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WATER QUALITY STANDARDS CRITERIA DIGEST
A COMPILATION OF FEDERAL/STATE CRITERIA ON
-MERCURY AND HEAVY METALS-
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
WASHINGTON, D.C.
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Region Vs /" ;.:>-.. .-.:;
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INTRODUCTION
This digest was compiled in order to provide general information to the
public as well as to Federal, State, and local officials. It contains excerpts
from the individual Federal-State water quality standards establishing mercury
and heavy metals criteria for interstate waters. The water quality standards
program is directed by the Environmental Protection Agency, an independent
regulatory agency which has responsibility for approving State-adopted standards
for interstate waters, evaluating adherence to the standards, and overseeing
enforcement of standards compliance.
Standards, the first nationwide strategy for water quality management,
contain four major elements: the use (recreation, drinking water, fish and
wildlife propagation, industrial, or agricultural) to be made of the inter-
state water; criteria to protect those uses; implementation plans (for needed
industrial-municipal waste treatment improvements, among others) and enforce-
ment plans; and an antidegradation statement to protect existing high quality
waters.
Minimum water quality criteria, or numerical specificationsof physical,
chemical, temperature, and biological levels, are stated in the National
Technical Advisory Committee report to the Secretary of the Interior, Water
Quality Criteria, dated April 1, 1968, and published by the Government
Printing Office, Washington, B.C. Unavailability of the NTAC report before
June 30, 1967--the date set by the Water Quality Act of 1965 for formal
adoption of State standards--resulted in significant variations between the
State-adopted and the NTAC minimum criteria. Some standards were adopted
and approved before the NTAC report became available. Also, the Water
Quality Criteria report is subject to updating in light of new scientific
and technical information.
Mercury, silver, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, nickel, and
zinc are heavy metal compounds present in our waters and toxic to man in varying
degrees. They are serious pollutants because these stable compounds have persis-
tent and toxic effects for many years following deposit. The heavy metal compounds--
chromium, cadmium, mercury, and lead-- have no known biological function in animal
life and can act synergistically with other substances to increase toxicity. Marine
organisms, especially shellfish, readily take up and concentrate these heavy metals,
which are thereafter ingested by man. Once in the human system their toxic effects
are cumulative and are harmful to the degree that the dosages and resultant concen-
trations approach a lethal threshold. The fishery industry has sustained economic
losses in recent years when unacceptable levels of mercury or other heavy metals
were discovered in fish from contaminated waters, provoking government condemnation
of the affected catches. Fishing waters have been closed to fishermen, cutting them
off from their livelihood. J
EPA generally recommends criteria in the NTAC report, Water Quality Criteria,
which cites the U.S. Public Health Service Drinking Water Standards']These standards
list "desirable criteria" as the minimum detectable concentrations of the heavy
metal compounds. In effect, this sets the limit to near zero.
Since water quality standards experience revisions and upgrading from time to
time, following procedures set forth in the Federal Water Pollution Control Act,
individual entries in this digest may be superseded. As these revisions are
accomplished, this digest will be updated and reissued. Because this publication
is not intended for use other than as a general information resource, for the latest
information, and for special purposes and applications, refer to the existing,
approved water quality standards which can be obtained from the State water pollu-
tion control agencies or EPA Washington, D.C. or regional offices.
Individual State-adopted criteria follow.
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Federal-State Water Quality Standards and USPHS
Drinking Water Standards for Mercury and Heavy Metals I/
All States have been required to adopt statements as a part of
general standards applicable to all waters which require that
those waters be free of substances attributable to discharges
or wastes which are toxic or which produce undesirable physio-
logical responses in human, fish, and other animal life and
plants.
State
Metal
Criteria
Values in mg/1
Use Classification to
Which Applied
Alabama
Alaska
All Toxic Not to exceed 0.1 of
materials, the 48 hr. median
including tolerance limit for
metals fish, aquatic life or
shellfish, including
shrimp and crabs
Narrative Statement
USPHS 0.1
Standards CCE
(carbon chloro-
form extracts)
USPHS Standards
All Toxic Narrative Statement
materials,
including
metals
Shellfish Harvesting
Fish and Wildlife
All Toxic
materials,
including
metals
Pesticides
(heavy metal
constituents)
Narrative Statement
0.001 of the LC50
for the most sensi-
tive organism on
96 hr. exposure
All Classes
Class A Water Supply
Class B Water Supply
Recreation
Growth and Propagation
of Fish and other
aquatic life
Agriculture
Industry
Shellfish
Arizona
No Specific Criteria
T7 Heavy metals considered: Cadmium, Chromium, Copper, Iron, Lead f
Manganese, Silver, Zinc.
