United State*
Environmental Protection
Agency
Permits Division
EN-336
Washington, DC 20460
August 1987
Water
Program Survey--
Biological Toxicity Testing
in the NPDES
Permits Program
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PROGRAM SURVEY
BIOLOGICAL TOXICITY TESTING IN THE NPDES
PERMITS PROGRAM
August 1987
Permits Division
Office of Water Enforcement and Permits
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Washington, D.C. 20460
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
INTRODUCTION ...................... 1
RESULTS OF SURVEY ................... 2
EPA REGIONAL PROGRAMS AND ENVIRONMENT CANADA'S PROGRAM . 11
STATE PROGRAMS ..................... 22
TABLE 1. Biological Toxicity Testing in NPDES
Industrial and Municipal Permits ...... 5
TABLE 2. State Toxicity Reduction Evaluations .... 6
TABLE 3. State Biological Testing Annual Programs . . 7
FIGURE 1. Major Industrial Permits with Toxicity Testing
Requirements ................ 8
FIGURE 2. Major Municipal Permits with Toxicity Testing
Requirements ................ 9
FIGURE 3. Permits with Toxicity Limits ........ 10
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INTRODUCTION
In 1986, EPA undertook an informal telephone survey of State and
EPA Regional personnel to determine the nature and extent of
biological toxicity testing in the NPDES permit program. A
program survey summary report containing the information col-
lected in that survey, and bearing the date of July 1986, was
reproduced and distributed.
In the 12 months since that study was made, EPA Regions and many
States have formalized policies relating to NPDES toxicity
testing. There have been concerted efforts in many States to
introduce biological testing into a greater number or all of
major and many minor permits being considered for reissuance.
The use of chronic toxicity effluent testing has increased, and
this has led to an increase in toxicity determinations and a
requirement on many permittees to conduct toxicity reduction
evaluations. Because of these developments in the permit pro-
gram, it was appropriate to again contact State and EPA Regional
personnel to ascertain the present program status. This report
summarizes the results of those contacts.
An informal telephone survey of NPDES State and EPA Regional
personnel was conducted in mid-1987 to determine the current use
of effluent biological testing. To conduct this survey, EPA
contracted with WESTEC Services, Inc., Reston, Virginia. Regions
and States were asked the number of NPDES permits they adminis-
tered, the number of permits with a biological toxicity testing
requirement, the number of permits with expressed toxicity limits
and with requirements for toxicity reduction evaluations. Region-
al and State programs were discussed, including the use of bio-
logical testing such as acute and chronic toxicity testing
techniques, instream biotic assessments, water quality trend
monitoring at fixed locations, and aquatic organism flesh
analyses for bioaccumulative materials, as well as any other use
of biological investigative techniques.
EPA has not verified the results of this survey independently.
Nor did EPA or the contractor look at individual permits, State
regulations, or procedures referenced in the report. The intent
of this summary is to give general information on the use of
biological testing in Regional and NPDES State toxic control
programs.
-------
RESULTS OF THE SURVEY
Biological testing methods used to characterize environmental
effects of toxic pollutants discharges take various forms.
Generally, biological methods are segregated into two groups:
Effluent testing and receiving water testing. State permit
programs use both methods, but permit-required effluent testing
is by far the more prevalent.
This survey focused on toxicity tests where organisms are exposed
in the static or flow-through environment of undiluted or diluted
wastewater for 96 hours or less to simulate acute exposure, or up
to 7 or more days to simulate chronic exposure. Various organ-
isms are used in effluent toxicity tests; the EPA published a
list of appropriate organisms in Table 1 of "Methods for
Measuring the Acute Toxicity of Effluents to Freshwater and
Marine Organisms* (EPA/600/4-85/013). The EPA publication,
"Short-Term Methods for Estimating the Chronic Toxicity of
Effluents and Receiving Waters to Freshwater Organisms"
(EPA/600/4-85/014), provides details for conducting chronic
toxicity tests. Various biological methods are appropriate for
ambient or receiving water testing, and these provide the
capability to identify environmental damage from toxic pollutants
to some extent. Methods employed by States include studies and
assessments related to macroinvertebrates, fishes, algae,
periphyton, protozoa, primary productivity, sediment toxicity
tests, fish flesh tainting, fish and mussel flesh analyses for
bioaccumulated substances, caged organism toxicity, fish and
invertebrate chronic toxicity tests, sediment analyses, and fish
avoidance reactions.
The survey showed that:
o 38 States require industries to conduct toxicity
testing (Table 1).
o 27 States require municipalities to conduct toxicity
testing (Table 1).
o 1,343 industrial permits require toxicity testing
(Table 1).
o 597 municipal permits require toxicity testing (Table
1).
o The midwestern and western States have the fewest, if
any, requirements for biological toxicity testing
(Figures 1 and 2).
o Effluent toxicity limits are in industrial permits in
14 States and are found in 39 percent of the industrial
permits that require biological testing (Table 1,
Figure 3).
2
-------
o Effluent toxicity limits are in municipal permits in
10 States and are found in 78 percent of the municipal
permits that require biological testing
(Table 1, Figure 3).
o 16 States have a toxicity testing requirement in
industrial permits only (Table 1).
o 8 States do not require effluent biological testing
(Table 1).
o 19 States project that as new permits are issued, or as
existing permits are reissued, all major and signifi-
cant minor permits will contain biological testing
requirements (Table 1).
o Using major permits as a means of comparison, 15
States require biological toxicity testing in 50 per-
cent or more of their industrial permits. Califor-
nia, Virginia, and West Virginia require biological
testing in all of their major industrial permits and
some minor permits (Table 1; Figure 1).
o Using major permits as a means of comparison, 6
States require biological toxicity testing in 50 per-
cent or more of their municipal permits. New Jersey
requires biological testing in all of their municipal
major permits and some minor permits (Table 1; Figure
2).
o 10 States have toxicity reduction evaluations programs
underway, and 13 additional States are beginning such
programs (Table 2).
o 5 States have (or will have within one year)
biological laboratory certification programs (Table 3).
o 16 States operate mobile biological laboratories for
flow-through or chronic biological testing (Table 3).
o 29 States have capability for conducting definitive
acute or chronic toxicity tests (Table 3).
o 33 States conduct receiving water macroinvertebrate or
fish assessments related either to special study
pollution investigations or to provide trend monitoring
determinations (Table 3).
It is believed that the information herein is more exact than
that contained in the 1986 report. Each contact listed in the
address of a State or Federal program page was given the
opportunity to view and comment on the appropriate draft
narrative. Host took the opportunity to refine numbers or
narrative connotations. Although the differences between this
-------
and the 1986 report may be subtle in respect to numerical values
contained in the report, there is a noticeable difference in
future projections by States regarding use of biological toxicity
testing in the NPDES programs; nineteen States responded that as
new permits are issued, or as existing permits are reissued, all
major permits will require biological testing. Six of the
responding States now have five or fewer permits with such
testing requirements.
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TABLE 1. BIOLOGICAL EFFLUENT TESTING IN HPDE8 PERMITS
mUSTHIAL
UUCIPAL
IHDUSTH2AL
*
MUNICIPAL
ALABAMA
ALASKA
ARIZONA
ARKANSAS
CALIFORNIA
COLORADO
CONNECTICUT
DELAWARE
DISTRICT OF co.
FLORIDA
GEOR6IA
HAWAII
INDIANA
IOWA
KANSAS
KENTUCKY
LOUISIANA
MAINE
MARYLAND
MASSACHUSETTS
MINNESOTA
MISSISSIPPI
MISSOURI
MONTANA
NEBRASKA
NEVADA
NEW HAMPSHIRE
NEW JERSEY
NEW MEXICO
NEW YORK
NORTH CAROLINA
NORTH DAKOTA
OHIO
OKLAHOHA
OREBON
PENNSYLVANIA
80UTH CAROLINA
SOUTH DAKOTA
TEXAS
UTAH
VERHONT
VIRGINIA
WASHIN6TON
WISCONSIN
WYOMING
TOTALS
/ *
80
0
40
184
1
88*
4
40
88
8
8
0
13
100
11*
88
88
1
80
0
a
185
B
88*
0
7
88
IB
0
84
0
88
133
B
0
180
87
70
BB*
0
1343
/
81
0
71
100
8
73
18
88
48
88
7
0
10
BB
87
71
83
4
80
D
11
83
81
B
88
B
B
81
78
0
3D
0
B
88
88
0
1BO
B8
100
BB
0
/
BO
0
.0
143
0
8
0
40
0
0
0
B
IB
0
1
0
17
.0
10
0
D
100
0
0
88
0
0
0
8
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
BO
0
0
0
478
/*
«
*
'
:
0
0
«
'
«
*
,
f
f
*
f
*
0
f
*
*
1
f
:
/
0
0
0
178
B
0
1
40
1
1
0
0
4
0
8
80
18
0
0
0
8
178
0
14
70*
1
B
0
0
0
14
B*
1
0
7
0
80
B
B
8
887
/
B
0
0
87
11
0
7
100
88
1
B
0
0
7
0
3
84
18
8
0
0
8
00
0
B
B4
7
B
B
0
0
78
4
8
B
IB
0
48
B
B
18
/ "
18
4
17
7
4B4
"
»
«
*
0
*
0
0
0
t
t
1
t
0
f
t
t
1
0
f
f
B
*
*
1
f
*
/ *
80
0
40
8BB
B
88
B
1
80
88
B
4
B
B
0
17
IBB
18
48
84
IB
1
80
BOO
B
88
138
1
18
88
IB
B
80
8
1
88
188
13
0
1BO
87
70
BB
8
1B40
/ m
88
0
74
100
B
41
14
100
83
14
13
48
14
BB
IB
B
1
84
0
0
B
B
B3
14
B
87
B
4
3
81
44
IB
a
18
7
88
0
100
41
74 .
84
4
/ "
BB
B
.8°.
a
0
1
80
0
0
0
1
0
0
B
17
0
8
B
83
0
0
IB
0
- B
B
B
878
B
B
188
0
0
B
8
B
B
0
B
0
0
0
0
80
B
0
0
848
f **
.
;
0
f
B
B
0
f
f
'
1
f
f
#
*
t
0
*
*
any riqulrcainti vl* da1n1(tr»t1*« Icttir.
1 NuBbcr clth ticttng » fnelud* Jot and Miner p«r«1t>.
8 Percentage reletee to Jor permits.
Peralti Bonuin toilelf. ilaiu.
4 When or cnUtlng peratte ere Ucuetf or relouedi
* Blologleil toitclty taxing In ell Jor perBlti
f Tilting rcqulrenent* mill be pieced In eeleeted pereilte.
0 He projected greeth In tooting requirement progren.
-------
TABLE B. STATE PR06RANS TNAT NEOUIRE TOXICITT REDUCION fVALUATION
ALABAMA
ALASKA
ARIZONA
ARKANSAS
CALIFORNIA
COLORADO
CONNECTICUT
DELAWARE
FLORIDA
SEOR6IA
MAVAII
IDAHO
ILLINOIS
INDIANA
IOWA
KANSAS
KENTUCKY
LOUISIANA
NAINE
NARYLANO
NASSACHU6ETTS
NICHI6AN
NINNEBOTA
MISSISSIPPI
NX8SOURI
NONTANA
NEBRASKA
NEVADA .
NEV NANPBHIRE
HEN JERSEY
NEW NEXICO
NEW YORK
NORTH CAROLINA
NORTH DAKOTA
OHIO
OKLAHOMA
ORE60N
PENNSYLVANIA
RHODE ISLAND
SOUTH CAROLINA
SOUTH DAKOTA
TENNESSEE
TEXAS
UTAH
VERMONT
VIRGINIA
VABHIN6TON
E6T VIRGINIA
WISCONSIN
YONIN8
TOTALS
f
*
IB
*
18
87
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TABLE
BIOLOGICAL TESTING PROGRAMS CONDUCTED BY
BTATE PEMOMMEL ANNUALLT
ALABANA
ALASKA
ARIZONA
ARKANSAS
CALIFORNIA
COLORADO
CONNECTICUT
DELAWARE
DISTRICT OF CO.
FLORIDA
GEOR6IA
HAWAII
IDAHO
ILLINOIS
INDIANA
IOWA
KANSAS
KENTUCKY
LOUISIANA
MAINE
MARYLAND
MASSACHUSETTS
NICHI6AN
MINNESOTA
MISSOURI
MONTANA
NEBRASKA
NEVADA
NEW NANPSHIRE
MEN JERSEY
NEW MEXICO
MEW YORK
NORTH DAKOTA
OHIO
ORE60N
PENNSYLVANIA
60UTN CAROLINA
SOUTH DAKOTA
TENNESSEE
TEXAS
UTAH
VIRGINIA
WASHINGTON
WISCONSIN
WYOMING
TOTALS
80
0
0
12
e
it
0
>80
0
0
0
17
0
44
186
ISO
BO
80
100
BO
es
B
0
B
0
0
180
0
0
100
0
78
0
180
0
0
0
BO
eo
0
0
B8
1C
76
0
0
1428
B
0
0
0
e
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
B4
112
ao
a
is
IB
IS
IB
0
0
0
0
0
80
100
0
10
0
IBS
0
0
0
10
0
o
0
10
IE
0
0
0
BBS
0
0
0
86
a
10
0
0
0
0
0
ao
18
0
40
as
a
BB
60
0
0
400
80
0
0
0
18
40
BO
BO
0
BO
0
B40
840
0
IB
100
BO
0
BO
100
480
0
80B6
a
0
0
0
B
0
e
0
BB
0
0
e
88
0
eo
BO
0
80
0
ao
0
8B
100
a
0
ae*
100
0
0
0
84
100
10
80
80
0
80
ao
178
4S
80
0
1084
r
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
18
r
a
0
o
0
0
0
0
o
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
o
a
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
e
0
B
- Information not ovolloblo
1 Nuobor of loctttoni Briar* oiocrolnvortobroto or floh nt« roloto to
point court* dlochargoi
8 Nacrolnvortobrot* or floh locotlon oooomonto rolotod to othor thon point
oureo dlochirgo*.
a Btota oporotoa o nobll* laboratory to oorvloa point ooureo dlochorgo*.
