How to calculate the standards for maximum discharge (MPD) of pollutants into water bodies

What is special water use?

According to Art. 48 and 49 of the Water Code of Ukraine special water use is the abstraction of water from water bodies using structures or technical devices, water use and discharge of pollutants into water bodies, including water abstraction and discharge of pollutants with return waters using canals, which water users can carry out only with the appropriate permit.

What are MPD and their standards?

MPD of the substance – the mass of the substance in the return water, which is the maximum allowable for the removal of the established regime of this point of the water body per unit time.

MPD standards for pollutants are set for water users who discharge return water into water bodies, in accordance with the list of pollutants whose discharge into water bodies is normalized in all cases of return water discharge.

What documents define the basic requirements for the rationing of the maximum allowable discharge (MPD)?

The main requirements for standardization of maximum allowable discharge (MPD) of pollutants present in the return waters of water users are determined by the Procedure for development of standards for maximum allowable discharge of pollutants into water bodies, approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on September 11, 1996 №1100.

MPD standards are developed in accordance with the Methodological recommendations approved by the order of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources of Ukraine dated 05.03.2021 № 173.

 It should be noted that economic activities that lead to the discharge of pollutants into water bodies and water abstraction from water bodies, provided that the groundwater intake exceeds 300 cubic meters per day are subject to environmental impact assessment in accordance with paragraph 13 Part 3 of Art. 3 of the Law of Ukraine “On Environmental Impact Assessment” the second category of planned activities and facilities that may have a significant impact on the environment.

 Which pollutant discharges into water bodies are regulated? 

The list of pollutants, the discharge of which into water bodies is normalized: ammonium nitrogen; organic substances (by indicators: biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) and chemical oxygen demand (COD); suspended solids; petroleum products; nitrates; nitrites; sulfates; phosphates; chlorides.

In addition, additional pollutants (substances defined by state sanitary norms and rules, environmental safety standards, water quality standards of water bodies), the concentration of which in return waters increases compared to the abstracted water, and take into account the following indicators and characteristics of return waters, such as dissolved oxygen, hydrogen index (pH) and temperature.

 Depending on the peculiarities of the water user’s production technology, such indicators and characteristics of return waters as bacteriological pollution, water toxicity level (based on biotesting) and water radioactivity (total radioactivity) are normalized.

The content of pollutants in return waters, the discharge of which is normalized, is determined regularly (at least once a quarter) by water users using instrumental and laboratory measurements, including automated means.

 Which document approves the MPD standards?

Discharges of pollutants into water bodies require a special water use permit. To obtain this permit, the application is accompanied by standards for the maximum discharge (MPD) of pollutants into water bodies with return waters.

Algorithm for obtaining permission

To obtain a permit for special water use, the water user applies to the relevant centers for the provision of administrative services with an application, in accordance with the order of the Ministry of Environment dated April 12, 2018 № 116, to which are attached:

• substantiation of water needs with monthly normative calculation of water use and drainage, approved by the order of the Ministry of Environment dated 23.06.2017 №234;
• description and scheme of water intake and return water discharge points;
• standards of maximum permissible discharge (MPD) of pollutants into water bodies with return waters (based on each release (discharge) separately);
• approved individual technological standards for the use of drinking water (for enterprises and organizations of housing and communal services, business entities that provide services for centralized water supply and / or drainage);
• a copy of the title documents for water bodies (for tenants of water bodies).

 What is the term of consideration of documents for obtaining a special use permit?

Issuance or refusal to issue a permit for special water use is carried out within 30 calendar days from the date of receipt of the application and the documents required for the issuance of a permit.

For how long is a special water use permit issued?

Article 50 of the Water Code of Ukraine defines two options for the term of permits: short-term (for three years) or long-term (from three to twenty-five years).

The term of special water use is set by the territorial body of the State Water Agency and is usually five or three years (in case of discharge of return (waste) water into water bodies).

 Who issues the permit for special water use?

According to the Law of Ukraine “On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine Regulating Relations Related to Obtaining Permit Documents”, the Water Code of Ukraine, the Law of Ukraine “On Permitting System in the Sphere of Economic Activity” the issuance of a permit for special water use is carried out by territorial bodies of the central executive body that implements the state policy in the field of water management development – the State Water Agencies in the regions of Ukraine or the sectors of the State Agency of Water Resources of Ukraine.

For water users of the city of Kyiv, Kyiv region, exclusion zone and zone of unconditional (compulsory) resettlement of the territory that has suffered radioactive contamination as a result of the Chornobyl catastrophe, the permit is issued by the State Water Agency.

According to Article 49 of the Water Code of Ukraine, in the case of use of groundwater and water bodies classified as medical, it is also necessary to obtain the conclusions of the central executive body implementing state policy in the field of geological study and rational use of subsoil, as well as the central body executive power, which ensures the formation and implementation of state policy in the field of health care, respectively.

Center LTD Company Service

The development of MPD standards for pollutants and the inventory of indicators of the composition and properties of return waters is carried out on a contractual basis. That is, the company may involve a specialized organization to develop MPD standards. In order to prevent mistakes, submit an incomplete package of documents, non-compliance with the requirements of laws and bylaws, errors in water balances, the specialists of the Center Ltd. will advise you and help in preparing a package of documents, perform for you all the necessary calculations of water consumption and drainage, including standards of maximum permissible discharge (MPD) of pollutants into water bodies with return water (based on each release (discharge) separately) with full support for work to obtain a permit for special water use.

More about the service at the link: center-ltd.com.ua or by phone: +380 96 781 05 37

Oleg Bota, Olena Vitrak, Center LTD Company