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2.
State
Metal
Criteria
Values in mg/1
Use Classification to
Which Applied
Arkansas
California-
Sacramento-
San Joaquin
Delta
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
All Toxic
materials,
including
metals
Cadmium
Chromium
(hexavalent)
Copper
Iron
Lead
Manganese
Silver
Zinc
Cadmium
Chromium
(hexavalent )
Lead
Silver
Zinc
USPHS Standards
0.1 48 -hr TLm-/
0.01
0.05
0.01
0.3
0.05
0.05
0.01
0.1
0.01
0.05
0.05
0.05
0.05
Fish and Wildlife
Water Supply
Water Supply
Water Supply
Water Supply
Water Supply
Water Supply
Water Supply
Water Supply
Water Supply
Water Supply
Water Supply
Water Supply
Water Supply
Water Supply
No Specific Criteria
Copper
Zinc
Chromium
(hexavalent)
Chromium
(total)
Lead
Iron
0.5
1.0
0.50
1.0 in effluent
0.05 after mixing
0.05
0.30
All Waters
All Waters
All Waters
All Waters
All Waters
All Waters
All Waters
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
No Specific Criteria
No Specific Criteria
(Water Quality Criteria, published
by the State of California referenced
as a guide)
Amonia Nitrogen 1.5
( as N)
Arsenic (total) 1.0
General Standards
2/ The TUn is the concentration of a toxic iraterial which produced death to one-
half of the test organisms in a bioassay test within a specified length of tune
(e.g. 48 hours or 96 hour).
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State
St
Metal
Criteria
Values in mg/1
Use Classification to
"Which Applied
Illinois
Cont'd)
Barium (total) 5.0
Boron (total) 1.0
Cadmium (total) 0.05
Chloride 500.
Chromium 0.05
(total
hexavalent)
Chromium
(total
trivalent) 1.0
Copper (total) 0.02
Cyanide 0.025
Fluoride 1.4
Iron (total) 1.0
Lead (total) 0.1
Manganese 1.0
(total)
Mercury 0.0005
Nickel (total) 1.0
Phenols 0.1
Selenium 1.0
(total)
Silver (total) 0.0005
Sulfate 500.
Total Dissolved
Solids 1000.
Zinc 1.0
Amonia Nitrogen 0.02
Chloride 12.0
Sulfate 24.0
Phosphorus
(as P) 0.007
Arsenic (total) 0.01
Barium (total) 1.0
Cadmium (total) 0.01
Chlorides 250.
Carbon 0.2
Chloroform
Extract (CCE)
Cyanide 0.01
Iron (total) 0.3
Lead (total) 0.05
Manganese
(total) 0.05
Methylene Blue 0.5
Active Sub-
stance (MBAS)
General Standards
ii
M
II
II
M
M
II
It
Lake Michigan
M
Public § Food Processing WS
M
ii
tt
M
tt
M
ti
ti
tt
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State
Metal
Criteria
Values in mg/1
Use Classification to
Which Applied
Nitrates plus 10.0
Nitrites as N
Oil (Hexane- 0.1
solubles or
equivalent)
Phenols , 0.001
Selenium (total)0.01
Sulfates 250.
Public £ Food Processing
Indiana
Iowa
Cadmium
Chromium
(hexavalent)
Lead
Silver
All Toxic
materials,
including
metals
Cadmium
Chromium
(hexavalent)
Lead 0.05
Lead 0.10
Chromium 1.00
(trivalent)
Copper 0.02
Zinc 1.0
0.01
0.05
0.05
0.05
0.1 96-hr TLm
0.01
0.05
Water Supply
Water Supply
Water Supply
Water Supply
Aquatic Life
Water Supply & Fish
and Wildlife
Water Supply & Fish
and Wildlife
Water Supply & Fish
and Wildlife
Fish and Wildlife
Fish and Wildlife
Fish and Wildlife
Fish and Wildlife
Kansas
USPHS Standards
Water Supply
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State
Metal
Criteria
Values in mg/1
Use Classification to
Which Applied
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Mas sachuse 1 1 s
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
CadAium
Chromium
(hexavalent)
Lead
Silver
All Toxic
materials,
including
metals
All Toxic
materials,
including
metals
0.01
0.05
0.05
0.05
0.1 48-hr. TLm
0.1 48-hr. TLm
Water Supply
Water Supply
Water Supply
Water Supply
Fish and Wildlife
All Classifications
No Specific Criteria
No Specific Criteria
No Specific Criteria
Chromium
(hexavalent )
Copper
Iron
Manganese
Zinc
Cadmium
Chromium
(hexavalent)
Lead
Silver
Chromium
Copper
Chromium
Copper
Cadmium
Chromium
(hexavalent )
Lead
Silver
0.05
1.0
0.3
0.05
5
0.01
0.05
0.05
0.05
trace
trace
1.0
0.2
0.01
0.05
0.05
0.05
Water Supply
Water Supply
Water Supply
Water Supply
Water Supply
Water Supply
Water Supply
Water Supply
