Clean Water Act discharge permit · NPDES TX0003689
HOUSTON CHEMICAL PLANT, Houston, TX: NPDES TX0003689 discharge permit, effluent exceedances, inspections, penalties
- Administratively continuedPermit status
- MajorDischarger class
- 32Pollutants under a numeric limit
- 11Pollutants with an effluent exceedance
- 0Inspections on file
- 0Formal enforcement actions
HOUSTON CHEMICAL PLANT, held by G-3 CHICKADEE PURCHASER LLC, holds NPDES permit TX0003689, which discharges to Houston Ship Channel/Buffalo Bayou Tidal. EPA’s file records it issued October 16, 2019 and expiring October 16, 2024.
HOUSTON CHEMICAL PLANT, Houston, Texas: Individual permit TX0003689, held by G-3 CHICKADEE PURCHASER LLC; Administratively continued (past its expiration date and still in force until reissued); issued October 16, 2019, term to October 16, 2024; discharges to Houston Ship Channel/Buffalo Bayou Tidal.
- Solids, total suspended: 3 limits, 51 violations of any kind, 23 effluent exceedances, latest July 31, 2026, largest 515% over the limit.
- Cyanide, free [amenable to chlorination]: 2 limits, 19 violations of any kind, 6 effluent exceedances, latest May 31, 2026, largest 293% over the limit.
- Enterococci: 2 limits, 10 violations of any kind, 6 effluent exceedances, latest May 31, 2021, largest 99,999% over the limit.
- Oxygen demand, chem. [high level] [COD]: 2 limits, 38 violations of any kind, 4 effluent exceedances, latest May 31, 2025, largest 359% over the limit.
- Oil & Grease: 3 limits, 14 violations of any kind, 4 effluent exceedances, latest March 31, 2025, largest 538% over the limit.
- pH range excursions, > 60 minutes: 1 limit, 8 violations of any kind, 3 effluent exceedances, latest October 31, 2016, largest 2,147,483,650% over the limit.
- pH: 4 limits, 16 violations of any kind, 2 effluent exceedances, latest May 31, 2019.
- BOD, 5-day, 20 deg. C: 0 limits, 10 violations of any kind, 2 effluent exceedances, latest January 31, 2016, largest 80% over the limit.
- pH range excursions, monthly total accum: 1 limit, 7 violations of any kind, 2 effluent exceedances, latest October 31, 2016, largest 215% over the limit.
- Copper, total [as Cu]: 2 limits, 11 violations of any kind, 1 effluent exceedance, latest September 30, 2005, largest 10% over the limit.
- BOD, carbonaceous [5 day, 20 C]: 3 limits, 4 violations of any kind, 1 effluent exceedance, latest April 30, 2025, largest 2% over the limit.
- Low Flow Pass/Fail Survival Test Static Renewal 7 Day Chronic Menidia menidia: 4 limits, 23 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- NOEC Lethal Static Renewal 7 Day Chronic Menidia menidia: 4 limits, 23 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- NOEC Sub-Lethal Static Renewal 7 Day Chronic Menidia menidia: 4 limits, 23 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Low Flow Pass/Fail Survival Test Static Renewal 7 Day Chronic Americamysis bahia (Mysidopsis bahia): 2 limits, 23 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- NOEC Lethal Static Renewal 7 Day Chronic Americamysis bahia (formerly Mysidopsis bahia): 2 limits, 23 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- NOEC Sub-Lethal Static Renewal 7 Day Chronic Americamysis bahia (formerly Mysidopsis bahia): 2 limits, 23 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Flow, in conduit or thru treatment plant: 6 limits, 16 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Pass/Fail Sub-Lethal Static Renewal 7 Day Chronic Menidia menidia: 4 limits, 13 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- LOEC Lethal Survival Static Renewal 7 Day Chronic Menidia menidia: 4 limits, 13 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- LOEC Sub-Lethal Reproduction Static Renewal 7 Day Chronic Menidia menidia: 4 limits, 13 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Pass/Fail Sub-Lethal Static Renewal 7 Day Chronic Americamysis bahia (formerly Mysidopsis bahia): 2 limits, 13 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- LOEC Lethal Survival Static Renewal 7 Day Chronic Americamysis bahia (formerly Mysidopsis bahia): 2 limits, 13 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- LOEC Sub-Lethal Reproduction Static Renewal 7 Day Chronic Americamysis bahia (Mysidopsis bahia): 2 limits, 13 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Zinc, total [as Zn]: 3 limits, 12 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Phenols: 1 limit, 11 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- LC50 Pass/Fail Static 24Hr Acute Menidia menidia: 1 limit, 10 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Temperature, water deg. fahrenheit: 2 limits, 8 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N]: 2 limits, 8 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Whole effluent toxicity - retest #1: 5 limits, 6 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Chromium, total [as Cr]: 1 limit, 6 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Whole effluent toxicity - retest #2: 5 limits, 3 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Carbon, tot organic [TOC]: 1 limit, 2 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- LC50 Pass/Fail Static 24Hr Acute Americamysis bahia (formerly Mysidopsis bahia): 0 limits, 1 violation of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- February 26, 2026: Under Review (State).