4 Hoo or >1ll nova 1n IB nonttia o biological laboratory certification progroau
7
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FIGURE 1. PERCENTAGE OF MAJOR INDUSTRIAL PERMITS WITH
TOXICITY TESTING REQUIREMENTS
CO
-------
FIGURE 2. PERCENTAGE OF MAJOR MUNICIPAL PERMITS
WITH TOXICITY TESTING REQUIREMENTS
-------
FIGURE 3. NUMBER OF PERMITS WITH TOXICITY LIMITS
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EBkJREGION I
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region I
John F. Kennedy Federal Building
Room 2203
Boston, MA 02203
Mr. Jerry Potamis, Chief Mr. Clyde Shufelt, Chief
Industrial Permits Section Municipal Permits Section
(617) 565-3512 (617) 565-3516
Biological testing is required for industrial or municipal dischargers scheduled
for permit issuance where technology based pollutant limitations diluted by the
receiving water (7Q10 for acute toxicity and 30Q2 for chronic toxicity) cannot
meet acute or chronic water quality criteria specified in the water quality
criteria documents (45 FR 79318, November 29, 1980) or more recently updated
drafts of final criteria documents. All municipalities with pretreatment pro-
grams are required to perform effluent toxicity testing as permits are reissued.
Where permit reissuance is not imminent, Section 308 letters are used to
institute toxicity testing. Discharges containing chemicals for which criteria
have not been developed are evaluated on a case-by-case basis to determine the
likelihood of water use impairment.
Industrial dischargers to fresh water must conduct four acute toxicity tests
using a daphnid and the fathead minnow within a 60-day period. Permits
containing chemical specific limits based upon biological toxicity testing will
include a requirement for periodic chronic or acute toxicity testing. The
permittee may accept water quality criteria based, chemical specific permit
limits in lieu of biological toxicity testing if such can be met with available
treatment technology. Toxicity Reduction Evaluations may be required to bring an
effluent into compliance with Water Quality Standards provisions prohibiting
discharges of toxic substances in amounts toxic to human health or aquatic life.
The Regional policy currently contains no provisions for testing related to human
health.
11
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EPA REGION II
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region II
26 Federal Plaza
New York, NY 10278
Ms. Ruth Adelman, Chief Mr. Keith Tingberg
Permits Management Section Permits Management Section
(212) 264-2911 (212) 264-2936
The Region's toxicity testing policy considers new permit applications and
reissuances of prior permits. In addition, toxicity testing is required of
permittees, where necessary, via Section 308 letters. The Region determines a
"toxicity potential assessment" for a permittee which is an evaluation using:
o Dilution of effluent by receiving water
o Instream toxic impacts potential
o Use classification of receiving water
o Industrial category and specific processes/products (industrial
permits)
o Percentage of industrial contribution in municipal permits
o Existence of toxic chemicals
Testing is conducted on a two-tier basis. Tier 1 testing requires 48-hour acute
static renewals with an least two species, a vertebrate and an invertebrate,
using the fathead minnow and Daphnia magna for freshwater discharges and the
silverside (Mgnidia_s£.) and nqysiAipsjg hahia for discharges to saline waters.
At least four tests are to be conducted over a time period representative of all
facility processes.
Tier 2 testing "should be directed at obtaining data necessary to refine the
impact assessment." This may include chronic toxicity testing or instream
toxicity testing. Compliance monitoring of the discharge may be required to
ensure that the toxicity of the effluent does not change. Failure to pass
toxicity testing (Tier 1) would lead to Tier 2 testing. The issuance of a
toxicity permit limit with a monitoring requirement and/or a toxicity reduction
evaluation may be required of the permittee pending the results of the Tier 2
testing.
Region II's program objective of requiring toxicity testing or limitations in
NPDES permits is "to prevent toxics from being discharged in amounts which are
acutely and chronically toxic to aquatic organisms." The policy does not address
human health effects, which should be addressed through chemical-specific
approaches.
12
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EGA REGION III
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region III
841 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Mr. Robert Koroncai
Environmental Engineer
Water Quality Control Section, Water Management Div.
(215) 597-0133
Region III has developed guidance relating to the biological testing of effluents
for toxic pollutants. Such guidance is used in further negotiations with the
states related to procedures for toxic wastes and in the review of those NPDES
permits subject to regional review. All states within the region have delegated
NPDES authority.
The guidance provides for monthly toxicity testing unless it can be demonstrated
that an effluent has particular chemical constituents that can be adequately
assessed through chemical testing. For effluents with little variability, less
frequent testing may be acceptable. Where the wastewater dilution in receiving
water is less than 10:1, the 7-day chronic fathead minnow and Ceriodaphnia
toxicity tests are required. Where such dilution is greater than above, acute,
static or static renewal 96-hour two species toxicity tests may be used.
Appropriate saltwater species may be substituted as test organisms in marine
waters. The biomonitoring results are compared with instream waste dilution and
when potential toxicity is suspected as a result of this comparison, a toxicity
reduction evaluation is implemented.
For chemicals specifically identified in permits, a mass balance calculation is
made based upon a design flow of 7Q10 for chronic effects and a 1Q10 for acute
effects. The results are compared with EPA water quality criteria.
For human health effects, the mean annual flow is used. Health effects risks are
based upon most recent EPA water quality criteria and upon the EPA Integrated
Risk Information system, which provides computerized health effects risk data for
non-carcinogens and, in the future, for carcinogens. For carcinogens, a 10-6
risk level is recommended.
13
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EPA REGION IV
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region IV
345 Courtland Street, NE
Atlanta, GA 30365
Mr. Marshall Hyatt, Environmental Scientist
Facilities Performance Branch
Water Management Division
(404) 347-3012
With the exception of the State of Florida, all of the states within Region IV
have delegated NFDES authority. Region IV administers the NPDES program for the
State of Florida. For those states with NPDES authority, Region IV has issued
guidance in the form of proposed permit toxicity limits and monitoring
requirements. This guidance follows that set forth in EPA's 1985 "Technical
Support Document for Water Quality-based Toxics Control," in "Methods for
Measuring the Acute Toxicity of Effluents to Freshwater and Marine Organisms"
(EPA/600/4-85-013), and in "Receiving Waters to Freshwater Organisms" (EPA/600/4-
85/014) . The biomonitoring guidance is summarized as follows:
When instream waste concentration is greater than or equal to 1 percent at
critical low-flow conditions, the permittee shall conduct a 7-day Ceriodaphnia
survival and reproduction test and a fathead minnow larval survival and growth
test on a 24-hour composite sample on a series of effluent concentrations,
including one equivalent to the instream waste concentration, with test solutions
renewed daily. Toxicity tests shall be conducted every 2 months for a period of
1 year following initiation of tests and once every 6 months thereafter for the
duration of the permit. A permit violation occurs when toxicity is found in the
initial test. Generally, a toxicity reduction evaluation will be required only
when toxicity is found in a confirmatory test. Test procedures are those
recommended in EPA/600/4-85/014.
When the instream waste concentration is less than 1 percent at critical con-
ditions, the permittee shall conduct 48-hour static toxicity tests on three
appropriate species including a fish, an invertebrate, and one species selected
from EPA 600/4-85/013, Table 1. Tests shall be conducted once every 2 months on
100 percent effluent for a period of 1 year following the initiation of the test
and once every 6 months thereafter for the duration of the permit. Four separate
grab samples of final effluent shall be collected at evenly spaced intervals over
a 24-hour period and used in four separate tests in order to catch any peaks of
toxicity and to account for daily variations in effluent quality. Test pro-
cedures are those recommended in EPA/600/4-85/013.
14
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EPA REGION V
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region V
230 South Dearborn Avenue
Chicago, EL 60604
Ms. Linda Anderson-Carnahan
Permits Section
(312) 886-0136
All of the states in Region V are delegated with the NPDES program. Under the
compliance monitoring program, the region performs a battery of toxicity tests on
an average of 80 discharges a year, tine battery of tests includes Daphnia pulex
and Pimephaieg promelaa acute toxicity tests, a 96-hour algal growth inhibition/
stimulation test, and the Ames Assay (conducted with five strains of
with and without enzyme activation) . In some cases the Daphnia and Pimephalea
acute toxicity tests are replaced by the Ceriodaphnia survival and reproduction
test and the Pimpphaiea promelaa embryo-larval survival and teratogenicity test.
The region also is currently investigating a variety of other toxicity tests
including the rat hepatocyte sister chromatid exchange assay, the mammalian
mitochondria assay, the Pimephalea promelaa larval survival and growth test, and
the effluent toxicity tests performed by Environment Canada.
Upon receiving regional test results and/or the results of toxicity tests
performed by state agencies, the region may send a letter to the state requesting
that the permit for the facility tested be reopened and modified or the draft
permit sent to the region for review contain certain provisions. Depending on
whether significant toxicity was observed or state water quality standards appear
to have been violated, the region may request that the permit contain biomoni-
toring with a trigger to include provisions for a toxicity reduction evaluation
and final whole effluent toxicity limits with post-control biomonitoring. When
data are lacking, the region may require biomonitoring alone. The region also
may use this opportunity to request that chemical specific limits and/or moni-
toring be contained in the modified/reissued permit, depending on the effluent
chemical analyses data available. In cases where a state has failed to protect
water quality adequately through the use of toxicity/toxicant limits and
monitoring, the region is objecting to the permits.
15
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EPA REGION VI
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region VI
1445 Ross Avenue
12th Floor, Suite 1200
Dallas, TX 75202-2733
Mr. Craig Weeks
Environmental Engineer
(214) 655-7180
Except for Arkansas, none of the states within Region VI currently has NPDES
permitting authority. The Region VI toxics policy is designed to support and
implement the national policy. The Regional policy is that no source will be
allowed to discharge any wastewater which results in the endangerment of a
drinking water supply; results in aquatic bioaccumulation which threatens human
health; results in instream acute or chronic aquatic toxicity,; or causes a
violation of an applicable general or numerical state water quality standard.
In order to accomplish these objectives, the Region will as part of the third
round permit issuance procedures ensure that no sources will cause or signifi-
cantly contribute to an exceedence of EPA's Maximum Contaminant Level require-
ments for any public drinking water supply; identify and address, with either
state or EPA action, sources which may cause or significantly contribute to any
exceedence of EPA's water quality criteria for human health protection; address
aquatic toxicity by either applying appropriate limitations or toxicity reduction
requirements when toxic conditions are known or requiring biological screening
for all other facilities having any potential for causing ambient toxicity; and
incorporate into permits any applicable specific numerical state water quality
standard.
Permits issued to dischargers with a potential for causing ambient toxicity will
require that the permittee perform periodic toxicity screening using whole
effluent biomonitoring techniques. Permittees typically will be required to
monitor on a monthly frequency. As a general rule, discharges which are
substantially diluted by the receiving stream will be evaluated using acute
methods and low dilution discharges will be evaluated using chronic tests.
Discharge samples used by biomonitoring analysis will consist of flow weighted
composite samples of all dry weather flows discharged into a receiving stream.
Where ambient toxicity is identified as a problem the Region will proceed with
validation, limits, or toxicity reduction evaluation (TRE) requirements as soon
as possible.
16
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EB& REGION VII
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region VII
Water Management Division
726 Minnesota Avenue
Kansas City, KS 66101
Mr. Don Toensing, Chief
Permits Compliance Section
(913) 236-2817
Region VII is in the process of drafting regional policy relating to the
management of toxic pollutants; the policy is expected to be completed within the
next few weeks. Draft policy will be discussed with the applicable states, and
it is expected that the ultimate effect will be to increase the degree of
toxicity testing in state NPDES programs. Currently the states within the Region
have not embraced the concept of effluent toxicity testing.
The Region has tested about 35 facility effluents with daphnid and fathead minnow
acute static toxicity tests and expects to continue this program at 30 facilities
within the next year. Testing is done via a contract with the University
Hygienic Laboratory in Iowa City, Iowa. The Region does not have in-house
biological testing capabilities.
The Region continues its Regional Ambient Fish Tissue analyses program at a
significant number of locations in each of the states. Principal analyses are
for pesticides and some metals. Chlordane and PCBs have occurred at levels
higher than those recommended for edible flesh in some areas; the source of such
concentrations has not been identified.
17
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REGION VTIT
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region VIII
One Denver Place
999 18th Street, Suite 1300
Denver, GO 80202-2413
Mr. James Lazorchak
Water Management Division
(303) 293-1581
A regional policy has been distributed that addresses an NPDES whole effluent
toxics control program. The policy provides that all major permits must require
two-species testing, completion of a toxicity reduction evaluation if toxicity is
determined, and an appropriate limitation of whole effluent toxicity after
approximately 3 years. The definition of when chronic or acute toxicity is
"demonstrated" is left to the permit issuing authority.
The testing protocol requires two species acute tests when receiving water low
flow dilution is greater than 100:1, and two species chronic tests when receiving
water low flow dilution is less than 100:1. Quarterly testing or monthly testing
is governed by the volume of facility discharge; at greater than 20 HOD for a
PO1W or 10 HOD for an industry, monthly testing is required.
18
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EPA REGION IX
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX
Water Management Division
215 Fremont Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
Mr. Phil Woods
Water Quality Standards Coordinator
(415) 974-8307
A regional policy on biological toxicity testing is in the final stages of
development. Region IX is pushing toward implementation of the Technical Support
Document for Water Quality-Based Toxics Control but, as yet, has not universally
translated such concepts into permit language for all permit reissuances. Water
quality standards of states within the region generally express the mandate that
the survival of aquatic life in surface waters subjected to a waste discharge or
other controllable water quality factors shall not be less than that for the same
water body in areas unaffected by the waste discharge as determined, at a
minimum, by use of a 96-hour toxicity test.
Many discharges are to the region's marine and tropical waters. Guidance
provided in current toxicity testing procedural documents is believed to be less
than adequate in recommending methodology and test organism species for such
waters.
In early February, 1986, Region IX issued a letter to each of the states in the
region that directed them to begin to fully develop the effluent toxicity data
base directed for water bodies where aquatic toxicity problems have been
documented or are suspected and to readjust permit requirements accordingly.
19
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EPA REGION X
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region X
1200 Sixth Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
Mr. Roger Mochnick, Chief Ms. Amber Wong
Permits Section - Water Div. Permits Section - Water Div.
