PERMIT RATIONALE FOR REISSUANCE
Vardaman POTW
Calhoun County
Vardaman,, Mississippi
Water NPDES No. MS0025097
October 16, 2025

I.	CLASSIFICATION – NPDES Minor Municipal

II.	DESCRIPTION OF WASTEWATER – Domestic/Municipal Wastewater

III.	DESCRIPTION OF WASTWATER TREATMENT – Wastewater is collected and treated biologically by means of a conventional two-celled lagoon. The system operates as a hydrographically controlled release (HCR). No increase in flow is proposed within the application. 

IV.	RECEIVING WATERS – Yalobusha River. At the point of discharge the receiving stream does not appear on the current State of Mississippi 303(d) List of Impaired Waterbodies. The facility is mentioned in a completed Yalobusha River TMDL for nutrients and organic enrichment/low DO. The limits contained in the draft permit reflect the limits proposed by the TMDL. The receiving water is located within the Yazoo River drainage basin, and is classified as Fish & Wildlife. 

V.	APPLICABLE GUIDELINES – 11 Mississippi Admin Code pt.6, Wasteload Allocation (WLA)

VI.	SUMMARY OF DISCHARGE LIMITATIONS – 
Parameter			Value					Basis
Flow				0.342 MGD				Design
BOD5				30 mg/l (Monthly Average)		WLA	
BOD5 (Percent Removal)	65% Minimum			Technology
TSS				90 mg/l (Monthly Average)		Technology
TSS (Percent Removal)	65% Minimum			Technology
Ammonia Nitrogen		2.0 mg/l (Monthly Average)		WLA
Dissolved Oxygen		6.0 mg/l (Minimum)			Admin Code
pH				6.0 – 9.0 S.U.				Admin Code
Total Nitrogen			Report					WLA
Total Phosphorus		Report					WLA

The system operates as a hydrographically controlled release (HCR). The facility can only discharge when the Yalobusha River is at or above 2.65 cfs (1.71 MGD). The ratio of minimum river flow to discharge flow shall be 5 to 1. No increase in flow is proposed within the application.

Additionally, this permit requires the following:

Permittee shall Submit a report: Due annually by the 28th of January detailing the date, time, and stream stage when the discharge begin; the date, time, and stream stage when the discharge ceased; and the volume of wastewater released for each discharge that occurred in that year.