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<title>Outfall</title>

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<span id="openzim-page-title" class="mw-page-title-main"><span class="mw-page-title-main">Outfall</span></span>

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<p>An <b>outfall</b> is the discharge point of a <a href="Storm_drain" title="Storm drain">storm drain</a> or waste stream into a body of water. In the United Kingdom, the term may also apply to discharges from a "<a href="Watercourse" class="mw-redirect" title="Watercourse">watercourse</a>", which may be a river, stream or canal.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="United_States_permit_requirements">United States permit requirements</h2></div>

<p>In the United States, <a href="Point_source" title="Point source">point sources</a> may not discharge <a href="Water_pollution" title="Water pollution">pollutants</a> to surface waters without a permit issued through the <a href="National_Pollutant_Discharge_Elimination_System" class="mw-redirect" title="National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System">National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System</a> (NPDES), as required by the <a href="Clean_Water_Act" title="Clean Water Act">Clean Water Act</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Most NPDES permits are issued by state environmental agencies. The <a href="U.S._Environmental_Protection_Agency" class="mw-redirect" title="U.S. Environmental Protection Agency">U.S. Environmental Protection Agency</a> (EPA) issues permits in some locations.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p><p>Point sources include industrial facilities; <a href="Service_industries" title="Service industries">service industries</a>; <a href="Local_government_in_the_United_States" title="Local government in the United States">municipal governments</a> (particularly <a href="Sewage_treatment_plants" class="mw-redirect" title="Sewage treatment plants">sewage treatment plants</a> and <a href="Stormwater" title="Stormwater">stormwater</a> outfalls); other government facilities such as <a href="List_of_United_States_military_bases" class="mw-redirect" title="List of United States military bases">military bases</a>; and some agricultural facilities, such as animal <a href="Feedlot" title="Feedlot">feedlots</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

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</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Further information: <a href="United_States_regulation_of_point_source_water_pollution" title="United States regulation of point source water pollution">United States regulation of point source water pollution</a></div>

<ul><li><a href="Combined_sewer" title="Combined sewer">Combined sewer</a></li>

<li><a href="Greywater" title="Greywater">Greywater</a></li>

<li><a href="Marine_outfall" title="Marine outfall">Marine outfall</a></li>

<li><a href="Night_soil" title="Night soil">Night soil</a></li>

<li><a href="River_mouth" title="River mouth">River mouth</a></li></ul>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2></div>

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</style><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://environment.data.gov.uk/asset-management/drl-app/revision/current/categories/Structure/asset-types/Outfall">"Structure: Outfall"</a>. Bristol, UK: United Kingdom Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs. 2025-04-06.</cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">United States. <a href="Act_of_Congress#Public_law,_private_law,_designation" title="Act of Congress"><abbr title="Public Law">Pub. L.</abbr></a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://uslaw.link/citation/us-law/public/92/500">92–500: Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972</a> Approved October 18, 1972.</span>

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<li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.epa.gov/npdes">"National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System"</a>. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 2025-06-03.</cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.epa.gov/npdes/npdes-permit-basics">"NPDES Permit Basics"</a>. EPA. 2025-06-03.</cite></span>

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</style><div id="Sewerage93" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="Sewerage" title="Sewerage">Sewerage</a></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Types</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Combined_sewer" title="Combined sewer">Combined sewer</a></li>

<li><a href="Decentralized_wastewater_system" title="Decentralized wastewater system">Decentralized wastewater system</a></li>

<li><a href="Drain-waste-vent_system" title="Drain-waste-vent system">Drain-waste-vent system</a></li>

<li><a href="Effluent_sewer" title="Effluent sewer">Effluent sewer</a></li>

<li><a href="Force_main" class="mw-redirect" title="Force main">Force main</a></li>

<li><a href="Gravity_sewer" title="Gravity sewer">Gravity sewer</a></li>

<li><a href="Pressure_sewer" title="Pressure sewer">Pressure sewer</a></li>

<li><a href="Sanitary_sewer" title="Sanitary sewer">Sanitary sewer</a></li>

<li><a href="Simplified_sewerage" title="Simplified sewerage">Simplified sewerage</a></li>

