Clean Water Act discharge permit · NPDES GA0021156

GAINESVILLE, CITY OF (FLAT CREEK WRF), Gainesville, GA: NPDES GA0021156 discharge permit, effluent exceedances, inspections, penalties

EffectivePermit status
MajorDischarger class
21Pollutants under a numeric limit
6Pollutants with an effluent exceedance
0Inspections on file
0Formal enforcement actions

GAINESVILLE, CITY OF (FLAT CREEK WRF), held by Gainesville, City of, holds NPDES permit GA0021156. EPA’s file records it issued November 7, 2017 and expiring November 30, 2022.

GAINESVILLE, CITY OF (FLAT CREEK WRF), Gainesville, Georgia: Individual permit GA0021156, held by Gainesville, City of; Publicly owned treatment works; Effective; issued November 7, 2017, term to November 30, 2022; Sewage Treatment Facilities.

Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N]: 4 limits, 72 violations of any kind, 64 effluent exceedances, latest July 31, 2025, largest 6,098% over the limit.
Phosphorus, total [as P]: 4 limits, 59 violations of any kind, 51 effluent exceedances, latest July 31, 2026, largest 900% over the limit.
BOD, carbonaceous [5 day, 20 C]: 8 limits, 44 violations of any kind, 28 effluent exceedances, latest February 28, 2026, largest 138% over the limit.
Coliform, fecal general: 2 limits, 14 violations of any kind, 10 effluent exceedances, latest July 31, 2025, largest 1,861% over the limit.
Solids, total suspended: 8 limits, 25 violations of any kind, 9 effluent exceedances, latest May 31, 2026, largest 103% over the limit.
Turbidity: 1 limit, 10 violations of any kind, 8 effluent exceedances, latest February 28, 2026.
Temperature, water deg. fahrenheit: 9 limits, 18 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Conductivity: 6 limits, 12 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
pH: 4 limits, 8 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Oxygen, dissolved [DO]: 3 limits, 6 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Flow, in conduit or thru treatment plant: 2 limits, 4 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Hardness, total [as CaCO3]: 1 limit, 2 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Solids, sludge, total, dry weight: 1 limit, 2 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
BOD, carbonaceous, percent removal: 1 limit, 2 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Solids, suspended percent removal: 1 limit, 2 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Lead, total recoverable: 0 limits, 2 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Nitrogen, organic total [as N]: 1 limit, 1 violation of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Nitrite + Nitrate total [as N]: 1 limit, 1 violation of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
NOEL Static Renewal 7Day Chronic Ceriodaphnia dubia: 1 limit, 1 violation of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Noel Statre 7Day Chronic Pimephales: 1 limit, 1 violation of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Nitrogen, Kjeldahl, total [as N]: 1 limit, 0 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
Phosphate, ortho [as P]: 1 limit, 0 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.

August 25, 2026: WW SSO - Discharge to Waters (ST6).
July 24, 2026: WW SSO - Discharge to Waters (ST6).
May 23, 2026: WW SSO - Discharge to Waters (ST6).
April 29, 2026: WW SSO - Discharge to Waters (ST6).

Georgia holds 458 Publicly owned treatment works coverages of this permit type in EPA’s file; 340 were issued before GA0021156. Gainesville, City of holds 2 permits in Georgia.

Other permits held by Gainesville, City of

GAINESVILLE, CITY OF (LINWOOD WPCP), Gainesville: GA0020168, issued November 7, 2019

Coverages issued nearest GA0021156

October 16, 2017: MCDONOUGH, CITY OF (WALNUT CREEK WPCP), Mcdonough, GA0023949, held by McDonough, City of
October 25, 2017: ROCKDALE COUNTY WATER RESOURCES (HONEY CREEK WPCP), Conyers, GA0022659, held by Rockdale County Water Resources
October 25, 2017: DECATUR COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS (INDUSTRIAL AIRPARK WPCP), Bainbridge, GA0033511, held by Decatur County Board of Commissioners
October 25, 2017: PEACHTREE CITY WATER & SEWERAGE AUTHORITY (LARRY B. TURNER WRF), Peachtree City, GA0035777, held by Peachtree City Water & Sewerage Authority
October 25, 2017: HARRISON, CITY OF (HARRISON WPCP), Harrison, GA0037338, held by Harrison, City of
November 7, 2017: EASTMAN, CITY OF (SUGAR CREEK WPCP), Eastman, GA0046485, held by Eastman, City of
November 15, 2017: VIDALIA, CITY OF (SWIFT CREEK WPCP), Vidalia, GA0025488, held by Vidalia, City of
November 15, 2017: WILKINSON COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION (WILKINSON COUNTY SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL WPCP), Mcintyre, GA0031291, held by Wilkinson County Board of Education
November 15, 2017: WILKINSON COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION (WILKINSON COUNTY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WPCP), Mcintyre, GA0031305, held by Wilkinson County Board of Education
November 15, 2017: FULTON COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT (LITTLE BEAR CREEK WRF), Chattahoochee Hills, GA0047104, held by Fulton County

GAINESVILLE, CITY OF (FLAT CREEK WRF) among its neighbors

EPA’s permit file holds 639 discharge permits in the Little Suwanee Creek-Yellow River subwatershed (HUC 030701030301), GA0021156 among them. Its county holds 66, 2 of them major permits; GA0021156 is a major permit.

