Ohio EPA Launches STREAMS Surface Water Permitting System

Ohio EPA recently launched its new Surface Water Tracking, Reporting and Electronic Application Management System (STREAMS).  The goal of the system is to reduce turnaround time for surface water discharge general permits to two business days.

The new STREAMS system uses a smart document online that catches errors before the application is complete, and documents are submitted electronically to the agency, minimizing data entry time.  Payments can be made electronically, and permit holders can also submit monitoring reports electronically.

Every general permit is still reviewed by agency staff to ensure the applicant meets the criteria to qualify, but STREAMS makes the permitting processing more efficient, shaving valuable days off the process.