Quitman has applied for renewal of its wastewater treatment permit. It is lacking a major item: a Watershed Protection Plan (WPP). GA-EPD is giving Quitman about one year to produce such a plan.

Quitman’s wastewater plant consists of ponds on Highland Ave. which pipe waste to a Land Application Site (LAS), aka spray field, east of town, south of US 84. Both parts are next to Okapilco Creek, which runs into the Withlacoochee River between US 84 and Knights Ferry Boat Ramp.

This application was acknowledged December 15, 2025, for NPDES Permit No. GAJ020022 by the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GA-EPD). The comment period extends for one month from that date.

Reissuance, Quitman WPCP, GAJ020022 –GA-EPD 2025-12-15, Lacks Watershed Protection Plan, Must supply one

The application packet:
https://geos.epd.georgia.gov/GA/GEOS/Public/EnSuite/Shared/pages/util/StreamDoc.ashx?id=1162182&type=PERMIT_FILLED_OBJECT&utm_campaign=&utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=

The WPP must include monitoring and assessment of streams in the Assessment Area (which does not seem to be defined). Also, methods to identify waters not up to designated water uses, i.e., contaminated. And “water sresource concerns and priority issues.”

The WPP must establish a baseline, include long-term monitoring, and a schedule for correcting current water quality problems, with ongoing monitoring to verify such correction. Plus best management practices (BMPs) to prevent future problems, and monitoring to verify BMPs.

Quitman also lacks an industrial pretreatment program for Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTW). But GA-EPD has not yet determined whether Quitman needs an Industrial Pretreatment Program.

But Quitman does need a WPP, and here’s where the permit document first mentions the WPP:

8.2. Watershed Protection Plan (WPP):

The permittee did not conduct a Watershed Assessment (WA) nor prepare a Watershed Protection Plan (WPP) as required by the current permit. The City will be required to complete a WA and WPP in accordance with the Notice of Violation transmitted to the City on November 6, 2025.

8.2. Watershed Protection Plan (WPP): The permittee did not conduct a Watershed Assessment (WA) nor prepare a Watershed Protection Plan (WPP) as required by the current permit. The City will be required to complete a WA and WPP in accordance with the Notice of Violation transmitted to the City on November 6, 2025.
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What is a WPP?

3. SPECIAL CONDITIONS
   1. DESIGN DEVELOPMENT REPORT
      The permittee shall operate and maintain the system as described in the approved Design Development Report for the facility.
   2. WATERSHED PROTECTION PLAN
      The permittee must complete a watershed assessment and develop a watershed protection plan in accordance with the Notice of Violation transmitted to the City on November 6, 2025. Once approved, the Watershed Protection Plan shall be enforceable through this permit.
      1. Watershed Assessment
         At a minimum, the watershed assessment should include the following:
         1. Develop a plan for the monitoring and assessment of all streams in the Assessment Area. This should include parameters to be monitored, monitoring frequencies, and other data to be collected.

            
            B.7. CIVIL AND CRIMINAL LIABILITIES Nothing in this permit shall be construed to relieve the permittee from civil or criminal penalties for noncompliance.
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         2. Determine methods for identifying waters not supporting designated water uses.
         3. Identify water resource concerns and priority issues for the Assessment Area.
      2. Watershed Protection Plan
         The permittee must develop a Watershed Protection Plan that reflects the findings of the Watershed Assessment.
         The Watershed Protection Plan will provide for the following:
         1. The Watershed Protection Plan will apply to the Assessment Area as defined above. The plan will utilize the information generated in the permittee’s watershed assessment to establish a baseline of watershed conditions and to provide ongoing long-term monitoring according to the approved plan to either verify that the plan is effective or to modify the plan such that water quality standards will be achieved.
         2. The Watershed Protection Plan must include a schedule for correcting current water quality problems that are causing water quality standards violations. The permittee shall provide ongoing monitoring to verify that the actions taken to correct the water quality problems are effective.
         3. The permittee shall develop and put in place best management practices (BMPs) to prevent future water quality standards violations.
         4. The permittee shall provide ongoing monitoring to verify that the BMPs are working or to provide the information necessary to modify the BMPs to achieve water quality standards.
      3. Compliance Schedule
         1. By February 28, 2027, the City must submit a Watershed Assessment to EPD. The City must address EPD comments on the document, if any, within 30 days.
         2. Within 6 months of EPD approval of the Watershed Assessment, the City must submit a Watershed Protection Plan. The City must address EPD comments on the document, if any, within 30 days.

         
         C.2.b. Watershed Protection Plan The permittee must develop a Watershed Protection Plan that reflects the findings of the Watershed Assessment.
         PDF

      4. Once the Watershed Protection Plan is approved, each June 30th the permittee is to submit the following to EPD:
         1. An annual certification statement documenting that the plan is being implemented as approved. The certification statement shall read as follows: “T certify, under penalty of law, that the watershed protection plan is being implemented. I am aware that there are significant penalties for submitting false information, including the possibility of fine and imprisonment for knowing violations.”
         2. All watershed plan data collected during the previous year in an electronic format. This data shall be archived using a digital format such as a spreadsheet developed in coordination with EPD. All archived records, data, and information pertaining to the watershed protection plan shall be maintained permanently.
         3. A progress report that provides a summary of the BMPs that have been implemented and documented water quality improvements. The progress report shall also include any necessary changes to the watershed protection plan.

         The report and other information shall be submitted to EPD at the address below:

         Environmental Protection Division
         Watershed Planning and Monitoring Program
         2 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SE
         Suite 1470A East
         Atlanta, Georgia 30334

C.2.d. Once the Watershed Protection Plan is approved, each June 30th the permittee is to submit the following to EPD:
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 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

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