Feb 19, 2025 · Water Quality Standards are an important tool for restoring and maintaining healthy water quality for lakes, rivers and streams, estuaries, and other waters nationally and where you live.

Feb 14, 2025 · The Water Quality Standards Handbook is a compilation of EPA's water quality standards (WQS) program guidance including recommendations for states, authorized tribes, and territories in reviewing, revising, and implementing WQS.

Sep 23, 2024 · The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's compilation of national recommended water quality criteria is presented as a summary table containing recommended water quality criteria for the protection of aquatic life and human health in surface water for approximately 150 pollutants.

May 30, 2021 · This part describes the requirements and procedures for developing, reviewing, revising, and approving water quality standards by the States as authorized by section 303(c) of the Clean Water Act.

Aug 31, 2020 · The Water Quality Standards Handbook is a compilation of EPA's water quality standards (WQS) program guidance including recommendations for states, authorized tribes, and territories in reviewing, revising, and implementing WQS.

Nov 3, 2016 · Water quality standards are provisions of state, territorial, authorized tribal or federal law approved by EPA that describe the desired condition of a waterbody or the level of protection or mandate how the desired condition will be expressed or …

May 21, 2020 · Water quality standards (WQS) are provisions of state, territorial, authorized tribal or federal law approved by EPA that describe the desired condition of a water body and the means by which that condition will be protected or achieved.

implement water quality standards in NPDES permits by: – knowing the current water quality standards, including any recent changes – being familiar with water quality standards implementation policies – using procedures adopted by the permitting authority to establish limitations as stringent as necessary to attain water quality standards

Nov 10, 2016 · The Water Quality Standards Regulation establishes the requirements for states and tribes to review, revise and adopt water quality standards. It also establishes the procedures for EPA to review, approve, disapprove and promulgate water quality standards pursuant to section 303 (c) of the Clean Water Act.

Each state, territory or authorized tribe must include the following key elements in their water quality standards to meet EPA approval: Designated uses that are consistent with the Clean Water Act. Criteria sufficient to protect designated uses.