Environmental Compliance

The University of Oklahoma has several air permits through the OKDEQ. These permits cover many areas of day to day operations such as boilers, turbines, generators incinerators, printing presses, paints and solvents etc.  In order to ensure that the University is operating within federal and state regulations, each campus must maintain records and monitoring requirements set for by its air permit.

EHSO collects data from OU emission sources and submits the Semiannual Report, Annual Compliance Certification, Greenhouse Gas Report, Air Emissions Inventory, and the Tier II to ODEQ and EPA. 

 A modification to university operating permit is required when replacing or constructing a new emissions source such as an emergency generator, boilers or turbines. Please contact our office if your department plans to remove or add an emissions source.

Stormwater is rainwater or melted snow that runs off streets, lawns and other sites. When stormwater is absorbed into soil, it is filtered and ultimately replenishes aquifers or flows into streams and rivers. Impervious surfaces, such as pavement and roofs, prevent precipitation from naturally soaking into the ground. Instead, water runs rapidly into storm drains, sewer systems and drainage ditches. This can carry pollutants and contaminant streams, rivers, and lakes. The University of Oklahoma works to reduce runoff and improve water quality by implementing stormwater management practices. 

The University of Oklahoma - Norman operates under its own permitted Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4). Each regulated MS4 is required to develop and implement a stormwater management program (SWMP) to reduce the contamination of stormwater runoff and prohibit illicit discharges to the MS4. The intent of the plan is to manage stormwater runoff so that pollution from runoff is eliminated or reduced. 

Some industrial and construction activities require additional permits and must develop a specific Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) for their activities.

More information about municipal, industrial and construction stormwater permitting can be found here: ODEQ Stormwater Information

The national pretreatment program requires nondomestic dischargers to comply with pretreatment standards to ensure the goals of the Clean Water Act (CWA) are attained.

The objectives of the program are to:

• prevent the introduction of pollutants into a POTW that will interfere with its operation, including interference with its use or disposal of municipal sludge,
• prevent the introduction of pollutants into a POTW that will pass through the treatment works or otherwise be incompatible with it,
• improve opportunities to recycle and reclaim municipal and industrial wastewaters and sludges.

The national pretreatment program identifies specific discharge standards and requirements that apply to sources of nondomestic wastewater discharged to a POTW. By reducing or eliminating waste at the industries, fewer toxic pollutants are discharged to and treated by the POTWs, providing benefits to both the POTWs and the industrial users.

Lead Service Line Inventory Information

The U.S. EPA recently updated the Lead and Copper Rule to require all major public water suppliers to conduct a Lead Service Line (LSL) Inventory. The goal of this inventory is to identify any lead pipes in both the public and private portions of the water distribution system.

The inventory must include all service lines connected to the public water distribution system, and every portion of the service line must be designated as one of the following:

• Lead – A service line comprised of any amount of lead.
• Galvanized Requiring Replacement (GRR) – An iron or steel service line that has been coated with zinc (i.e., galvanized) and is or was ever downstream of a lead service line or a lead status unknown service line. A galvanized iron or steel service line which is definitively known never to have been downstream of a lead service line is a non-lead line.
• Non-Lead – A service line comprised of copper, plastic, or galvanized metal that is proven to be lead-free.
• Lead Status Unknown – A service line of completely unknown materials.

Consumer Confidence Report

The University of Oklahoma is a large public water system serving approximately 28,000 transient customers and 6,000 residential customers.  The University buys 100% of its tap water from the City of Norman Department of Utilities.  In order to protect its users, the University and the city must test for and treat its water to meet state and federal regulations.

A Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) is an annual report submitted by Community Water Systems (CWS) to their consumers, customers and the ODEQ.  This report details the overall quality of their drinking water for the previous year.  

2023 University of Oklahoma Consumer Confidence Report