Last Updated 08/21/2026
New York Stormwater Laws & Regulations
EXCERPT- NYS Stormwater Website
Regulatory Requirements
The U.S.EPA and NYSDEC are increasing their attention in several ways. There are three State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) general permits required for activities associated stormwater discharges.
- The Multi- Sector General Permit for Stormwater Discharges Associated with Industrial Activities (MSGP) addresses stormwater runoff from certain industrial activities. This permit requires facilities to develop Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPPs) and report the results of industry-specific monitoring to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) on an annual basis.
- A federal regulation, commonly known as Stormwater Phase II, requires permits for stormwater discharges from Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) in urbanized areas. Permittees are required to develop Stormwater Management Program (SWMP) and submit annual reports to the Department.
- Construction activities disturbing one or more acres of soil must be authorized under the General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Construction Activities. Permittees are required to develop a SWPPP to prevent discharges of construction-related pollutants to surface waters.
EXCERPT-Stormwater permit for construction activity
Before commencing construction activity, the owner or operator of a construction project that will involve soil disturbance of one or more acres must obtain coverage under the State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Construction Activity.
In the New York City East of Hudson watershed, this requirement also applies to construction projects disturbing more than 5,000 square feet to one acre of land. Some exceptions to the requirements exist for agricultural projects, certain silvicultural projects and routine maintenance activities.
EXCERPT- New York Codes, July 2018
Title 6 Department of Environmental Conservation Chapter X Division of Water Resources Subchapter A. General Article 3. State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Part 750 State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (SPDES) Permits
750-1.15 Duration of SPDES permits.
750-1.16 Renewal of existing SPDES permits.
750-1.17 Transfer of permit.
750-1.20 Denial, suspension or revocation of a permit.
750-2.3 Inspection and entry.
- enter upon the permittee’s premises where a regulated facility or activity is located or conducted, or where records must be kept under the conditions of a SPDES permit;
- have access to and copy, at reasonable times, any records that must be kept under the conditions of the permit, including records required to be maintained for purposes of operation and maintenance;
- inspect at reasonable times any facilities, equipment (including monitoring and control equipment), practices, or operations regulated or required under the permit;
- sample or monitor at reasonable times, for the purposes of assuring permit compliance or as otherwise authorized by the act or ECL, any substances or parameter sat any location;
- enter upon the property of any contributor of wastewater to the system under authority of the permittee’s Sewer Use Law, ordinance (municipalities) or regulations; and
- if any part of the permittee’s sewer system or sewage treatment works is located on any property not owned by the permittee, the permittee must be able to reasonably demonstrate to the satisfaction of the department that it has legal access to these locations or facilities and ensure that the commissioner, the regional administrator or the county health department or any authorized representative thereof, upon presentation of credentials, will have access to these locations and facilities.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is post-construction stormwater management, and does it apply to my property in New York State?
Post-construction stormwater management covers the ongoing responsibility to keep stormwater practices installed on your property functioning under New York State’s Department of Environmental Conservation, which oversees the State Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, or SPDES, program. If your property in New York State went through construction requiring SPDES coverage, either through the state’s Construction General Permit or a local Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System permit, the post-construction obligations from that approval continue for the life of the facility. AQUALIS provides SWMP and SWPPP inspection, recertification, and stormwater management design for property owners across New York State, so obligations under these permits are met long after construction ends.
What happens if I sell or transfer a New York State property with an existing SPDES permit?
Transferring a SPDES permit in New York State requires a written application submitted at least 30 days in advance of the transfer, ensuring the new owner or operator formally takes on the permit’s ongoing obligations. Skipping this step can leave both the buyer and seller unclear about who is responsible for post-construction compliance. AQUALIS helps New York State property owners manage the permit transfer process during a sale, so responsibility for the stormwater facility is clearly and properly assigned.
Does my New York State property need to submit annual stormwater reports?
It depends on the type of permit your property or facility operates under. Industrial facilities covered by the Multi-Sector General Permit must submit annual monitoring reports to NYSDEC, while municipalities operating under an MS4 permit must submit their own annual reports on their Stormwater Management Program. Property owners within an MS4 community may have obligations that feed into that municipal reporting. AQUALIS manages annual monitoring and reporting obligations for New York State property owners and facilities under these SPDES permit types.
Where can property owners in New York State get help with post-construction stormwater compliance?
Post-construction stormwater compliance in New York State involves SPDES permit obligations, SWPPP and SWMP maintenance, five-year permit renewal cycles, transfer requirements, and unannounced regulatory inspections. Managing all of this without dedicated stormwater staff is difficult for most property owners. AQUALIS offers stormwater management design, SWMP and SWPPP inspection and recertification, and non-compliance resolution and prevention for property owners across New York State, so owners can meet NYSDEC’s requirements without managing the process themselves.
The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Regulations change frequently — AQUALIS makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of this content, and any reliance on it is at your own risk. Consult a qualified professional or your local regulatory authority to confirm requirements applicable to your specific property.