(206) 442-4817 (206) 442-1647
Region X has been requiring biological toxicity testing in all major and new
industrial and municipal permits, in municipal permits where pretreatment
programs exist, and in minor permits where there is a potential for the discharge
of toxic pollutants. The region has permits with toxicity reduction evaluations,
which are triggered when toxicity is shown above a site-specific effluent
concentration; such concentration is based on dilution necessary to meet water
quality criteria. Acute and chronic tests are used in the toxicity testing
program, floe region has a significant number of permits with whole effluent
toxicity limits.
20
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CANADA
Environment Canada
Industrial Program Branch
Oil, Gas and Energy Division
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
K1A 0E7
Mr. R. P. Scroggins
Project Officer
(819) 997-1223
Environment Canada has toxicity testing regulations applicable to new, expanded,
or altered plants, but not to existing plants, for the pulp and paper and
Canadian meat and poultry industries. The test is with juvenile rainbow trout in
a 96-hour static toxicity test. For the former industry, the toxicity limit is
an 80 percent survival in 65 percent effluent and 35 percent diluent; for the
latter industry a 50 percent organism survival in 100 percent effluent is
required. For three other industrial groups, potato processing, metal mining,
and petroleum refining, there are pass/fail guidelines related to the 96-hour
juvenile rainbow trout toxicity test. Generally, toxicity testing is on a
monthly basis.
British Columbia has a general requirement that an effluent must be toxicity-free
at end of pipe with requirements specified on a case-by-case basis.
Ontario has developed a Municipal and Industrial Strategy for Abatement, which
essentially provides for a dual approach to water pollution abatement: (1)
treatment technology with monitoring regulations but not compliance regulations,
and (2) water quality toxicity control. Much of the effort, thus far, has been
directed toward the treatment technology aspect, with compliance regulations for
water quality based toxicity testing potentially 2 to 3 years away.
Canada potentially will use Ceriodaphnia f Daphnia magna. and rainbow trout as
test organisms. The fathead minnow is not widely distributed in waterways.
21
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Alabama Department of Environmental Management
1751 Federal Drive
Montgomery, AL 36130
John Poole, Chief Bob Bretzer, Chief Bill Hollerman
Industrial Branch, Water Div. Permits and Compliance Biologist
(205) 271-7852 (205) 271-7821 (205) 271-7936
Alabama has 82 major and 468 minor industrial permits and 88 major and 171 minor
municipal permits. In addition, there are 4 major and 255 minor semipublic and
private permitted facilities. Approximately 30 major and 20 minor industrial
permits require toxicity testing and have toxicity effluent limits. When permit
limits are violated, a toxicity reduction evaluation is mandated. Four of the
major permittees are undergoing some phase of a toxicity reduction evaluation
currently; none has yet been completed. Although municipalities currently are
not required to conduct toxicity tests, it is expected that all major permittees,
including municipalities and industries, will be required to institute at least
screening toxicity testing as permits are reissued within the ensuing year.
The state operates a mobile biological laboratory but does not have a commercial
biological laboratory certification program. There is state capability both for
acute and chronic toxicity testing. Test organisms are cultured. It is
estimated that acute and chronic toxicity tests using fathead minnows and Qa£baia
pulex or Ceriodaphnia are completed for 50 facilities per year. The use of
chronic toxicity tests by the state is beginning and about six per year are
anticipated; approximately two 96-hour flow-through fathead minnow toxicity tests
are anticipated per year also.
The state has been examining about 20 instream biotic assessment locations
annually. Hester-Dendy substrates and instream handpicking are used in
macroinvertebrate studies. Fish tissue analyses for metals, PCBs, and other
organic constituents are undertaken at three to six state locations annually.
During the next two years, the state will conduct an evaluation of FOTWs that
receive industrial effluents. Current total residual chlorine limits are based
on U.S. EPA standards, although instream concentrations are now being examined in
in anticipation of relying on biological testing as an alternative to permit
standards.
22
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ALASKA
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region X
(NEDES authority not delegated)
1200 Sixth Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
Mr. Roger Mochnick, Chief
Permits Section - Water Div.
(206) 442-4817
Ms. Amber Wong
Permits Section - Water Div.
(206) 442-1647
"She State of Alaska has not been delegated NPDES authority. EPA Region X issues
308 major and 817 minor industrial permits and 19 major and 31 minor municipal
permits for the state. Three industrial permits require effluent toxicity
testing. Toxicity testing requirements for the three industrial permits have
been individually tailored to each permittee. One permittee, who discharges to a
potentially sensitive area, is required to conduct both effluent and in-situ
toxicity tests. The acute effluent toxicity tests (96-hour LCs0) are to be
conducted on three species: a salmonid (coho smolts), an amphipod (Rhepoxinia),
and an economically important crustacean (juvenile Dungeness crab). The in-situ
toxicity tests are to be conducted on four species: two species of filter
feeders, and two species of sediment dwellers. These in-situ toxicity tests are
basically body-burden analyses, and are to determine bioaccumulation of
toxicants, primarily metals, in susceptible species in the area.
Another permittee is required to develop and maintain a continuous flow
biomonitoring facility. Salmonids will be kept in an environment where the
concentration of pollutants is 10 percent higher than the concentration projected
to occur in the receiving water. The facility will serve as a continuous
indicator of effluent toxicity, as indicated by symptoms of organism distress or
mortality, which will immediately trigger remedial actions such as improving
treatment efficiency or prohibiting discharge. Although this is not, in strict
terms, a toxicity limit, it does achieve the goal stated in the national policy,
which is to eliminate discharge of toxic effluent.
Toxicity testing requirements for the third industrial permittee have been
included in a 308 Order. Development of these requirements has followed the
latest EPA guidance (TSD and protocols for marine toxicity tests (1987). The
tests include an echinoderm fertilization test, a mussel larval test, and an
algal reproduction test (chronic Champia parvula test).
There are no biological toxicity limits in the permits.
23
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ARIZONA.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX
(NPDES authority not delegated)
Water Management Division
215 Fremont Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
Mr. Phil Woods
Water Quality Standards Coordinator
(415) 974-8307
The State of Arizona has not been delegated authority to issue NPDES permits.
EPA Region IX currently administers 23 major and 76 minor industrial permits, and
19 major and 29 minor municipal permits for the state. There are no biological
testing requirements in Arizona EPA Region IX permits through 1986. Commencing
in FY87, biological testing will be required in major permits.
State water quality standards authorize both biological and chemical techniques
to characterize the quality of discharges. The standards provide equal
protection to indigenous wildlife and aquatic life in all surface waters whether
or not the waters are affected by waste discharge. Through 1987, Arizona has
followed a policy of using a pollutant-specific approach by requiring all major
and some minor dischargers to monitor for up to 20 toxic pollutants for which
numeric criteria have been specified in the state water quality standards. This
policy has been applied to all major and some minor dischargers. Testing for
additional toxic pollutants and testing by other dischargers is required on a
case-by-case basis. Water quality criteria are used to determine potential
environmental harm for constituent concentrations found in the monitoring
program. Testing of water quality is required when a potential health hazard is
suspected or exists or when water quality standards may not be attained.
Except for one approved mixing zone, discharge concentrations are established at
the aquatic and wildlife criteria level. Human health protection is provided by
statewide numeric standards for nine toxic organics and radiochemicals. Water
quality standards for designated effluent dominated waters include protection
against enteric viruses and four specific parasites.
24
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ARKANSAS
Arkansas Department of Pollution Control
P.O. Box 9583
Little Rock, AR, 72219
Mr. Roger Payne, Engineer Mr. John Giese
NPDES Permits Section Chief Eoologist
(501) 562-7444 (501) 562-7444
The State of Arkansas received delegated NPDES authority on November 1, 1986.
There are 56 major and 396 minor industrial and 59 major and 234 minor municipal
permits in the NPDES program. Forty of the industrial permits require biological
toxicity testing. Currently, none of the municipal permits has a biological
testing requirement, but as permits are renewed after July 1, 1987, such a
requirement will be introduced. The test required is a 48-hour, static acute
Daphnia sp. toxicity test, which is to be conducted quarterly for a minimum of
two years. Several toxicity tests have shown effluent toxicity, which indicates
the importance of the program. Permittees must meet 90 percent or greater
survival of test organisms.
Toxicity reduction evaluations are required when toxicity is demonstrated.
Enforcement actions are instituted depending upon the extent and number of
violations and upon major or minor permit status.
A few municipal permits have residual chlorine limits, which are based upon the
EPA water quality criteria recommendation for residual chlorine. All waters of
the state are classified as potential drinking water sources. At some future
date, the state expects to issue NPDES permits based upon drinking water maximum
contaminant levels applicable to finished drinking water.
The state does not have a biological laboratory certification program nor does it
operate a mobile biological laboratory. The state undertakes receiving water
macroinvertebrate, and sometimes fish, assessments at 16 to 18 paired stations
annually. Fish flesh bioaccumulation analyses for some metals, pesticides, and
PQBs are performed from 12 to 20 locations in principally a problem-oriented
program. In conjunction with permit compliance inspections, static 48-hour
Daphnia sp. toxicity tests are done for 6 to 12 facilities annually. The chronic
fleriodaphnia toxicity test has not yet been instituted into the monitoring
program.
25
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CALIFORNIA
California Water Resources
Control Board
901 P Street
Sacramento, CA 95833
Mr. John Norton, Chief
Water Quality Standards
and Policy unit
(916) 322-0211
John Hannum, FWQCB-1
1440 Guerneville Rd.
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
(707) 576-2220
Susan Anderson, RWQCB-2
1111 Jackson St.
Oakland, CA 94607
(415) 464-1346
Jay Cano, RWQGB-3
1102-A Laurel Ln.
San Luis Obispo, CA
(805) 549-3147
93401
John Lewis, RWQCB-4
107 S. Broadway, #1027
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 620-5415
Christopher Foe, RWQCB-5
3443 Routier Rd.
Sacramento, CA 95827
(916) 361-5714
Margaret Drumm, EWQCB-6
P.O. Box 9428
South Lake Tahoe, CA 95731
(916) 544-3481
Curt Shifrer, RflQCB-6
15371 Bonanza Rd.
Victorvnie, CA 92392
(619) 241-6583
Will Ponder, RWQCB-7
73271 Highway 111, #21
Palm Desert, CA 92260
(619) 346-7491
M. Adackapara, RWQCB-8
6809 Indiana Av., #200
Riverside, CA 92506
(714) 782-4130
C. Tamaki, RWQCB-9
9771 Clairemont Mesa Blvd-B
San Diego, CA 92124
(619) 265-5114
The State of California administers an NPDES program through nine Regional Water
Quality Boards. The state issues 250 major discharge permits; a total of 356
permits, generally all major permits and some minor permits, require effluent
toxicity testing. There are 306 permits, 86 percent of the number requiring
testing, that have biological toxicity limits. Many of these permittees
discharge to the ocean or to San Francisco Bay, and these discharge areas have a
high degree of toxicity control.
TOTAL NPDES PERMITS
RMQCB
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 4
SUB-
TOTAL
MAJOR MINOR
INDUSTRIAL
5
18
6
25
15
1
0
120
9
83
40
133
79
276
139
13
16
10
40
856
MAJOR MINDS
MUNICIPAL
10
42
17
22
39
3
10
6
14
167
15
16
10
5
37
0
9
6
104
PERMITS WITH BIO.
( TESTING
INDUSTRIAL MUNICIPAL
19
30
35
27
22
7
14
26
12
184
16
60
26
34
20
3
6
5
8
172
PERMITS WITH BIO.
TOXICITY LIMITS
TNDUgPRIAL MUNICIPAL
9
30
35
27
22
7
0
1
12
143
13
60
26
34
20
2
0
0
8
163
TOTAL
939
271
356
306
26
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Generally, the toxicity test required is a 96-hour static test using rainbow or
steel-head trout, fathead minnow, golden shiner, or three-spine stickleback as
test organisms. The frequency of required testing may be weekly, monthly,
quarterly, or annually. Region 3 is considering requiring a continuous instream
toxicity test with rainbow trout for some permits, and some permits require a 96-
hour flow-through test (Region 2). Generally, a 50 percent survival of test
organisms is required, but in some regions a 90 percent survival in effluent is
the rule. Allowance is given for a potential 10 percent mortality in control
tests.
The frequency of testing depends upon the industry involved: pulp and paper
mills test weekly (Region 1); cooling towers on power plants, quarterly (Region
7); geothermal facilities, annually (Region 6). Current testing procedures
generally follow the 1976 California laboratory procedures publication (Cali-
fornia Fish and Game, "Guidelines for Performing Acute Toxicity Fish Bioassays in
Municipal and Industrial Waste Waters.* Chronic toxicity testing has not begun
(Region 3), or is just getting underway (Regions 2, 5, and 8). EPA has conducted
chronic toxicity tests at nearly 20 facilities for Region 4; Region 5 is seeking
an EPA grant to complete acute and chronic toxicity testing at 18 facilities.
Some commercial laboratories in California are not yet experienced with chronic
toxicity testing procedures as specified by EPA, and appropriate test organisms
for marine waters remains an issue.
Regions 2 and 5 are collaborating on an extensive program of effluent, ambient,
and urban runoff testing using EPA methods. This program is aimed at reducing
toxicity in the San Francisco Bay delta, and a Total Maximum Daily Load/Waste
Load Allocation permit approach for this complex system will be developed as a
result of this study.
Toxicity Reduction Evaluations have not yet been implemented (Regions 3 and 4),
implemented in one major discharger but not yet completed (Regions 5 and 8),
implemented in pulp and paper mills (Region 1), or in three to four refineries
(Region 2); some success but not abundant success has been apparent. Except for
deep ocean discharges and a few inland discharges in the Imperial Valley, chlori-
nation is practiced at municipal facilities; chlorine limits are as specified in
the California Ocean Plan and other standards. The California Fish and Game
Department and the various Regional Boards also have made local determinations
regarding chlorine toxicity. For example, dechlorination with sulfur dioxide to
no detectable chlorine is the rule in Regions 1 and 2.
