Georgia NPDES Permittees Required to File Electronically Through NetDMR
The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) has been moving towards electronic filing of various reports and permits.
The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) has been moving towards electronic filing of various reports and permits. This electronic requirement is now being required for submittal of Discharge Monitoring Reports from those companies who hold an NPDES (National Pollution Discharge Elimination System) permit for water discharges.
⚡ TL;DR: All Georgia NPDES permittees must file Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs) electronically through NetDMR. Create an account, set user roles, and designate a Signatory Role approved by EPD to submit reports.
⚠️ What’s at stake: Missing the DMR filing deadline triggers EPA enforcement action, facility noncompliance notices, and potential permit revocation. NPDES permit holders are liable for all water discharge compliance.
Those who use land application systems, pre-treatment, PID, and general permittees will also eventually be required to use NetDMR later.
NetDMR will have similar features to other online applications.
Step 1: Create Your Own Account
Each person must create their own account. When setting up an account, facilities should be mindful of the instance and type of user chosen. Within the state of Georgia, the instance should be “Georgia Environmental Protection Division”. You may see other options such as EPA – GA, but DO NOT select these options.
Once the appropriate instance or agency has been selected, click on “Create a new account” and follow the prompts.
The type of user for facility personnel should be the external user type “Permittee User.” An internal user is meant for agency use only.
Step 2: Set User Roles
Once an account has been created, there are four roles for a permittee user: View, Edit, Signatory, and Permit Administrator.
Permit Administrator: The Permit Administrator has the ability to approve role requests within their permit for all roles except Signatory. The first person to request and get approved for Signatory Role will be granted the Permit Administrator role automatically.
Signatory: No one will be able to access the permit within NetDMR until someone is approved by EPD as the Signatory. EPD is the only entity that can approve access to Signatory Role requests. Someone seeking Signatory Role must submit a signed Subscriber Agreement to EPD by mail and wait approval. EPD estimates approximately a two week turnaround to review and approve Subscriber Agreements.
Remember, the first person to request and get approved for Signatory Role will also be granted the Permit Administrator role automatically.
View, Edit: Other personnel can request View, Edit, and/or Permit Administrator Roles from the Permit Administrator.
Step 3: Start Using the System
Once approval has been received, you may then start entering DMR data electronically into the system. Note: there is no external notification, so if a role request has been made within NetDMR the Permit Administrator must check within NetDMR to see that request.
Need help setting up NetDMR, configuring roles, or managing DMR submissions? Get started →
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is NetDMR and who in Georgia must use it?
NetDMR is Georgia’s electronic system for submitting Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs) for facilities holding NPDES (National Pollution Discharge Elimination System) permits for water discharges. Since December 21, 2016, all NPDES permittees in Georgia have been required to submit DMRs electronically through NetDMR. Land application systems, pre-treatment facilities, and general permittees are scheduled to eventually be required to use the system.
Q: What are the four user roles available in NetDMR for permittee users?
NetDMR has four roles for permittee users: View (read-only access), Edit (ability to enter and modify data), Signatory (authorized to sign and submit reports), and Permit Administrator (approves role requests for all roles except Signatory). The first person approved for Signatory role automatically receives Permit Administrator status.
Q: What is required to obtain Signatory Role approval in NetDMR?
To obtain Signatory Role approval, an individual must submit a signed Subscriber Agreement to the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) by mail. EPD is the only entity that can approve Signatory Role requests, with an estimated two-week review and approval timeframe. Access to permits in NetDMR is not possible until someone is approved as a Signatory.
Q: What should facilities do when creating NetDMR accounts in Georgia?
Facilities should select “Georgia Environmental Protection Division” as the instance when creating accounts, not other options like “EPA – GA.” External users should select “Permittee User” as the user type, as internal users are reserved for agency staff. Each person must create an individual account, and the Permit Administrator must monitor NetDMR for role approval requests.
💰 The cost of non-compliance: EPA permit violations run $25,000-$50,000+ per day for continued noncompliance. Permit revocation leads to facility shutdown for discharge operations.
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