Areawide Water Quality Management Plan (208 Plan)

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 208 Plan achieves effective water quality management through integrated planning of wastewater, stormwater, surface water, groundwater and solid waste. The current 208 Plan was approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on June 8, 2021.

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).

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