California water quality standards provide that the survival of aquatic life in
surface waters subject to a waste discharge shall not be less than that for the
same water body in areas unaffected by the waste discharge. The California Fish
and Game Department is assisting the State Board with protocols and some toxicity
tests. The University of California at Davis has a contract to assist with the
Region 5 program of effluent and other toxicity testing. Toxicity tests are not
performed generally by personnel of the regional boards. Extensive biological
investigative activities are associated with ocean discharges. Field biological
activity associated with inland surface waters is beginning throughout the state
(Region 5 has an especially active program). Toxic substances are monitored in
fish tissues for all major rivers, and there is an extensive mussel watch program
for all ocean waters.
A laboratory certification program for biological testing is planned and will
begin within a year.
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CONNECTICUT
Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection
122 Washington Street
Hartford, CT 06115
Lee Dunbar
Senior Environmental Analyst
(203) 566-7049
Mike Barter, Asst. Director
Permits and Enforcement
(203) 566-3245
The State of Connecticut administers 85 major and about 600 minor NPDES indus-
trial permits and 67 major and 19 minor municipal permits. Fifty industrial
facilities conduct toxicity testing, generally through administrative letter;
only 10 or 12 permits require it. Two or three of the permits contain toxicity
limits. Municipalities are not now required to perform toxicity tests. Permits
require a fish and an invertebrate to be used as test organisms and most employ
the acute 96-hour and 48-hour toxicity tests using fathead minnows and Daphnia.,
respectively.
New regulations are projected for early 1988 which will require all permittees
whose effluent is known to contain toxics to perform acute toxicity testing.
Biological toxicity limits also will be imposed. New regulations also will
require toxicity monitoring for municipal discharges. If toxicity limits are not
exceeded, testing will be continued on a quarterly basis; however, if toxicity
limits are exceeded, the testing frequency doubles and the facility in violation
must present a plan for toxicity reduction. Already, Connecticut has seen some
remarkable reductions by a few permittees in the form of reduced in-plant waste-
water flows and treatment system upgrades.
The state conducts chronic 7-day Ceriodaphnia and 7-day fathead minnow toxicity
tests for instream monitoring purposes, and fish and macroinvertebrates are
surveyed in problem-oriented areas. Two to five surveys are conducted annually.
Intensive biological monitoring of macroinvertebrate communities is done at 10 to
20 sites during the fall, and 40 to 50 sites are used for monthly ambient
chemical testing. There is no state biological laboratory certification program.
A mobile biological laboratory is operated by the state for the purpose of on-
site toxicity testing.
Recently, more stringent maximum residual chlorine limits have been included in
permits for industrial and municipal facilities. Municipal facilities are
evaluated on a dilution basis, and over 50 percent of these facilities will need
to revamp their systems in order to comply.
Connecticut's present policy prohibits the discharge of effluents into any
drinking water resource. This embodies not only those water resources presently
used, but also any water resource that may be tapped in the future.
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CQLQRVDO
CD Department of Health
Water Quality Control Division
4210 E. llth Avenue
Denver, CO 80220
Mr. Bob Shukle Mr. David Akers Mr. Bob McConnel
Unit Chief Unit Chief Researcher IV
Ind. Permits & Enf. Unit Domestic Permits Unit
(303) 331-4758 (303) 331-8333 (303) 331-4578
The Colorado NPDES program has approximately 48 major and 400 minor industrial
permits and 71 major and 370 minor municipal permits. Toxicity testing is
required for 1 industrial facility and for 8 municipal facilities. No biological
toxicity limits are required. Water quality based toxic chemical limits are
included in 50 to 60 percent of the industrial permits and all of the municipal
permits.
Testing procedures involve effluent 48-hour acute static toxicity tests performed
quarterly with fathead minnows and Ceriodaphnia except for the largest facility,
which is required to test monthly. A new state policy is under development which
would require toxicity testing with toxicity limits on permits up for renewal.
The state has conducted 96-hour acute flow-through toxicity tests using fathead
minnows, channel catfish, and trout as needed for standard setting purposes.
Fish tissue is analyzed in one study area with two or three sites annually.
Annually, through cooperative effort, the U.S. EPA undertakes upstream and
downstream ambient toxicity testing using the chronic 7-day Ceriodaphnia test on
a waterway of environmental concern. Colorado has a mobile biological
laboratory. No biological laboratory certification program exists at this time.
All permits with maximum total residual chlorine limits are based either on an
instream limit or on a standard state limit. Toxicity testing is done before
chlorination, whereas maximum contaminant levels for drinking water apply to the
treated water at the water treatment plant.
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Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control
P.O. Box 1401
Dover, DE 19903
Mr. Richard W. Greene Mr. Paul Janiga
Environmental Engineer Environmental Engineer
(302) 736-5732 (302) 736-5725
The State of Delaware administers a permit program consisting of 21 major and 39
minor industrial and 15 major and 25 minor municipal NPDES permits. Four indus-
trial permits and one municipal permit require aquatic toxicity testing. In
general, permit conditions specify that a facility conduct three consecutive 24-
hour whole effluent toxicity tests using a receiving water resident fish species.
The frequency at which the three tests are conducted varies among NPDES
facilities (quarterly is typical). If the average mortality of the three tests
ever is greater than 20 percent, the permittee must conduct a 96-hour definitive
toxicity test to generate an effluent LC50. If the effluent 96-hour LC50 is less
than 50 percent, the facility then is required to conduct a toxicity reduction
evaluation. Currently, NPDES permits do not have biological Toxicity Unit
limits. The state believes that more experience is required before such limits
are imposed.
Delaware presently is embarking on a toxicity evaluation project for all
dischargers. The first and present phase of this program is to collect effluents
and perform screening static acute toxicity tests involving Ceriodaphnia sp. and
fathead minnow as test organisms. The second phase of the program will involve
only those facilities whose effluents were found acutely toxic in phase one.
Phase two will more completely characterize an effluent's toxicity and will
involve chemical specific analyses and definitive toxicity tests. Limited
resources may result in only partial completion of phase two elements. All
testing for this program is being conducted by the state. Presently, Delaware
has no biological laboratory certification requirements.
Delaware maintains a water quality monitoring network of approximately 200 fixed
stations. Toxic metals are analyzed regularly in priority basins, and at least
annually in all basins. Fish and macroinvertebrate biosurveys are conducted at
eight of the stations. Fish, shellfish, and/or sediments are screened for
bioaccumulative and toxic substances on an annual basis.
Currently, a consultant has been retained to evaluate the chlorine issue within
the state. Maximum chlorine limits are included in some municipal permits.
Following the consultant's report, a chlorine policy likely will be developed.
30
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DISTRICT OP COLUMBIA
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region III
(NPDES authority not delegated)
841 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Mr. Robert Koroncai
Environmental Engineer
(215) 597-0133
The District of Columbia does not have delegated authority for the NPDES program.
The District of Columbia Blue Plains Municipal Treatment Plant permit requires
monthly chronic 7-day fleriodaphnia and fathead minnow toxicity tests for the
first two months, after which the more sensitive of the two tests is to be
continued monthly. Daily 24-hour composite effluent samples for seven
consecutive days are to be taken and used for test and renewal solutions in a
dilution series of 100, 50, 25, 12.5, and 7 percent effluent plus a control. If
chronic toxicity is demonstrated at the 50 percent effluent dilution, a toxicity
reduction evaluation may be required.
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FLORIDA
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region IV
(NPDES authority not delegated)
345 Courtland Street, N.E.
Atlanta, GA 30365
Mr. Marshall Hyatt, Environmental Scientist
Facilities Performance Branch
Water Management Division
(404) 347-3012
EPA, Region IV, administers the NPDES permit program for the State of Florida.
There are about 122 major and 670 minor industrial, 125 major and 74 minor
municipal, and 3 major and 42 minor federal facility permits within the state.
About 40 industrial and 40 municipal permits currently require biological
toxicity testing, and these permits have effluent toxicity testing limits.
In a May 5, 1986, EPA memorandum on Whole Effluent Toxicity Testing Policy for
Florida it was stated that whole waste toxicity limits and biomonitoring
requirements will be required in reissued domestic and municipal Florida NEDES
permits for all major facilities and for all minor facilities with design flows
greater than or equal to 0.5 MGD. Toxicity limits and biomonitoring requirements
will be included in other minor facilities where information, including previous
toxicity tests, indicates a potential toxic effluent. Whole waste toxicity
limits and biomonitoring requirements will be required in all industrial permits
which fail a screening procedure used by Region IV to review Form 2C application
data and previous toxicity data.
When the instream waste concentration is greater than or equal to 1 percent at
critical low flow conditions, the permittee shall conduct a 7-day Ceriodaphnia
survival and reproduction test and a 7-day fathead minnow larval survival and
growth test on a 24-hour composite sample on a series of effluent concentrations
including one equivalent to the instream waste concentration, with test solutions
renewed daily. Toxicity tests shall be conducted every 2 months for a period of
1 year following initiation of the test and once every 6 months thereafter for
the duration of the permit. A permit violation occurs when the no observed
effect level is less than or equal to that effluent concentration which is
equivalent to the instream waste concentration in both the initial and a
confirmatory toxicity test.
When the instream waste concentration is less than 1 percent at critical
conditions, the permittee shall conduct 48-hour static toxicity tests on three
appropriate species including a fish, an invertebrate, and one species selected
from EPA 600/4-85/013, Table 1. Tests shall be conducted on 100 percent effluent
once every 2 months for a period of 1 year and once every 6 months thereafter for
the duration of the permit. Four separate grab samples of final effluent shall
be collected at evenly spaced intervals over a 24-hour period and used in four
separate tests in order to catch any peaks of toxicity and to account for daily
variations in effluent quality. A permit violation occurs when a lethal
concentration greater than 50 percent is found in any one of the grab samples
within any testing period.
32
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GEORGIA
Georgia Department of Natural Resources
Environmental Protection Agency
205 Butler Street, S.E.
Floyd Towers East
Atlanta, GA 30334
Mr. Jack Dozier, Chief
Water Protection Branch
(404) 656-4708
The State of Georgia administers an NFDES program with 60 major and 500 minor
industrial and 120 major and 350 minor municipal permits. Twenty-five industrial
permittees and one municipal permittee are required to complete 48-hour acute
static toxicity tests using daphnids and fathead minnows as test organisms. If
the screening test is failed, a permittee must complete a 96-hour flovrthrough
test using fathead minnows. If this test is failed, a toxicity reduction
evaluation is required. The state is implementing a biomonitoring program and
when toxicity is found through this program, the discharger will be required to
conduct biomonitoring tests.
The biomonitoring program in Georgia includes onsite flow-through testing and
static testing onsite and at a base facility. A base facility in Atlanta for use
in toxicity testing and aquatic biomonitoring is under construction. The state
expects to do a large number of static toxicity tests, using Daphnia pulex and
fathead minnows, and to complete approximately one 96-hour flow-through toxicity
test per month. They will screen effluents to determine possible acute toxicity
before sending the mobile laboratory on-site for a flow-through test. The state
believes, in general, that there is a need to address acute toxicity problems
before attacking the chronic toxicity issue. Chronic toxicity will be addressed
on a case-by-case basis.
The state annually samples 100 locations with chemical analyses and 26 for macro-
invertebrates for trend water quality monitoring. Of the 100, 6 locations are
sampled for fish. At 20 locations, fish flesh and sediments are examined for
heavy metals and selected organic compounds, and at 13 estuarine locations,
shellfish are examined for the same constituents. Biological impact studies
related to point sources are made at 15 to 20 locations annually, where macro-
invertebrates and water chemistry are examined.
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HAWAII
Hawaii Department of Health
P.O. Box 3378
Honolulu, HI 96801
Mr. Dennis Lau, Chief
Environmental Permits Branch
(808) 548-6410
The state administers an NPDES program that includes 19 major and 55 minor
industrial permits and 11 major and 8 minor municipal permits. Two industrial
permits and one municipal permit require acute 96-hour static toxicity tests
using fish as the test organism. Most discharges are to the marine environment,
and the appropriate aquatic species and type of toxicity test remain uncertain.
In addition, the state prohibits importation of some standard species. However,
research is in progress to develop standard test methods with local species.
EPA, Region IX has recommended use of standard freshwater species where a
freshwater discharge is involved. The state is committed to the inclusion of
biomonitoring requirements in permits for all major discharges. To date, toxic
discharges have not been identified; hence, there have not been toxicity
reduction evaluations. Permittees with a biological testing requirement have
completed comprehensive investigations of receiving water environments, including
coral, benthic organism assessments, and fish. The state submits the results of
such assessments to the University of Hawaii for assessment, interpretation, and
recommendations. The state has the capability for very limited biological
investigations.
There are no standards for specific toxic pollutants in Hawaii's water quality
standards, with the exception of ammonia in marine waters.
34
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IDAHO
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region X
(NPDES authority not delegated)
1200 Sixth Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
Mr. Roger Mochnick, Chief Ms. Amber Wong
Permits Section - Water Div. Permits Section - Water Div.
(206) 442-4817 (206) 442-1647
The State of Idaho has not received authority to administer an NPDES permit
program. EPA Region X issues 42 major and 273 minor industrial permits and 28
major and 94 minor municipal permits for the state. Two industrial and two
municipal permits require chronic toxicity testing, or both chronic and acute
testing, either with one or three test organism species. An additional 2
industrial permits and 1 municipal permit are expected to contain biomonitoring
requirements when draft reviews have been completed. None of the permits has
toxicity effluent limits in the form of TUs (toxic units); however, if the
permittee exhibits toxicity at or below a specified effluent concentration level,
the permittee is required to conduct a toxicity reduction evaluation. The
toxicity testing program is in its infancy, and most of the testing is
accomplished with in-house capability by the permittees.
35
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ILLINOIS
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
2200 Churchill Road
Springfield, n. 62706
Mr. Tim Kluge, Manager
Industrial Wastewater Permit Unit
(217) 782-1696
Illinois has 100 major and approximately 1,800 minor industrial permits and 180
major and 600 minor municipal permits in the NPDES program. Toxicity testing is
required in four industrial permits and one municipal permit. Biological
toxicity limits are contained in the one municipal permit although they are
presently under appeal. Approximately 20 permits are scheduled to be modified
during the next year to include toxicity testing requirements. Additionally,
most expiring industrial permittees will be required to submit toxicity testing
results as part of their renewal application.