Other permits in the Little Suwanee Creek-Yellow River subwatershed (HUC 030701030301)

1 CABIN DRIVE DEVELOPMENT, Conley: GAR18C1C4, minor permit, permit term to July 31, 2028
1001 MOSELEY ROAD - TRACT 3, Stockbridge: GAR397746, minor permit, permit term to July 31, 2028
1009 MOSELEY ROAD - TRACT 1, Stockbridge: GAR397744, minor permit, permit term to July 31, 2028
1303 LITHONIA INDUSTRIAL BLVD, Lithonia: GAR18C262, minor permit, permit term to July 31, 2028
1420 AZALEA DRIVE, LOT 3, Lawrenceville: GAR18BD88, minor permit, permit term to July 31, 2028
14300 HOPEWELL ROAD, Alpharetta: GAR18C2EF, minor permit, permit term to July 31, 2028
1540 SIKES ROAD, Statham: GAR3976AC, minor permit, permit term to July 31, 2028
1632 HOWELL BRIDGE RD, Ball Ground: GAR18C252, minor permit, permit term to July 31, 2028
1861 BLACK BEAR TRAIL, Big Canoe: GAR18C26E, minor permit, permit term to July 31, 2028
2178 NE HILLWOOD DR LOT 694-697, Conyers: GAR3976C5, minor permit, permit term to July 31, 2028

Identity

Facility as filed	GAINESVILLE, CITY OF (FLAT CREEK WRF)
Permittee as filed	Gainesville, City of
NPDES ID	GA0021156
Permit status	Effective
Permit type	Individual permit
Discharger class	Major discharger
Facility type	Publicly owned treatment works
Program	Publicly owned treatment works
Issued	November 7, 2017
Expiration date	November 30, 2022
Address	Gainesville, GA 30504
Receiving water impaired	303(D) Listed
Subwatershed	Little Suwanee Creek-Yellow River (HUC 030701030301)
Program components on file	Biosolids, POTW, Pretreatment
NAICS	221320 – Sewage Treatment Facilities
SIC	4952 – Sewerage Systems

Effluent limits and exceedances

22Pollutants on file
21Under a numeric limit
20With a violation of any kind
6With an effluent exceedance

An effluent exceedance is a discharge monitoring report value over the permit’s numeric limit (EPA’s violation code E90). A violation of any kind also counts a report not filed. Each row is EPA’s own count for that pollutant.

Pollutant or measure	Limits	Violations, any kind	Effluent exceedances	Latest exceedance	Largest exceedance, as filed
Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N]	4	72	64	July 31, 2025	6,098% over the limit
Phosphorus, total [as P]	4	59	51	July 31, 2026	900% over the limit
BOD, carbonaceous [5 day, 20 C]	8	44	28	February 28, 2026	138% over the limit
Coliform, fecal general	2	14	10	July 31, 2025	1,861% over the limit
Solids, total suspended	8	25	9	May 31, 2026	103% over the limit
Turbidity	1	10	8	February 28, 2026
Temperature, water deg. fahrenheit	9	18	0
Conductivity	6	12	0
pH	4	8	0
Oxygen, dissolved [DO]	3	6	0
Flow, in conduit or thru treatment plant	2	4	0
Hardness, total [as CaCO3]	1	2	0
Solids, sludge, total, dry weight	1	2	0
BOD, carbonaceous, percent removal	1	2	0
Solids, suspended percent removal	1	2	0
Lead, total recoverable	0	2	0
Nitrogen, organic total [as N]	1	1	0
Nitrite + Nitrate total [as N]	1	1	0
NOEL Static Renewal 7Day Chronic Ceriodaphnia dubia	1	1	0
Noel Statre 7Day Chronic Pimephales	1	1	0
Nitrogen, Kjeldahl, total [as N]	1	0	0
Phosphate, ortho [as P]	1	0	0

Inspections, violations and enforcement

4Single-event violations

Date	What EPA recorded	Agency
August 25, 2026	WW SSO - Discharge to Waters	ST6
July 24, 2026	WW SSO - Discharge to Waters	ST6
May 23, 2026	WW SSO - Discharge to Waters	ST6
April 29, 2026	WW SSO - Discharge to Waters	ST6

Inspections

EPA’s inspection file holds no inspection for NPDES GA0021156.

Formal enforcement and penalties

0 formal actions, 0 of them with a penalty assessed. Federal and state penalties are separate figures from separate authorities and are shown as each was filed, never added together.

Informal enforcement

EPA’s informal enforcement file holds no action for NPDES GA0021156.

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Figures from EPA’s ICIS-NPDES download, loaded October 14, 2026.

This public-records page covers Clean Water Act NPDES permit GA0021156, held by Gainesville, City of for the Flat Creek WRF facility in Gainesville, GA, with its status as effective and classed as a major discharger. The facts list 6 pollutants under a numeric limit and 6 pollutants with an effluent exceedance, within the Little Suwanee Creek-Yellow River (HUC 030701030301) subwatershed.