State Clean Water Act Information
Potomac River Basin Drinking Water Source Protection Partnership
Statewide numerical Water Quality Standards:
Maryland
Pennsylvania
Virginia
West Virginia
Many Water Quality Standards are based on a water body’s designated use, such as i) public water supplies; ii) protection and propagation of fish, shellfish, and wildlife; iii) recreation; iv) agriculture and industry; and v) navigation.
General water quality criteria for each state:
- Human Health criteria
- State Code/Rule: 26.08.02.03.B(5)(a)
- Language: “The waters of this State may not be polluted by toxic substances…, which are harmful to human, plant, or aquatic life.”
- Taste & Odor criteria
- State Code/Rule: 26.08.02.03.B(2)(b)
- Language: “The waters of this State may not be polluted by any material… in amounts sufficient to produce taste or odor.”
- Treatment Process criteria
- State Code/Rule: 26.08.02.03.B(2)(e)
- Language: “The waters of this State may not be polluted by any material… in amounts sufficient to interfere directly or indirectly with designated uses.”
- Human Health criteria
- State Code/Rule: 25 Pa. Code §93.6(a)
- Language: “Water may not contain substances attributable to point or nonpoint source discharges in concentration or amount sufficient to be inimical or harmful to … human, animal, or plant life.”
- Taste & Odor criteria
- State Code/Rule: 25 Pa. Code §93.6(b)
- Language: “In addition to other substances listed within or addressed by this chapter, specific substances to be controlled include, but are not limited to… substances that produce color, tastes, odors, turbidity or settle to form deposits.”
- Treatment Process criteria
- State Code/Rule: 25 Pa. Code §93.6(a)
- Language: “Water may not contain substances attributable to point or nonpoint source discharges in concentration or amount sufficient to be inimical or harmful to the uses to be protected.”
- Human Health criteria
- State Code/Rule: 9VAC25-260-20.A
- Language: “State waters… shall be free from substances… in concentrations, amounts, or combinations which… are inimical or harmful to human, animal, plant, or aquatic life.”
- Taste & Odor criteria
- State Code/Rule: 9VAC25-260-20.A
- Language: “Specific substances to be controlled include… substances that produce color, tastes, turbidity, odors, or settle to form sludge deposits.”
- Treatment Process criteria
- State Code/Rule: 9VAC25-260-20.A
- Language: “State waters… shall be free from substances… in concentrations, amounts, or combinations which… interfere directly or indirectly with designated uses of such water.”
- Human Health criteria
- State Code/Rule: 47CSR2 §47-2-7.2.a.2
- Language: “[One half (1/2) mile upstream of water supply intake], the Secretary may establish… effluent limitations for the protection of human health that require additional removal of pollutants than would otherwise be provided by this rule.”
- Taste & Odor criteria
- State Code/Rule: 47CSR2 §47-2-3.2.d
- Language: “No sewage, industrial wastes or other wastes present in any of the waters of the state shall cause therein or materially contribute to… taste or odor that would adversely affect the designated uses of the affected waters.”
- Treatment Process criteria
- State Code/Rule: 47CSR2 §47-2-3.2.h
- Language: “No sewage, industrial wastes or other wastes present in any of the waters of the state shall cause therein or materially contribute to… requiring an unreasonable.”