- February 10, 2026: No Further Action (State).
- October 7, 2025: Permit Violations - Violation Specified in Comment (ST6).
- May 15, 2024: Permit Violations - Violation Specified in Comment (ST6).
HOUSTON CHEMICAL PLANT among its neighbors
EPA’s permit file holds 218 discharge permits in the Lower Sims Bayou subwatershed (HUC 120401040502), TX0003689 among them. Its county holds 4,455, 195 of them major permits; TX0003689 is a major permit.
Other permits in the Lower Sims Bayou subwatershed (HUC 120401040502)
- 10910 GLEN HOLLOW, Houston: TXR1588SI, minor permit, discharging to SIMS BAYOU ABOVE TIDAL, permit term to March 4, 2028
- 610 BUSINESS DISTRICT - BUILDINGS 1 & 2, Houston: TXR1529OE, minor permit, discharging to SIMS BAYOU ABOVE TIDAL, permit term to March 4, 2028
- 610 BUSINESS DISTRICT PHASE 2 - BLDGS 3 4 5 6, Houston: TXR1587UG, minor permit, discharging to SIMS BAYOU, permit term to March 4, 2028
- 6330 DIXIE DRIVE, Houston: TXR05FL79, minor permit, permit term to August 13, 2026
- A & D MACHINING SERVICE, Houston: TXRNECN55, minor permit, permit term to August 13, 2026
- A-1 CHROME PLATING, Houston: TXRNEBX97, minor permit, permit term to August 13, 2026
- ACC HOU - HOLMES, Houston: TXR05GR39, minor permit, permit term to August 13, 2026
- ACE SCRAP METAL RECYCLING, Houston: TXR05FW84, minor permit, permit term to August 13, 2026
- ACN MILLWORK, Houston: TXRNEBP25, minor permit, permit term to August 13, 2026
- ADVANCED CONTAINMENT SYSTEMS, Houston: TXRNEAZ27, minor permit, permit term to August 13, 2021
Identity
| Facility as filed | HOUSTON CHEMICAL PLANT |
|---|---|
| Permittee as filed | G-3 CHICKADEE PURCHASER LLC |
| NPDES ID | TX0003689 |
| Permit status | Administratively continued (past its expiration date and still in force until reissued) |
| Permit type | Individual permit |
| Discharger class | Major discharger |
| Facility type | Not a publicly owned treatment works |
| Issued | October 16, 2019 |
| Expiration date | October 16, 2024 |
| Address | Houston, TX 77017 |
| Receiving water | Houston Ship Channel/Buffalo Bayou Tidal |
| Receiving water impaired | 303(D) Listed |
| Subwatershed | Lower Sims Bayou (HUC 120401040502) |
| SIC | 2822 – Synthetic Rubber |
| Other EPA IDs (FRS) | RCRA handler TXD008077562; ICIS-AIR source TX0000004820100088 |
Effluent limits and exceedances
- 34Pollutants on file
- 32Under a numeric limit
- 34With a violation of any kind
- 11With 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solids, total suspended | 3 | 51 | 23 | July 31, 2026 | 515% over the limit |
| Cyanide, free [amenable to chlorination] | 2 | 19 | 6 | May 31, 2026 | 293% over the limit |
| Enterococci | 2 | 10 | 6 | May 31, 2021 | 99,999% over the limit |
| Oxygen demand, chem. [high level] [COD] | 2 | 38 | 4 | May 31, 2025 | 359% over the limit |
| Oil & Grease | 3 | 14 | 4 | March 31, 2025 | 538% over the limit |
| pH range excursions, > 60 minutes | 1 | 8 | 3 | October 31, 2016 | 2,147,483,650% over the limit |