Toxicity testing permit requirements include acute 96-hour static toxicity tests
with fathead minnows and algae, 48-hour static tests with Daehnia, and, for those
permittees discharging into small streams, chronic 7-day toxicity tests with
fathead minnows and Ceriodaphnia. Human health screening also is required;
dischargers are given the option of performing Ames testing or extensive chemical
analysis combined with a toxicological review. Testing is performed quarterly.
Once a year, 73 stream and 18 lake locations are sampled by the state for fish
flesh tainting caused by pesticides and PCBs. Biological surveys of aquatic
macroinvertebrates are conducted at approximately 50 sites annually. There are
50 to 60 acute 96-hour static and flow-through toxicity tests that are performed
on one sample per facility. Every 6 weeks, 205 stations are monitored for trends
in chemical parameters.
Currently, Illinois operates two mobile biological laboratories in conjunction
with a fixed central laboratory. No state-sponsored biological laboratory
certification program exists at this time.
Daily maximum limits, based on best professional judgment, for total residual
chlorine are contained in 1,400 to 1,500 permits; all testing is done on
dechlorinated samples.
36
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INDIANA.
Indiana Department of Environmental Management
Office of Water Management
105 South Meridian Street
Indianapolis, IN 46225
Mr. Joseph Krieger Mr. John Winters, Chief
NPDES Permit Supervisor Water Quality Surveillance and
Standards Branch
(317) 232-8706 (317) 243-5028
There are 90 major and 675 minor industrial and 101 major and 350 minor municipal
permits in the state NPDES program. Six of the industrial permits require
biological toxicity testing, but none has a toxicity limit currently. The test
generally required is an acute static 48-hour daphnid toxicity test, but in some
permits, the 7-day chronic ftrlodaphnia and embryo-larval fathead minnow toxicity
tests are required. No municipal permits currently require biological toxicity
testing.
The state conducts about 17 static, 48-hour Daphnia magna acute screening tests
on major industries and municipalities annually. The state currently is
developing the capability to conduct the chronic Qgri
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IOWA
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Henry A. Wallace Building
900 East Grand
Des Koines, IA 50319
Steve Williams Ralph Turkle Monica Wnuk
Environmental Spec. Environmental Engineer Environmental Spec.
(515) 281-8884 (515) 281-7025 (515) 281-8879
The State of Iowa issues 21 major and 592 minor industrial permits and 63 major
and 642 minor municipal permits in the NPDES program. Presently, there are no
biological toxicity testing requirements. Water quality based toxic chemical
limitations are included in permits where needed.
Iowa performs ambient water quality trend monitoring at 15 sites on a monthly
basis and 11 sites on a quarterly schedule. The Region VII EPA office scans for
toxics in fish flesh at 14 stations and performs static 24-hour acute toxicity
tests on 10 to 12 industrial or municipal facilities suspected of releasing
toxics in their effluent.
Water quality standards for total residual chlorine were established in 1985;
however, few permits contain such limits. The state is incorporating total
residual chlorine limits in permits as they are reissued.
38
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ISLANDS OF THE PACTPTP
Guair/Coramonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands
Trust Territory of Pacific Islands/American Samoa
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX
Water Management Division
215 Fremont Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
Mr. Phil Woods
Water Quality Standards Coordinator
(415) 974-8307
The Islands of the Pacific do not have delegated NPDES authority. EPA Region IX
administers the permit program that includes a combined 8 major and 24 minor
industrial permits for all islands and 8 major and 9 minor municipal permits.
All entities have water quality standards which provide that the survival of
aquatic life in surface waters subjected to a waste discharge or other control-
lable water quality factors shall not be less than that for the same water body
in areas unaffected by the waste discharge. Provision is made for the imple-
mentation of this policy statement through a 96-hour static renewal toxicity test
as a minimum. Generally, the implementation of the toxicity testing requirement
has not occurred. NPDES permits provide for the chemical analysis of various
numbers of specific wastewater constituents.
Biomonitoring has been implemented using coral toxicity testing programs in Guam
and, recently, with a few acute toxicity tests using fish as test organisms. As
in other tropical areas, there is a general lack of technical guidance on
suitable toxicity test organisms and techniques for tropical waters.
39
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KANSAS
Kansas Department of Health and Environment
Forbes Field
Topeka, KS 66620
Dr. Joe Arruda
Water Quality Biologist
(913) 296-5572
Kansas has 14 major and 234 minor industrial and 42 major and 441 minor municipal
permits in its NEDES program. There is no biological testing associated with the
permit program.
The state has a priority list of approximately 25 industries and 29 municipali-
ties whose effluents are screened for toxicity, using 24-hour naphnia pulex and
fathead minnow toxicity tests. No chronic testing currently is done by the
state, but the culturing of Qeriodaphnia is being undertaken to implement such
purpose.
In related activities, the state conducts macroinvertebrate assessments at 52 to
75 locations annually and periphytic assessments occasionally in special studies.
Hacroinvertebrates sampled via the kick method are examined annually at about 52
water quality trend monitoring locations. The state participates in the Regional
Ambient Fish Tissue analyses program, where whole fish collected by the state at
20 locations are analyzed for pollutants by the EPA Region VII annually. The
Kansas state laboratory conducts edible portion fish tissue analyses for follow-
up studies on rivers and lakes where human health impacts are known or suspected.
40
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Kentucky Dept. of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection
18 Reilly Road
Ft. Boone Plaza
Frankfort, KY 40601
Dr. Albert Westermann, Aquatic Tbxicologist
Program Director of Toxicity
Strategy Program
(502) 564-3410
Kentucky currently has 128 major and 300 minor industrial NPDES permits; when
including the intermittent discharges of the coal industry, these numbers are
boosted to 216 major and approximately 1,500 minor permits. There are 57 major
and about 200 minor municipal NPDES permits. All permits have water quality
based toxic chemical limits, and 13 industrial and 4 municipal permits have both
toxicity testing and biological toxicity limits. Beginning on July 9, 1987, all
major industrial and municipal permits, and all minor municipal permits which
include pretreatment programs, will require biomonitoring when being reissued.
All major facilities that discharge into a 7Q10 low flow stream, and have an
effluent volume of 1 percent or greater than the receiving stream, will be
required to perform chronic 7-day Ceriodaphnia and 9-day embryo-larval fathead
minnow toxicity tests every other month for the first year and semi-annually
thereafter. Any facility with an effluent less than 1 percent of the available
dilution must conduct quarterly 96-hour fathead minnow and 48-hour daphnid .acute
static renewal toxicity tests. It must also be demonstrated that there are no
chronic toxicity effects occurring instream. If toxicity limits are exceeded, a
toxicity reduction evaluation is required. All new permits contain language
mandating effluent toxicity reductions, but only those violating permit
limitations have been given an absolute time limit. Five facilities presently
fall under the latter category.
Kentucky does not operate a mobile biological laboratory for the purpose of
conducting on-site toxicity tests. There is no state biological testing
laboratory certification program at present, but the state reserves the right to
reject a laboratory's results if state and federal guidelines for conducting
toxicity tests are not observed.
In 1986, the state completed 136 acute and 24 chronic toxicity tests on facility
effluents using fathead minnows and daphnids. Intensive surveys of fishes and
macroinvertebrates were conduced at 22 stations, including flesh bioaccumulation
scans for 40 various pollutants.
Residual chlorine limits currently are based on EPA water quality criteria,
although a move is being made to raise the limit based on research conducted by
the state and the Athens, Georgia, laboratories. The maximum contaminant levels
for drinking water apply at the consumer's tap.
41
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LOUISIANA
LA Dept. of Environmental Quality LA Dept. of Environmental Quality
P.O. Box 44091 Office of Water Resources
Baton Rouge, LA 70804 11720 Airline Highway
Baton Rouge, LA 70817
Dr. Dick Gregg Ms. Teri Jackson
Environmental Program Specialist (504) 922-0547
(504) 342-6363
The State of Louisiana has not received NPDES permit delegation; the program is
administered by EPA Region VI. There are 145 major and 881 minor industrial and
75 major and 343 minor municipal NPDES permits. About 100 of the industrial
permittees are required to conduct toxicity testing; there are no toxicity
effluent limits. The 48-hour static Dafhoia spp. acute toxicity test is
required. Currently there are no biological testing requirements in municipal
permits.
The state, in addition, maintains its own discharge permit system. As a result,
a discharger must obtain an NPDES permit from EPA Region VI, as well as a state
permit to discharge. There is coordination between the two regulatory systems,
and testing requirements are similar when they apply to both systems.
The state administers a permit system with 50 major and 300 minor industrial and
50 major and 900 minor municipal permits. About 30 of the industrial permits
require toxicity screening using the 48-hour static Daphoia spp. test. There are
no effluent toxicity limits and there are no testing requirements on municipal-
ities. If greater than 80 percent mortality exists in 100 percent effluent, the
permittee must perform a 96-hour static renewal toxicity test using fathead
minnows. If this test is failed, there must be a determination of the cause and
an identification of appropriate corrective action. In the testing program to
date, none has failed the 96-hour test. In addition to the 30 industrial permits
that require effluent toxicity testing, 6 permittees are required to do receiving
water biotic assessments upstream and downstream from the discharge using
macroinvertebrates and fish in the stream quality assessment.
The state has operated a new toxicity testing laboratory for about the past year.
There is capability for the 7-day fleriodaphnia and the 8-day egg-embryo-larval
fathead minnow chronic tests. During the past year, approximately 12 chronic
fathead minnow, 100 chronic rteriodaphnia. and approximately 150, 48-hour acute
Daphnia pulex tests were performed. The chronic tests principally have been on
ambient waters, whereas the acute screening tests principally have been on
facility effluents. The short-term goal is to develop similar capability with
marine organisms. Most of the activity thus far has centered around intensive
stream surveys, one of which involved 13 chronic toxicity tests per month. The
acute tests are performed primarily during compliance sampling efforts. There is
no conntercial laboratory certification program.
42
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MAINE
HE Department of Environmental Protection
State House Station 17
Augusta, HE 04333
Mr. Norm Marcotte Mr. Barry Mower
Licensing and Enforcement Section Environmental Evaluation and Lake Studies
(207) 289-3355 (207) 289-7776
NPDES authority has not been delegated to the State of Maine; the program is
administered by EPA Region I. There are 64 major and 46 minor municipal and 30
major and 322 minor industrial permits within the program. Fifteen of the
municipalities have approved pretreatment programs and these will be required to
perform biological effluent testing either via specific permit language or
Section 308 letters.
At the present time, two municipalities and one industry have biological testing
requirements and toxicity limits. In addition, toxicity testing language has
been drafted for three additional permits; one industrial and two municipal
licenses require effluent toxicity testing but do not have specific toxicity
limitations. Approximately 10 industrial permittees have performed toxicity
tests via administrative request.
When a toxicity problem becomes apparent through instream invertebrate
examination or state-conducted toxicity tests, a permit applicant may be asked to
undertake an effluent testing program. The type of tests required are the 7-day
chronic Ceriodaphnia toxicity test and a 14-day brook trout growth study in
conjunction with an acute daphnid test. Monitoring frequency varies according to
circumstances surrounding the discharge, but generally the requirement is for a
monthly acute test and a quarterly chronic test. Fathead minnows are not used in
the state testing program because it is believed that Oeriodaphnia results in a
more sensitive and representative test.
The state evaluates stream conditions through rock substrate baskets at 30 to 50
waterway locations per year. Three replicate samplers are used at each location.
In the past, such locations have been selected to identify environmental problems
associated with facility effluents; in the future, the program will evolve to
address non-point source -areas. In addition to the macroinvertebrate study
described above, acute and chronic Ceriodaphnia effluent toxicity tests have been
performed at 15 locations. Facilities due for permit renewal are priority
candidates for such testing.
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MARYLAND
Department of the Environment
201 West Preston Street
Baltimore, HD 21201
Mr. John Veil
Chief, Industrial Point Source Div.
(301) 225-5678
Mr. Arcadio Sincere
Chief, Municipal Permits Div.
(301) 333-1069
Maryland administers a permit program with 52 major and 520 minor industrial
permits and 37 major and 311 minor municipal permits. Twenty7five industrial
Srmits currently require toxicity testing; 37 municipal permits eventually will
Require such testing. None has a biological toxicity permit limit. Exiting
nermits qenerally require a one-time 96-hour static renewal toxicity test with a
locally important fish and invertebrate. As permits have been reissued during
they have required a 7-^ay chronic toxicity test with
pasar, ey
and fathead minnows once per quarter for at least the first year of the permit.
For estuarine waters, mysid shrimp and sheepshead minnows become the test
organisms. Acute tests with a locally important fish and invertebrate are
required once, concurrent with the chronic testing.
The toxicity reduction evaluation program is just getting underway. When acute
toxicity is confirmed with a repeat toxicity test, a toxicity reduction
evaluation is imposed. Toxicity reduction evaluation has not been implemented
for municipalities; one has been required in an industrial permit, and two
additionalsuch evaluations are pending. Currently, there are no results from
the evaluation.
The state began operating a State Biomonitoring Laboratory in March 1987, under a
3-year contract with the Johns Hopkins University. The initial goal is to
conduct an acute static daphnid and fathead minnow toxicity test on a facility's
effluent at a rate of at least one facility per week. Later, chronic testing
will be conducted. This will serve as a comparison to the results of permittee
testing through conroercial laboratories. There is no biological laboratory
certification program, and currently there is no activity in this regard. The
state does not operate a mobile biological laboratory.
Currently, the priority pollutants are not a part of water quality standards.
Drinking water maximum contaminant levels are applicable to designated domestic
water supply intake areas only.
In related biologic activities, an assessment of benthic macroinvertebrates to
Chesapeake Bay tributaries continues. Biotic assessment of benthic macroinverte-
brateshas been on-going for a network of trend monitoring locations throughout
the state. Receiving stream biotic assessments are not made a permit condition.
44
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MASSACHUSETTS
HA Division of Water Pollution Control
One Winter Street Technical Services Branch
Boston, HA 02108 Westboro, HA 01581
Mr. Glen Gilmore, Chief Mr. Arthur Johnson
Surface Water Permits Section Biomonitoring Program Manager
(617) 292-5656 (617) 366-9181
NPDES authority has not been delegated to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; the
program is administered by EPA, Region I. Permits are issued jointly by the
state and EPA. There are 99 major and approximately 25 minor municipal and 94
major and approximately 350 minor industrial permits within the program. Thirty-
four of the municipalities have approved pretreatment programs, and these will be
required to institute biological toxicity testing either through permit or
Section 308 letter; most municipal permittees are required to undertake toxicity
testing because of chlorination.
