New Jersey golf course owners that dispose of wastewater on-site are required to obtain a New Jersey Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NJPDES) permit from the DEP. This requirement is applicable when the sanitary wastewater design flow for a facility exceeds 2,000 gallons per day (gpd). Golf course comfort stations alone contribute over 2,000 gpd, triggering the permit requirement. Additional amenities such as snack bars, shower facilities, and food services would further increase the average daily flow and should be addressed as part of an on-site disposal system design. (Design flow criteria are established in N.J.A.C. 7:9A.)

The rules governing these wastewater discharges are the NJPDES Rules - N.J.A.C. 7:14A and the Water Quality Management Planning Rules - N.J.A.C. 7:15.

For more information regarding the applicability of the NJPDES rules to golf courses, please contact the Bureau of Nonpoint Pollution Control at (609) 292-0407.