Wastewater Construction

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What's New

Electronic Fee Payment Options for Wastewater Construction Permit Applications (Updated July 2023)

The Wastewater Engineering Section now accepts electronic payments for wastewater construction permit fees. To make an electronic payment:

  1. Proceed to https://programs.iowadnr.gov/payments and choose “Pay Wastewater Construction Permit Fee”. 
  2. Fill the information on the form and follow the on-screen instructions. 
    • Payments can be made with credit card or electronic check. 
    • All payments will include a $1.50 processing fee, and credit card payments will include an additional 2.5% processing fee. 
  3. Submit the payment confirmation email together with the construction permit application. 

Electronic Submittal

Please see the Construction Permits webpage for information on how to submit construction permit applications electronically.

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Technical Assistance Hotline

The DNR has a toll-free wastewater technical assistance hotline for communities, industries, and engineers who do not already have a DNR reviewer assigned to them. The toll free number is for both local (Des Moines calling area) and long-distance callers:

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About the Wastewater Engineering Section

The Wastewater Engineering Section issues wastewater construction permits, which are required for the construction of any municipal and industrial treatment and collection facilities that discharge treated wastewater to a river or stream. The section also reviews and issues construction permits for wastewater reclamation projects and non-discharging animal feeding operations. Wastewater construction permits are also required for small on-site wastewater disposal systems that commonly serve developments or small areas in the treatment of domestic wastewater. Some larger cities have accepted delegation of responsibility for the review of sewer extensions.

The section also administers the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) Loan Program offering communities and sanitary districts low interest loans for the construction of wastewater treatment and collection system improvements.

Should you have any questions regarding the construction permit application process or the CWSRF loan application process, please contact

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Wastewater construction permit information and forms can be found in the following pages:

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Additional Information

Offsite Links

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