Presently, about 22 industrial permittees and 12 municipal permittees are
required to conduct toxicity testing; 17 industrial and 6 municipal permits
contain toxicity limits. The type of toxicity test generally required is a 48-
hour static daphnid and fathead minnow or appropriate marine species toxicity
test. For two or three of the larger marine dischargers, a three species,
chronic toxicity test is required and chronic toxicity limits have been imposed.
Frequency of testing is monthly for these larger facilities but less frequent for
other facilities.
About two industrial toxicity reduction evaluations are in progress as a result
of toxicity testing; none has yet been completed.
The state does not have a biological laboratory certification program. The state
purchased a new mobile laboratory which is equipped for acute and chronic
toxicity testing; the laboratory will begin operation this year. The laboratory
will be used in compliance monitoring and as a means of spot checking effluents
where tests have been made by a commercial biological laboratory. The state also
uses a commercial bacteriological assay for effluent screening; approximately 100
such effluent screens are made annually. Ideally, the state hopes to use the
bacteriological screening test in conjunction with the daphnid and fathead minnow
toxicity tests. With the new laboratory the fathead larval growth and survival
test and the chronic Ceriodaphnia toxicity test will become viable monitoring
tools. Up to the present time, Region I EPA has supplied the principal
competency for toxicity testing within the state.
The state conducts macroinvertebrate assessments at approximately 25 locations
annually. Use is made of the rapid 5-minute "kick sampling" technique with
analyses of the first 100 organism subsample. About half of these locations
are associated with special studies and about half with particular facility
discharges.
Fish flesh analyses are made for 10 to 50 locations annually for pesticides,
heavy metals, and PCBs. Human health aspects are managed through chemical
analyses, with results compared to health criteria and published risk assess-
ments. Work is being done with bacteriological indicators in an effort to link
those bacteria with potential sources of pollution.
45
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MICHIGAN
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Surface Water Quality Division
P.O. Box 30028
Lansing, HI 48909
Mr. William E. MoCracken, Chief Mr. Jim Grant, Supervisor
Permits Section Water Quality Appraisal Unit
(517) 335-4114 (517) 335-4193
Michigan has 117 major and about 810 minor industrial permits and 98 major and
approximately 540 minor municipal permits in the NPDES program. Less than 10
permits require toxicity testing and there are no permits containing biological
toxicity limits. Testing is end-of-pipe and involves 96-hour acute toxicity
tests with fathead minnows. State water quality standards implement chemical
specific limits, which are included in over 50 percent of the industrial permits
and over 90 percent of the municipal permits. All permits are evaluated for
toxicity concerns, and those with unacceptable effluent are required to undertake
a toxicity reduction evaluation.
Annually, the State of Michigan conducts approximately 30 site investigations and
10 intensive biological surveys of fish and macroinvertebrates to evaluate water
quality conditions in areas of environmental concern. Fish are collected from 40
sites per year for flesh analyses for metals, pesticides including PCBs, and
other parameters on a case specific basis. Five caged fish studies will be done
this year, and 40 to 50 stations have been established for monthly monitoring of
chemical specific parameters. Three chronic and 30 static acute 48-hour toxicity
tests will be performed at the state laboratory, and 5 on-site acute 96-hour
flow-through toxicity tests will be conducted by the mobile biological
laboratory. There is no certification program for conntercial biological testing
laboratories.
An estimated 25 percent of all permits contain maximum residual chlorine limits
which are based on state water quality standards. According to state policy,
maximum contaminant levels for drinking water apply instream at the point of
intake.
46-
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Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
1935 W. County Road B2
Roseville, HN 55113
Mr. Doug Hall, Supervisor Mr. Marvin Bora, Head
Permit Unit Toxic Abatement and Lake Evaluation Unit
Division of Water Quality
(612) 297-1832 (612) 296-7215
The Minnesota NFDES program includes 28 major and about 500 minor industrial
permits and 50 major and approximately 600 minor municipal permits. Currently,
toxicity testing is required in one major industrial permit; however, testing
will be required in all major permits when reissued. Testing will involve either
the 24-hour static acute fathead minnow or 96-hour flow-through toxicity tests
using whole effluent and serial dilutions. Biological toxicity limits have not
been imposed.
Minnesota collects approximately 1,000 to 1,500 fish from 50 to 75 sites for the
bioaccumulation analyses of mercury, PCBs, and dioxin. This year the state will
conduct approximately 12 chronic toxicity tests using Ceriodaphnla and embryo-
larval fathead minnows. Twenty-four-hour and 48-hour static acute toxicity tests
using fathead minnows and Daphnia magna will be performed at 25 facilities this
year. The mobile biological laboratory will do on-site acute 96-hour flow-
through toxicity testing. There is no biological laboratory certification
program.
Residual chlorine limits are included in many permits, and all new municipal
treatment facility permits have a dechlorination requirement. At this time only
the pre-chlorinated wastewater is tested for toxicity.
47
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MISSISSIPPI
Mississippi Department of Natural Resources
Bureau of Pollution Control
P.O. Box 10385
Jackson, MS 39209
Mr. Jerry Cain, Chief
Industrial Wastewater Control Section
(601) 961-5073
The permit program in Mississippi consists of approximately 40 major and 493
minor industrial and 45 major and 255 minor municipal permits. About 20 of the
industrial permits have requirements for biological toxicity testing; none of the
municipal permits requires such testing. Of the 20 permits requiring testing,
approximately 10 have toxicity effluent limits. In the future, all permits with
a testing requirement will have toxicity limits. In the future, also, there will
be an increase of about 50 percent in the number of permits requiring
biomonitoring.
All of the industrial permits undergo a screening process whereby mass balance
dilution calculations for specific chemical constituents are compared with water
quality criteria. Where toxicity could be a potential problem, biological
toxicity testing is implemented. All pretreatment permits for indirect
dischargers are issued at the state level; thus, the state believes that, through
a chemical specific assessment, it will be able to control potential toxic
components of municipal dischargers.
All of the 20 industrial permits with testing requirements include chronic 7-day
toxicity tests using Qeriodaphnia and fathead minnows. Tests are required
quarterly for the first year and every six months thereafter. When a test is
failed, a confirmatory test is required. When the confirmatory test is failed, a
toxicity reduction evaluation is required. Three or four industries currently
are in the early stages pf toxicity reduction evaluation; three additionally are
in the middle stages and have identified the cause of toxicity. No toxicity
reduction evaluation has been completed currently. The state is developing a
statewide strategy for the control of toxic pollutants.
There is no biological laboratory certification program. The state will have an
operational mobile biological laboratory for chronic toxicity testing by
December, 1987. It is anticipated that 15 chronic toxicity tests and potentially
7 or 8 acute toxicity tests will be completed on an annual basis. Ambient
monitoring of fish flesh for metals and chlorinated hydrocarbons are completed
annually at 30 locations. There are 15 state trend monitoring locations where
macroinyertebrates and periphyton are examined and 30 locations where fish
populations are assessed.
48
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MISSOURI
Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Water Pollution Control Division
P.O. Box 176
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Mr. John Ford
Water Quality Specialist
(314) 751-7626
The State of Missouri administers a permit program with 70 major and 2,100 minor
non-municipal permits and 70 major and 750 minor municipal permits. None of the
permits in the NPDES program has a requirement for biological toxicity testing;
the program can be characterized as being virtually chemical specific. Five or
six of the permittees have, in the past, been required to perform an instream
biotic assessment of receiving waters with macroinvertebrates, with the focus on
one location upstream from a source and one or two locations downstream.
Generally, an initial macroinvertebrate study is all that has been required of
permittees. A few permittees are performing toxicity tests routinely that are
not required under permit conditions.
The state is in the initial phase of a chronic toxicity testing program related
to effluents. Through a contract with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services's
Columbia National Fish Research Laboratory, Columbia, MO, state and laboratory
personnel are conducting chronic Qeriodaphnia and fathead minnow toxicity tests
on 16 municipal effluents over a 2-year period. TVelve of the municipal
effluents have been examined. When this contractual program has been completed,
the state's testing program will be shifted to the state laboratory at Jefferson
City where the state will continue to check four to six effluents annually. This
is essentially a compliance monitoring program. The state anticipates requiring
toxicity testing and possibly attaching toxicity limits in applicable permits if
toxicity is discovered in the effluents.
The state does not operate a mobile laboratory. There is no state laboratory
certification program for biological testing laboratories, nor is there a trend
monitoring program where biological techniques are employed. The state collects
fish annually at 22 locations for the Regional Ambient Fish Tissue analyses
program where EPA Region VII analyzes whole fish for pollutants. The Missouri
Department of Conservation analyzes fish flesh for chlordane, FCBs, and other
pesticides in an extensive fish sampling program as well.
The state completes qualitative benthological investigations using macroinver-
tebrates in receiving water streams in the vicinity of 200 facilities annually.
These specific locations change annually as the state's investigative universe of
about 1,000 facilities is completed in a 5-year period. In addition, more inten-
sive instream biotic assessments are completed in four to six stream reaches
annually.
49
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MQMEANft.
Montana State Department of Health and
Environmental Sciences
Cogswell Building, Room A-206
Helena, MT 59620
Mr. Loren Bahls, Supervisor Mr. Fred Shewman, Supervisor
Water Quality Management Section Wastewater Discharge Permit Section
(406) 444-2406 (406) 444-2406
There are 19 major and 166 minor industrial and 26 major and 79 minor municipal
permits in Montana's NPDES program. There is no requirement for effluent
toxicity testing. There are two industrial permits that require receiving water
biomonitor ing.
The state has developed the capability to perform the 7-day chronic Ceriodaphnia
toxicity test and has performed such at six locations. Screening toxicity tests
have been done on 10 effluents using a 7-day static renewal Ceriodaphnia test.
At an addi-tional five locations, the EPA regional laboratory recently conducted
trout, fathead minnow, and 7-day chronic Ceriodaphnia testing.
The state conducts six to eight instream biotic assessments annually, many of
which are associated with upgraded sewage treatment plants. Algae, primary
productivity, chlorophyll a, and macroinvertebrates are examined. Trend water
quality monitoring is undertaken at 30 locations where macroinvertebrates and
algae are included in the examination. The state recently completed chronic
Ceriodaphnia on ambient upstream and downstream waters receiving runoff water
from a copper and silver mine spill slope.
There are no commercial laboratories within the state known to have toxicity
testing capability. There is no biological testing laboratory certification
program. Facilities are not available for the state to conduct fathead minnow
toxicity tests.
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NEBRASKA
Nebraska Department of Environmental Control
Water Quality Division
P.O. Box 94877
Lincoln, NE 68509
Mr. Steve Walker
Environmental Scientist
(402) 471-2186
The NPDES program for the State of Nebraska includes 26 major and 201 minor
industrial and 44 major and 299 minor municipal permits. There are no
requirements for biological testing in the permits, and the program is operated
on a pollutant-specific basis. The state expects to introduce biological
toxicity testing into major permits as they are reissued.
The EPA currently is testing about six facilities annually for the state, using
static renewal acute toxicity tests on effluents with daphnids and fathead
minnows as test organisms. If toxicity is found through toxicity testing, the
state will seek appropriate action by the permittee to rectify the problem.
Currently, there are no toxicity reduction evaluations in progress.
The state participates in the Regional Ambient Fish Tissue analyses program,
where fish are collected at 20 locations and whole fish are analyzed by EPA
Region VII for 130 toxic contaminants. As part of the ongoing 205(j) water
quality management program, the state examines 3 of the 13 river basins, or
approximately 100 stream locations, per year for macroinvertebrates and fish.
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NEVADA
Nevada Division of Environmental Protection
201 South Fall Street
Carson City, NV 89710
Mr. Wendell HoCurry
Water Quality Office
(702) 885-4670
The State of Nevada has 5 major and 20 minor industrial NEDES permits and 6 major
and 15 minor municipal permits. The one permit with biological testing is a
municipality with advanced waste treatment. The requirement is for quarterly 96-
hour static renewal toxicity tests using trout as the test organism. Although
not a condition of the permit, the municipality maintains a tank stocked with
trout through which the treated effluent passes prior to discharge to receiving
waters. In addition, the permit requires periphyton and macroinvertebrate
assessments at several locations in the receiving water. Three other
municipalities potentially will be required to undertake biomonitoring.
The state currently does not have capability to undertake toxicity testing
related to the permit program. EPA has conducted biomonitoring at two of the
major dischargers in the state and found significant chronic toxicity.
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NEW HAMPSHIRE
NH Department of Environmental Services
Water Supply and Pollution Control Division
Permit Compliance Section
6 Hazen Drive
Concord, NH 03301
Mr. Lynn Wbodard
(603) 271-2457
New Hampshire does not have NPDES delegated authority. The NPDES program is
managed by EPA Region I. There are 40 major and 75 minor municipal permits and
27 major and 75 minor industrial permits within the system. About 3 municipal
and 3 industrial permits now require toxicity testing. The type of test involved
is an acute static toxicity test with at least two species including a daphnid
and fathead minnow. The future thrust is to examine 20 percent of the facilities
each year and include biological toxicity testing where appropriate. All of the
major municipalities with pretreatment programs will be included in the biologi-
cal toxicity testing program in the near future.
Many of the permits have water quality based limits for toxic pollutants. State
water quality standards prohibit the discharge of toxic pollutants in amounts
that may cause toxicity in the receiving water. Calculated pollutant levels
instream resulting from the maximum plant discharge and 7Q10 low flow receiving
water conditions are compared with instream acute water quality criteria. Simi-
lar calculated levels resulting from average plant discharge and 30Q2 low flow
receiving water conditions are compared against chronic criteria. Such compari-
sons determine whether technology-based limitations (DATs) or criteria-based
chemical-specific limits would be required in a reissued permit. An instream
toxicity test by a permittee may be used to provide grounds for reconsideration
of initial permit values.