| pH | 4 | 16 | 2 | May 31, 2019 | |
| BOD, 5-day, 20 deg. C | 0 | 10 | 2 | January 31, 2016 | 80% over the limit |
| pH range excursions, monthly total accum | 1 | 7 | 2 | October 31, 2016 | 215% over the limit |
| Copper, total [as Cu] | 2 | 11 | 1 | September 30, 2005 | 10% over the limit |
| BOD, carbonaceous [5 day, 20 C] | 3 | 4 | 1 | April 30, 2025 | 2% over the limit |
| Low Flow Pass/Fail Survival Test Static Renewal 7 Day Chronic Menidia menidia | 4 | 23 | 0 | ||
| NOEC Lethal Static Renewal 7 Day Chronic Menidia menidia | 4 | 23 | 0 | ||
| NOEC Sub-Lethal Static Renewal 7 Day Chronic Menidia menidia | 4 | 23 | 0 | ||
| Low Flow Pass/Fail Survival Test Static Renewal 7 Day Chronic Americamysis bahia (Mysidopsis bahia) | 2 | 23 | 0 | ||
| NOEC Lethal Static Renewal 7 Day Chronic Americamysis bahia (formerly Mysidopsis bahia) | 2 | 23 | 0 | ||
| NOEC Sub-Lethal Static Renewal 7 Day Chronic Americamysis bahia (formerly Mysidopsis bahia) | 2 | 23 | 0 | ||
| Flow, in conduit or thru treatment plant | 6 | 16 | 0 | ||
| Pass/Fail Sub-Lethal Static Renewal 7 Day Chronic Menidia menidia | 4 | 13 | 0 | ||
| LOEC Lethal Survival Static Renewal 7 Day Chronic Menidia menidia | 4 | 13 | 0 | ||
| LOEC Sub-Lethal Reproduction Static Renewal 7 Day Chronic Menidia menidia | 4 | 13 | 0 | ||
| Pass/Fail Sub-Lethal Static Renewal 7 Day Chronic Americamysis bahia (formerly Mysidopsis bahia) | 2 | 13 | 0 | ||
| LOEC Lethal Survival Static Renewal 7 Day Chronic Americamysis bahia (formerly Mysidopsis bahia) | 2 | 13 | 0 | ||
| LOEC Sub-Lethal Reproduction Static Renewal 7 Day Chronic Americamysis bahia (Mysidopsis bahia) | 2 | 13 | 0 | ||
| Zinc, total [as Zn] | 3 | 12 | 0 | ||
| Phenols | 1 | 11 | 0 | ||
| LC50 Pass/Fail Static 24Hr Acute Menidia menidia | 1 | 10 | 0 | ||
| Temperature, water deg. fahrenheit | 2 | 8 | 0 | ||
| Nitrogen, ammonia total [as N] | 2 | 8 | 0 | ||
| Whole effluent toxicity - retest #1 | 5 | 6 | 0 | ||
| Chromium, total [as Cr] | 1 | 6 | 0 | ||
| Whole effluent toxicity - retest #2 | 5 | 3 | 0 | ||
| Carbon, tot organic [TOC] | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||
| LC50 Pass/Fail Static 24Hr Acute Americamysis bahia (formerly Mysidopsis bahia) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Inspections, violations and enforcement
- 2Single-event violations
| Date | What EPA recorded | Agency |
|---|---|---|
| October 7, 2025 | Permit Violations - Violation Specified in Comment | ST6 |
| May 15, 2024 | Permit Violations - Violation Specified in Comment | ST6 |
Inspections
EPA’s inspection file holds no inspection for NPDES TX0003689.
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
| Date | What EPA recorded | Agency |
|---|---|---|
| February 26, 2026 | Under Review | State |
| February 10, 2026 | No Further Action | State |
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Figures from EPA’s ICIS-NPDES download, loaded October 14, 2026.