<li><a href="Storm_drain" title="Storm drain">Storm drain</a></li>

<li><a href="Vacuum_sewer" title="Vacuum sewer">Vacuum sewer</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Construction materials</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Asbestos_cement" title="Asbestos cement">Asbestos cement</a> pipe</li>

<li><a href="Brickwork" title="Brickwork">Brickwork</a></li>

<li><a href="Precast_concrete#Sanitary_and_stormwater" title="Precast concrete">Concrete pipe</a></li>

<li><a href="Culvert" title="Culvert">Culvert</a></li>

<li><a href="Interceptor_ditch" title="Interceptor ditch">Interceptor ditch</a></li>

<li><a href="Plastic_pipework" title="Plastic pipework">Plastic pipe</a></li>

<li><a href="Reinforced_concrete" title="Reinforced concrete">Reinforced concrete</a></li>

<li><a href="Steel_pipe" class="mw-redirect" title="Steel pipe">Steel pipe</a></li>

<li><a href="Vitrified_clay_pipe" title="Vitrified clay pipe">Vitrified clay pipe</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Related equipment</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Chopper_pump" title="Chopper pump">Chopper pump</a></li>

<li><a href="Combined_sewer#Combined_sewer_overflows_(CSOs)" title="Combined sewer">Combined sewer overflow</a></li>

<li><a href="Grease_trap" title="Grease trap">Grease trap</a></li>

<li><a href="Grinder_pump" title="Grinder pump">Grinder pump</a></li>

<li><a href="Maceration_(sewage)" title="Maceration (sewage)">Maceration</a></li>

<li><a href="Lift_station" class="mw-redirect" title="Lift station">Lift station</a></li>

<li><a href="Sanitary_manhole" title="Sanitary manhole">Sanitary manhole</a></li>

<li><a href="Sewage_pumping" title="Sewage pumping">Sewage pumping</a></li>

<li><a href="Sewer_gas_destructor_lamp" title="Sewer gas destructor lamp">Sewer gas destructor lamp</a></li>

<li><a href="Stormwater_detention_vault" title="Stormwater detention vault">Stormwater detention vault</a></li>

<li><a href="Submersible_pump" title="Submersible pump">Submersible pump</a></li>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Problems</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Biogenic_sulfide_corrosion" title="Biogenic sulfide corrosion">Biogenic sulfide corrosion</a></li>

<li><a href="Blocked_Sewer" class="mw-redirect" title="Blocked Sewer">Blocked Sewer</a></li>

<li><a href="Fatberg" title="Fatberg">Fatberg</a></li>

<li><a href="First_flush" title="First flush">First flush</a></li>

<li><a href="Infiltration/Inflow" class="mw-redirect" title="Infiltration/Inflow">Infiltration/Inflow</a></li>

<li><a href="Sanitary_sewer_overflow" title="Sanitary sewer overflow">Sanitary sewer overflow</a></li>

<li><a href="Sewer_fly" class="mw-redirect" title="Sewer fly">Sewer fly</a></li>

<li><a href="Sewer_gas" title="Sewer gas">Sewer gas</a></li>

<li><a href="Sewer_rat" class="mw-redirect" title="Sewer rat">Sewer rat</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Liquids transported</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Blackwater_(waste)" title="Blackwater (waste)">Blackwater (waste)</a></li>

<li><a href="Greywater" title="Greywater">Greywater</a></li>

<li><a href="Industrial_wastewater" class="mw-redirect" title="Industrial wastewater">Industrial wastewater</a></li>

<li><a href="Sewage" title="Sewage">Sewage</a></li>

<li><a href="Stormwater" title="Stormwater">Stormwater</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Background</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="History_of_water_supply_and_sanitation" title="History of water supply and sanitation">History of water supply and sanitation</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div><div><div class="zim-footer">

This article is issued from <a class="external text" title="Last edited on 2025-06-16" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/?title=Outfall&oldid=1295921523">Wikipedia</a>. The text is available under <a class="external text" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en">Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0</a> unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

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