The state has a program of conducting acute Daphnia pulex toxicity tests on 40
facility effluents per year. Concurrent with the effluent test, a similar
toxicity test is performed for the receiving water upstream and downstream from
the discharge where physical stream conditions are appropriate for such activity.
The state does not conduct other types of biological effluent or receiving water
testing. A mobile biological laboratory is not operated, nor is there a
biological laboratory certification program.
The toxicity reduction evaluation concept is used where it is necessary to
identify a source of toxicity. Residual chlorine limits are in municipal
permits, except that many of the older plants do not have such limits. Such
limits are based upon EPA water quality criteria. Drinking water maximum
contaminant levels are applicable statewide and are factored into the design of
any municipal pretreatment program.
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NEW JERSEY
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
P.O. Box CN 029
Trenton, NJ 08625
Ed Post, Section Chief Alfred Korndoerfer Dr. Bonnie Zimraer
Industrial Permits Supervising Env. Spec. Env. Scientist
Bureau of Indst. Waste Mgt. Div. of Water Resources Div. of Water Resources
(609) 292-0407 (609) 292-0427 (609) 984-4429
New Jersey issues 200 major and 780 minor industrial permits and 160 major and
310 minor municipal permits. Of the above, 125 industrial and about 175 munici-
pal permits require biological toxicity testing; other municipalities will be
required to test when permits are reissued. About 100 issued industrial permits
and all of the municipal issued permits contain toxicity limits. The remaining
have a monitoring requirement only. Permits require acute static renewal fathead
minnow toxicity tests in fresh water or mysid shrimp or sheepshead minnow tests
in sea water. A few of the permits on complex industrial wastewaters require
chronic testing using the 7-day fathead minnow test or a 21-day daphnid test
principally as a monitoring tool; there are no toxicity limits on the chronic
tests. Multiple species testing is being introduced into some permit
requirements. Testing generally is conducted on a quarterly basis but some
complex wastewaters are tested monthly. When four consecutive tests show no
toxicity, a permittee can petition for testing frequency modification.
Toxicity Reduction Evaluations based upon toxicity testing are beginning to be
written into municipal permits. Following a history of monitoring for 18 months,
there is a sufficient record of effluent toxicity to place such a program in
perspective. Six or eight such evaluations are in a development stage. In
industrial permits, the tendency has been to provide permit limits and schedules
to achieve such by using formal toxicity reduction procedures.
Neither chronic toxicity testing procedures nor the Ames test procedure have been
placed in the State Regulations Governing Laboratory Certification and Standards
of Performance. The Ames test has been placed in a few permits where there is a
potential for mutagenicity. In the policy discussion and development stages have
been such issues as toxicity testing for indirect dischargers, using the fry
stage of fathead and sheepshead minnows as test organisms, and using the
transparent Medaka fish egg test for toxicity.
Residual chlorine limits are in 65 percent of the municipal permits and will be
going into all such permits during reissuance. Toxicity tests are performed on
end-of-pipe dechlorinated wastewater except when dechlorination devices are being
installed.
The state operates a biological laboratory certification program with on-site
inspection and an annual recertification requirement; about 20 laboratories
maintain certification. A mobile laboratory is operated for facility on-site
acute toxicity testing using fathead minnows and bluegills. A chronic toxicity
testing program has not yet been implemented. The new state fixed laboratory
still is in the construction phase. Pour or five intensive receiving water
surveys with ten or twelve sampling locations in each are performed annually
where macroinvertebrates, fish, periphyton, and sediments are examined.
.54
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NEW MEXICO
New Mexico Health and Environmental Department
Environmental Improvement Division
P.O. Box 968
Santa Fe, MM 87504-0968
Mr. Glen Saums, Prog. Mgr. Mr. Dave Tague
Surface Water Section Surveillance & Standards Section
(505) 827-2795 (505) 827-2822
NPDES authority has not been delegated to New Mexico. The state has 16 major and
134 minor industrial and 21 major and 25 minor municipal permits in the NPDES
program. Five of the major industrial permits require acute static toxicity
testing using a daphnid. None of the permits has a toxicity effluent limit. As
the regional toxics control strategy becomes implemented, a greater emphasis on
biological toxicity testing in permits is expected. The state performs about 12
water quality stream studies, with an estimated 40 specific locations for quanti-
tative and qualitative macroinvertebrate examination, annually. No state
toxicity tests are performed and there is no fish tissue examination.
The state has a stringent residual chlorine limit that requires chlorination to
attain a level of 500 fecal coliform organisms per 100 ml. One of the munici-
palities maintains dechlorination equipment.
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NEW YORK
New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation
Division of Water
50 Wolf Road
Albany, NY 12233
Mr. Ed Kuzia
(518) 457-8819
The State of New York administers an NPDES program with approximately 160 major
and 860 minor industrial permits and 265 major and 300 minor municipal permits.
The program principally is chemical specific; 9 industrial permits and 14
municipal permits require toxicity testing. No permit contains a toxicity
effluent limit. The testing program requires a minimum of quarterly acute static
renewal toxicity tests using fathead minnows and daphnids. There are, on the
other hand, about 200 specific chemicals in the permit program.
Toxicity reduction evaluations are in their program infancy and, where imple-
mented, would be on a very site specific basis. There is a mechanism in the
permit guidance document for requiring such evaluations in the event of 50
percent failure of the initial screening tests during one year; presently,
permits do not contain specific evaluation language. No facility thus far has
failed acute toxicity testing. Thus, there has not been a need for further
action.
The state does not have a biological laboratory certification program. A mobile
toxicity testing laboratory is operated, but it is not used extensively. The 7-
day chronic Ceriodaphnia test is used on 50 ambient receiving water locations
annually. Macroinvertebrates are assessed at 38 trend monitoring sites and at 50
locations associated with special survey sites annually. Fish flesh is analyzed
from 100 locations annually for organochlorine pesticides, PCBs, and some metals,
principally mercury.
The state is reviewing its chlorine criteria. Permits containing chlorine
effluent limits based upon the old criteria for which there are no documented
adverse effects on the receiving stream will continue with those limits. New
facilities will be required to comply with limits based on the new criteria.
Water quality standards provide for four ambient water classifications. Drinking
water maximum contaminant levels apply only to Class A waters, protection against
bioaccumulation of specific contaminants to all waters, fish propagation protec-
tion to A, B, and C waters, and fish survival to D waters.
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NORTH CAROLINA
North Carolina Dept. of Natural Resources and Community Development
Division of Environmental Management
P.O. Box 27687
Raleigh, NC 27611
Steve Tedder, Head Dale Overcash, Leader Ken Eagleston
Tech. Services Branch NPDES Group Biological Services Unit
(919) 733-5083 (919) 733-5083 (919) 733-5083
North Carolina administers an NPDES program with 100 major and 2,730 minor
industrial permits and 130 major and 240 minor municipal permits. Biological
toxicity testing is required in 30 permits and through an additional 102
administrative letters for a total involvement of 132 permittees. Toxicity
testing requirements and limitations currently are placed in all major industrial
and municipal permits either upon reissuance or as a new permit. Additionally,
all minor discharges with complex wastewaters receive similar toxicity limita-
tions. When the wastewater flow exceeds 1 percent of the receiving water 7Q10
flow, the 7-day chronic Ceriodaphnia test is required. Where wastewater flows
are less, an acute static toxicity test either with Ceriodaphnia or Daphnia puiev
may be substituted. In the future, toxicity testing will apply to all major
industrial and municipal dischargers and to all minor dischargers with complex
The state tests toxicity on more than 200 effluent samples per year. When
toxicity is found through a state toxicity test, a toxicity reduction evaluation
is imposed on the facility. A number of municipalities, in particular, have
completed such evaluations. Success is measured by the ability to pass a chronic
toxicity test on an effluent sample diluted to the percentage waste present in
the receiving stream during 7Q10 conditions.
Regulations now are being developed for a biological laboratory certification
program; it is expected that the program will be implemented within a year. The
program is expected to require completion of performance evaluation samples by
participating laboratories.
The state program involves completing acute and 7-day chronic Ceriodaphnia
toxicity tests on approximately 100 facilities per year. Macroinvertebrates are
examined at 100 trend monitoring locations and at an additional 60 special study
locations annually. A mobile laboratory is operated, and one flow-through
toxicity test per month is completed. A basin-wide study involving fish flesh
analyses for pesticides and metals is conducted at 30 to 50 locations annually.
The complete set of test locations is 150 sites. Phytoplankton is examined at
six locations from two lakes monthly selected from a monitoring network of 40
lakes; the assessment relates generally to eutrophication.
There are no chlorine standards, and samples for toxicity tests are taken end-of-
pipe.
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NORTH DAKOTA
North Dakota Department of Health
Water Supply and Pollution Control
1200 Missouri Avenue
Bismarck, ND 58501
Ms. Sheila McClenathan Mr. Daniel Stewart
Environmental Scientist Biologist
(701) 224-2354 (701) 224-2354
North Dakota has 7 major and 70 minor industrial and 15 major and 300 minor
municipal permits in its NEDES program. The program is managed in a chemical
specific manner; one major municipal permit contains a toxicity testing
requirement. Beginning in Fiscal Year 1988, the state anticipates including a
requirement for either acute or chronic effluent testing in major reissued
permits.
The EPA Laboratory, Denver, Colorado, has provided technical assistance in
performing one or two acute and chronic toxicity tests on effluents as a
demonstration project. The state is in the process of developing its toxicity
testing capability. A portion of an existing state laboratory will be devoted to
this activity, and capability exists for conducting both acute and chronic tests
with orinda^hnia and fathead minnows. Pish flesh analyses for pesticides, PCBs,
and metals are completed from fish captured from approximately 10 locations.
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OHIO
Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
P.O. Box 1049
Columbus, OH 43266-1049
Robert Phelps, Chief Lester Fischer, Supervisor Charles Webster
Industrial Wastewater Sect. Monitoring Branch Water Quality Lab.
(614) 481-2001 (614) 481-2001 (614) 294-5841
The State of Ohio administers an NPDES permit program with approximately 140
major and 1,350 minor industrial and 156 major and 900 minor municipal permits.
Five of the municipal permits and two of the industrial permits now contain a
requirement for biological testing. Effort is being made currently to include
such testing in 10 to 15 industrial permits. The forecast is that biological
testing will be included in permit language where needed. When reissued permits
require testing, monthly acute fathead minnow and daphnid toxicity tests or
quarterly chronic 7-day Ceriodaphnia or fathead minnow tests are designated.
Toxicity reduction evaluation has not yet been written into a permit. However,
in one or two cases, such evaluations are taking place. After toxicity has been
identified either through state or permittee testing, the biomonitoring require-
ment may be increased. Following a repeated indication of toxicity, a toxicity
reduction evaluation may be indicated.
The state has a stringent chlorine limit, and dechlorination often is required as
a result. Drinking water maximum contaminant levels are applicable to public
water supply reaches designated in water quality standards.
The state has been doing acute static 48-hour Ceriodaphnia and 96-hour fathead
minnow toxicity tests three times per year on 18 to 20 effluents. This effort,
when completed, will involve about 75 toxicity tests. An evaluation of the
results of this study will determine state action to place additional toxicity
testing and toxicity limits into appropriate permits; it may determine action on
toxicity reduction evaluations. The state completes 7-day Ceriodaphnia and
fathead minnow chronic toxicity tests on an "as needed" basis and anticipates a
workload of 7 to 10 such toxicity tests per year. The state does not operate a
mobile toxicity testing laboratory, and there is no biological laboratory
certification .program.
The receiving waters of the 18 to 20 effluent locations are also being examined
for macroinvertebrates using Hester-Dendy multiple plate samplers. Electro-
fishing or seining techniques to sample fish populations at the above locations
are undertaken three times annually. Fish tissue and sediments are analyzed
through contract support.
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OKLAHOMA
Oklahoma Water Resources Board
1000 N.E. 10th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73152
Dr. Ron Jarman, Chief
Water Quality Division
(405) 271-2541
Oklahoma has not been delegated NEDES authority. There are approximately 36
major and 360 minor industrial and 59 major and 740 minor municipal permits in
the NPDES program. Twenty-two of the industrial permits now require an acute
48-hour toxicity test using a daphnid as the test organism. Presently,
biological testing is not required of municipal permittees. The biological
toxicity testing program has been in effect for major industrial permit
reissuances for the past 2 years.
With the implementation of the EPA, Region VI policy on the discharge of toxic
pollutants, reissued permits will contain biological toxicity testing language
that will require either acute or chronic toxicity effluent testing. The type of
test will depend generally upon the dilution that the waste receives. The state
is committed to a biological toxicity testing program.
Oklahoma has a state permit system in addition to the EPA NPDES program.
Although the language in the two permits virtually is the same, a particular
discharge must be permitted by two separate permits.
The state is in the process of developing a biological testing program. Acute,
96-hour toxicity tests using the most sensitive indigenous fish have been used
for toxicity testing on ambient water, but state capability currently does not
exist for conducting effluent toxicity tests using EPA-recommended techniques.
60
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OREGON
Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
Water Quality Division
P.O. Box 1760
Portland, OR 97207
Kent Ashbaker, Manager Mary Halliburton, Manager Richard Hafele, Supervisor
Industrial Waste Section Sewage Disposal Section Biomonitoring Section
(503) 229-5325 (503) 229-6099 Laboratory Division
(503) 229-5983
There are approximately 23 major and 551 minor industrial and 35 major and 198
minor municipal permits in the Oregon NPDES program. Eighteen industrial
permittees are required to complete toxicity testing, generally one acute and one
chronic toxicity test annually, using Ceriodaphnia and fathead minnows. Two of
the metals facilities permits have toxicity effluent limits, and two permits
require an instream biotic assessment. No biological testing of municipal
permittees now is required. The state, however, is screening major discharges
for toxicity through toxicity testing.
The state expects to increase biological toxicity testing in industrial permits
and to implement a testing program for municipal permits for those facilities
where toxicity in effluents may be of potential concern. The mechanism to
require a toxicity reduction evaluation exists but has not been made a part of
permit language. Toxicity (chronic and acute) screening tests conducted by the
DEQ Laboratory on four municipal majors have not documented any problems to date.
