Pima Association of Governments maintains and updates an Areawide Water Quality Management Plan (208 Plan) for the region. PAG’s water quality management program provides guidance, technical assistance and coordination of regional water quality management efforts.
The current 208 Plan was approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on June 8, 2021. The 208 Plan achieves effective water quality management through integrated planning of wastewater, stormwater, surface water, groundwater and solid waste.
The 208 Plan includes:
- policies and procedures for 208 consistency
- a Strategic Action Plan to address water quality issues
- documented water quality conditions and pollution sources (See Appendix A)
- a wastewater facilities inventory
- plan adoption records
- information about watershed setting, history, regulations and authorities (See Appendix B).
The 208 Plan and Appendices
- PAG 208 Plan Adopted Policies and Procedures
- PAG 208 Plan Appendix A: Water Quality Management
- PAG 208 Plan Appendix B: PAG 208 Planning Background
- PAG 208 Plan Appendix C: Glossary and References
- View PAG’s 208 Wastewater Facility Inventory Map and Database
PAG 208 Consistency Reviews
A PAG Consistency Review and/or data update is required before ADEQ approval of any of the following:
- A new wastewater treatment facility (WWTF)
- Some industrial discharges
- A new or existing WWTF, groundwater remediation, reclaimed water or riparian restoration project that is adding or changing the location of an Arizona Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (AZPDES) discharge outfall
- An Aquifer Protection Permit for a new or expanded WWTF
- An increase in permitted design capacity
- Expansion of a facility service area in a joing planning area (JPA) or within 3 miles of another designated management agency (DMA)
- Sewage generated by an onsite WWTF 3,000 – 24,000 gpd
- New or changing JPA, DMA or wastewater management unit (WMU)
- Change of ownership, treatment method or land use of a WWTF
The PAG Consistency Review Form contains more detailed guidance. For efficiency, please work with PAG as the first step in your permit process. *Please download the form and then complete it.
Recent Consistency Reviews and Amendments
Past PAG Consistency Reviews and Amendment documentation is available in the PAG digital library with key data folded into the PAG 208 Plan’s annual administrative updates.
Completed Consistency Reviews and Amendments since the last comprehensive PAG 208 Plan update are in the digital library and include:
- Tucson Water’s TARP Discharge Permit at the Heritage Project Irvington Outfall
Annual Administrative updates
The process for administrative updates to the 208 plan was adopted in 2020 by the PAG Regional Council. This enables staff to keep the data in the appendices up to date, as needed.
Administrative updates will not include any changes to adopted polices or permit review procedures but can inform funders of our regional water quality conditions, accomplishments and recommendations for consideration of related funding opportunities. Annual administrative updates will aid efficiency for the next comprehensive update in 2025, during which time the entire plan will undergo a thorough and complete review.
Annually, PAG staff will provide notice to EPAC of the opportunity to submit data and will provide reminders to the PAG 208 Designated Management Agencies for technical facility updates. In addition, PAG utilizes notices released from local, state and federal agencies in the updates.
PAG staff will also annually present the topics that were collected during the previous year. Members interested in providing expert review or any recent water quality information may submit an inquiry or update throughout the year as available.