Water Supply
Class A Fisheries
& Recreation
Class A Fisheries
& Recreation
Class 8 Fisheries
&. Recreation
Class B Fisheries
&. Recreation
Water Supply
Water Supply
Water Supply
Water Supply
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State
Metal
Criteria Use Classification to
Values in mq/1 Which Applied
Mississippi
(Cont'd)
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
All Toxic
materials,
including
metals
0.1 48-hr. TLm Fish &. Wildlife
No Specific Criteria
All Toxic
materials,
including
metals
0.00 Above
Background
Levels
Water Supply Class A
Closed
USPHS Standards
All Toxic Induced vari- Water Supply Class A
materials ation limited Open
to a 10% increase
of concentration
USPHS Standards
Water Supply Class B
All Toxic
materials,
including
metals
Not to Exceed
0.1 96-hr. TLm
for residual
materials nor 0.01
of the 96-hr. TLm
for pesticides &
organic materials
with a residual
life exceeding
30 days
Fish and Wildlife
Classes D-l, D-2, D-3
Narrative
Statement
Narrative
All Toxic
materials,
including
metals
All Toxic
materials,
including
metals
USPHS Standards
No Specific Criteria
No Specific Criteria
Agricultural Water Supply
Class E
Industrial Water Supply
(other than food).
All Uses
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State
Metal
Criteria
Values in mg/1
Use Classification to
Which Applied
New Jersey
New Mexico
No Specific Criteria
All Toxic
materials,
including
metals
Not to exceed All Classes
10% of the 48-hr.
TLm
New York
North Carolina
No Specific Criteria
0.0
Water Supply
All Toxic
materials,
including
metals
The maximum limits for toxic and other deleterious substances in re-
ceiving waters shall not exceed the values recommended in the most recent
edition of the"Report of the National Technical Advisory Committee on
Water Quality" where stated and in cases where such values are not in-
cluded in the report bioassays will be conducted according to the stand-
ards techniques recommended therein to determine safe levels for such
substances on the basis of the discharge and characteristics of the
waters under consideration.
North Dakota
Ohio
Cadmium 0.01
Chromium 1.0
(total)
Chromium 0.05
(trivalent or
hexavalent)
Copper 0.1
Lead 0.05
USPHS Standards
Cadmium 0.01
Chromium 0.05
(hexavalent)
Lead 0.05
Silver 0.05
Iron (certain 1.5
Rivers on Ohio/
Pa. border only)
All uses of the Red
River of the North,
the Boise De Sioux, &
parts of the Sheyenne
&. Pembino Rivers.
Water Supply
Water Supply
Water Supply
Water Supply
Water Supply
Water Supply
All Toxic
materials,
including
metals
0.1 48-hr. TLm Aquatic Life & Recreation
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State Metal Criteria Use Classification to
Values in mg/1 Which Applied
Oklahoma All Toxic 0.1 48-hr. TLm Water Supply
materials,
including
metals
Oregon
These criteria apply only to the Multnomah channel and the Main
Stem Willamette River, the Main Stem of the Columbia River from
the eastern Oregon-Washington border westward to the Pacific
Ocean, the Main Stem of the Grande Ronde River, the Main Stem of
the Walla Walla River, and the Main Stem of the Snake River.
The remaining interstate streams and estuaries are protected by
a narrative statement.
Cadmium 0.01 All Uses
Chromium 0.05 All Uses
Copper 0.005 All Uses
Iron 0.1 All Uses
Lead 0.05 All Uses
Manganese 0.05 All Uses
Zinc 0.1 All Uses
Heavy Metals 0.5 All Uses
(Totals including
copper, lead, zinc,
and others of non-
specific designation)
Pennsylvania
These criteria are applicable only to specific
reaches of interstate waters as designated in Section 6 of
the Pennsylvania Water Quality Standards.
Manganese 1.0 All Uses
Iron (total) 1.5 All Uses
Iron dissolved 0.3 All Uses
Rhode Island No Specific Criteria
South Carolina All Toxic 0.0 Water Supply
materials,
including
metals
South Dakota USPHS Standards Water Supply
Iron 0.2 Fish and Wildlife
Tennessee No Specific Criteria
Texas No Specific Criteria
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