Requirements
SECTION .0200	Wastewater Pump and Haul Systems
SECTION .0300	Sewer Extensions
SECTION .0400	System-Wide Collection System Permitting
SECTION .0500	Wastewater Irrigation Systems
SECTION .0600	Single-Family Residence Wastewater Irrigation Systems
SECTION .0700	High Rate Infiltration Systems
SECTION .0800	Other Non-Discharge Wastewater Systems
SECTION .0900	Reclaimed Water Systems (UA)
SECTION .1000	Closed-Loop Recycle Systems
SECTION .1100	Residuals Management
SECTION .1200	Coal Combustion Products Management
SECTION .1300	Animal Waste Management Systems (UA)
SECTION .1400	Manure Hauler Operations
SECTION .1500	Soil Remediation
SECTION .1600	Groundwater Remediation Systems
CHAPTER 8: Water Pollution Control System Operators Certification Commission
SUBCHAPTER 8G	AUTHORITY : ORGANIZATION : STRUCTURE : DEFINITIONS  (Water Pollution Control System Operators Rules)	Dec 1 2006
CHAPTER 27: Well Contractor Certification		May 1 2008