The state does not operate a mobile biological laboratory and there is no
certification of biological testing laboratories. Approximately 122 acute and
chronic toxicity tests using the 21-day Daphnia magna or 7-day Ceriodaphnia and
fathead minnow chronic tests are completed on facility discharges annually. In
addition, macroinvertebrate assessments are completed upstream and downstream
from these facility discharges. About eight per year of the 14-day chronic algal
assay using Selenastrum are completed annually. It is estimated that 12 to 24
receiving water studies where macroinvertebrates and periphyton are assessed are
completed annually. Caged salmonid fishes or caged invertebrates placed upstream
and downstream from a potential pollution source are used in one or two studies
per year.
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PENNSYLVANIA
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources
P.O. Box 2063
Harrisburg, PA 17120
Mr. James Ulanoski, Chief
Standards Unit, Bureau of Water Quality Management
(717) 787-9637
Pennsylvania has approximately 170 major and 1,050 minor industrial permits and
225 major and 2,080 minor municipal permits in its NPDES program. The program
has been oriented specifically toward chemical specific effluent testing.
Chemical specific limits are made a part of a permit based upon an industry's
declaration in the NPDES application of constituents probably occurring in the
discharge and those constituents expected to be in the wastewater as a result of
EPA and other studies. The more stringent of technology based limits or water
quality based limits are used to arrive at a permit limit. An industry may
appeal imposed limits to the Department's Environmental Hearing Board and, if
unsuccessful, through the courts. Biological toxicity testing is not now
required in Pennsylvania permits.
Toxicity reduction evaluations are invoked when monitoring indicates that
chemical limits are being violated. Several of these have been accomplished, and
they encourage improved in-plant management and wastewater control techniques.
During the past year, EPA Wheeling, W, laboratory assisted the state by
conducting chronic 7-day Ceriodaphnia and fathead minnow toxicity tests on 20
facility wastewater effluents. In addition, the state conducts 35 comprehensive
stream use attainability biotic assessments and approximately 200 less
comprehensive "upstream and downstream" biotic assessments for specific
facilities annually. Fish and/or macroinvertebrates are examined in these
studies. Fish flesh analyses are performed at 25 to 30 selected locations to
determine pollutant bioaccumulations. There are 280 trend monitoring locations
where monthly or quarterly chemical analyses are made; many of these require
examination of biological communities.
The state does not believe that there is a statewide problem with chlorine
toxicity; thus, maximum chlorine limits generally are not made a part of
municipal permits. Where chlorine toxicity is known or suspected to be adversely
impacting designated stream uses, chlorine is controlled through a "Strategy for
Addressing Environmental Concerns over Discharges of Total Residual Chlorine."
In some cases, this may require permit limits for total residual chlorine.
Drinking water maximum contaminant levels are applicable statewide. Where human
water quality criteria for carcinogens are more stringent at the 106 exposure
level than are the maximum contaminant levels, those criteria are used to protect
the statewide potable water supply use.
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PUERTO RIQO
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region II
(NPDES authority not delegated)
26 Federal Plaza
New York, NY 10278
Mr. Keith Tingberg
Permits Management Section
(212) 264-2936
Puerto Rico does not have delegated authority to issue NPDES permits. The
island's permitting program is managed by Region II. Puerto Rico has 89 major
and 146 minor industrial and 36 major and 93 minor municipal permits in its NPDES
program. There have been 11 industrial permits issued by the Region that have
required biononitoring. Testing requirements are four 48-hour acute toxicity
tests that are conducted at a quarterly frequency. Based upon a review of
results, chronic toxicity testing, inclusion of permit toxicity limits, or a
Toxicity Reduction Evaluation may be required. Through the Region, Puerto Rico
is considering requiring biononitoring at municipal facilities with significant
industrial inflow.
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RHODE ISLAND
Rhode Island Division of Water Resources
83 Park Street
Providence, RI 02903
Ms. Carlene B. Newman
Senior Sanitary Engineer
(401) 277-3961
With 17 major and 81 minor industrial permits and 18 major and 11 minor municipal
permits, State of Rhode Island permits require effluent toxicity testing on 6
industrial and 14 municipal discharges. There are no permit-specified toxicity
effluent limits, but the use of such limits is under consideration. Toxicity
testing will be required in at least all major permits. The specified effluent
test is a 48-hour daphnid and a 96-hour fathead minnow static toxicity test.
Tests are performed on whole effluent, and the testing frequency generally is
every 6 months. The state views this initial program as a toxicity screening
endeavor, with testing requirements designated on a case-by-case basis but
including those specific industries with known or suspected toxic substances in
effluent.
There is no toxicity testing laboratory certification program, and currently
there are no laboratories in Rhode Island equipped for aquatic biological
testing.
The state conducts trend stream monitoring at approximately 10 locations using
artificial substrates and macroinvertebrates as criteria of water quality.
Shellfish meats are routinely examined for contaminants also, but this human
health test is not permit associated.
Municipalities ^ave chlorine discharge limits, and such residual concentrations
are sufficiently elevated to ensure meeting a fecal coliform standard of 200 per
100 ml. Dechlorination is not a requirement, although one facility operates the
equipment. With municipalities, samples for toxicity testing are taken pre- and
post-chlorination.
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SOUTH CAROLINA
South Carolina Dept. of Health and Environmental Control
2600 Bull Street
Columbia, SC 29201
Mr. Pass Sherer, Director
Division of Water Quality Assessment and Enforcement
(803) 734-5300
South Carolina administers an NPDES program with an estimated 80 major and 200
minor industrial permits and 115 major and 300 minor municipal permits. Fifty-
three of the industrial permits require biomonitoring activities; 24 of these
require effluent toxicity testing, with some requiring instream biotic assessment
in addition, and 29 require instream biotic assessment only. No municipality
currently has a permit toxicity testing requirement; however, about five
municipalities are required to perform toxicity tests through administrative
order. The toxicity tests now required by permit generally are 96-hour flow-
through tests using bluegill sunfish; some permits require 48-hour daphnid tests
or the use of mysid shrimp on whole effluents.
As permits are reissued, all major municipal permittees and minor permittees with
significant industrial contribution will be required to conduct chronic 7-day
Ceriodaphnia effluent toxicity tests. It is expected that 20 such municipal
permits will be reissued this year. The requirements for industrial permittee
testing, likewise, will orient toward the chronic Qeriodaphnia toxicity test in
the future, with a decrease in instream assessment requirements. With this shift
in testing emphasis, the mobile biological laboratory operated by the state
gradually is being phased out, and the state will be doing 7-day chronic
Ceriodaphnia toxicity tests on facilities with effluents being transported to the
central Columbia laboratory.
The frequency of chronic testing will be monthly for some period of time. When
toxicity is demonstrated, a toxicity reduction evaluation will be triggered to
identify the source of toxicity. Toxicity reduction evaluations are just being
implemented for municipalities; a number of industries have been required to
identify and correct the source of toxicity since 1976. Heretofore, formal
toxicity reduction evaluations have not been a part of permit language.
Bioaccumulation/bioooncentration aspects are considered in two permits that
require tissue testing for certain metals and in a statewide fish flesh
monitoring program conducted annually by the state. Other tests required in one
permit each include fish flesh tainting, fish avoidance, and caged organism
assessment. Potential human health impacts from discharges are considered upon
issuance of all permits using state water quality and drinking water standards to
establish effluent limits as well as guidance provided by EPA Water Quality
Criteria documents.
A maximum chlorine limit following EPA criteria is in all applicable NPDES
permits being reissued. All new facilities have dechlorination systems
installed. Prechlorination and final effluents are evaluated with static acute
toxicity tests. Chronic toxicity tests are conducted at end-of-pipe. All waters
of the state are designated for drinking water supplies following appropriate
treatment, as well as for fishing and the survival and propagation of a balanced
indigenous aquatic community of flora and fauna.
South Carolina maintains a biological laboratory certification program with a
recertification requirement on a 3-year cycle. About 20 biological testing
laboratories are on the certified list.
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SOUTH DAKOTA
South Dakota Dept. of Water and Natural Resources
Office of Water Quality
Joe Foss Building
Pierre, SD 57501
Mr. Dennis Rounds
Natural Resources Engineer
(605) 773-3351
South Dakota has 4 major and 56 minor industrial and 29 major and 283 minor
municipal permits in the NFDES program. NPDES authority has not been delegated,
and the permit program is administered by EPA, Region VIII. One municipal permit
with combined industrial and domestic wastes has a requirement for a static and
flovHJirough salmonid toxicity test. There are no biological testing
requirements for industrial permittees. Additional permittees will be required
to conduct effluent toxicity tests as permits are reissued; acute or chronic
tests will be required.
The state may become more involved with toxicity testing activities but will keep
most of the toxicity testing responsibility with the permittees. There are no
commercial biological testing laboratories within the state and there is no
laboratory certification program. Currently, the state has no facility within
which to conduct toxicity tests.
The state conducts 12 to 16 macroinvertebrate and fish biotic stream assessments
annually. Fish flesh from two or three locations, usually in the Black Hills
area, is analyzed for pesticides, metals, and selected organic contaminants
annually. In addition, trend water quality monitoring including macroinver-
tebrates and fish is performed annually at about 20 sampling locations. Site
specific receiving water assessments at major facilities with macroinvertebrates
and fish are in the planning stage.
6ft
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TENNESSEE
Tennessee Division of Water Pollution Control
150 Ninth Avenue, North
Nashville, TN 37219-5404
Mr. Rich Sinclair, Manager
NPDES Permit Program
(615) 741-7883
Tennessee issues 86 major and 960 minor non-municipal permits, plus an estimated
400 mining permits, and 75 major and -166 minor municipal permits. Twenty-five
industrial permits require effluent toxicity testing; seven of these have
toxicity limits. Pour municipal permits currently require toxicity testing; two
of these have toxicity limits. It is projected that in the future toxicity
testing requirements will be placed in all permits where toxicity may be
suspected by authorities. Ml major permitted discharges are screened via
fathead minnow and ceriodaphnia toxicity tests, and many are subjected to chronic
testing techniques with these two organisms as well.
Many permits contain language that mandates a toxicity reduction evaluation when
there is a showing of toxicity through the testing process. At least one such
toxicity reduction evaluation has changed a stream reach from one devoid of game
fish to one from which trout now are caught. In this case, the cause of the
former toxicity was found in a raw product used in the manufacturing process.
The state does not have a biological laboratory certification program. A mobile
biological laboratory is operated, principally to conduct flow-through 96-hour
toxicity tests. With the increase in chronic testing, however, the numbers of
flow-through tests gradually are being diminished.
Approximately 100 facility discharges are checked annually through state toxicity
testing. Ninety of these industrial and municipal discharges are tested via
fathead minnow and Ceriodaphnia acute tests. Ten are tested using the same
organisms in chronic 7-day toxicity tests. The state cultures its own organisms
for toxicity testing.
Instream assessments of macroinvertebrate and fish communities are completed in
20 to 30 studies per year, which translates into 100 or more locations per year.
Macroinvertebrates, likewise, are examined at 20 trend monitoring sites annually,
and fish are analyzed for toxic substances in the flesh at 5 of these.
There is a chlorine standard of 19 ug/1 as a daily maximum for municipal
discharges. This is established on a mass balance basis, with a violation
occurring at the reliable detection level of 100 ug/1. As a result of this
standard, many of the municipalities have installed dechlorination equipment.
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TEXAS
Texas Water Commission
P.O. Box 13087
Capital Station
Austin, TX 78711
Mr. Robert Silvus, Chief
Industrial Wastewater Permits
(512) 463-8200
Mr. Jack Davis
Water Quality Standards Unit
(512) 463-8475
NPDES permitting authority has not been delegated to the State of Texas. There
are approximately 250 major and 1,570 minor industrial and 241 major and 836
minor municipal permits in the NPDES program, which is managed by EPA, Region VI.
Biological toxicity testing is being required in 133 of the industrial permits,
and the test is an acute static 48-hour daphnid toxicity test. There are no such
testing requirements in municipal permits currently.
In the future, the biological testing program espoused in the EPA Region VI
policy will affect all major dischargers as permits are reissued. Acute or
chronic toxicity testing on effluents covered by major permits will be required,
and the type will depend upon the amount of dilution afforded the effluent.
Texas had an existing discharge permitting program when the NPDES program was
initiated. The state has continued that program and, by agreement, prepares
draft NPDES permits for issuance by the EPA concurrent with preparation of
permits under the state system. In the state system, there are 12 or fewer
effluent situations where toxicity tests are required. The state requires
submittal of toxicity test results obtained as a result of an NPDES permit
requirement. A permittee must obtain both an NPDES and a state permit for a
point source discharge.
The state currently does not conduct toxicity testing and does not operate a
mobile toxicity testing laboratory. There is no biological laboratory
certification program.
A contract laboratory is employed to conduct toxicity testing on facility
discharges and on ambient receiving waters. The 48-hour acute daphnid or mysid
shrimp toxicity test is used for effluent testing, and the 7-day Ceriodaphnia
chronic test is used for ambient water toxicity testing. In addition, a 7-day
mysid test is used for ambient waters with salinities greater than 5 parts per
thousand. Currently, about 5 intensive field surveys involving 25 ambient water
locations and 20 facility discharges are programmed annually. In addition, the
state conducts instream macroinvertebrate and fish assessments on 5 to 10 water
reaches annually.
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UTAH
Utah Dept. of Health, Water Pollution Control
4108 State Office Building
P.O. Box 45500
Salt Lake City, UT 84145
Mr. Fred Fehrson, Chief
Permits and Compliance Section
(801) 538-6146
Utah was delegated NPDES authority on July 7, 1987. The NPDES program
encompasses 19 major and 150 minor industrial and 39 major and 43 minor municipal
permits. Fourteen of the municipal permittees have pretreatment programs, and
these are targeted for a toxicity testing requirement; some of these already have
toxicity testing requirements, but not all. Six of the industrial permits
require biological toxicity testing. As any major permit is reissued, biological
toxicity testing is being incorporated into permit language. The type of test
currently is confined to the acute static renewal daphnid and fathead minnow
toxicity test. Currently, toxicity reduction evaluations have not become a part
of the permitting process.
The state does not have toxicity testing capabilities. There is a state
biological laboratory certification program, and compliance monitoring data are
accepted only from a laboratory certified by the state. There are 10 to 20
special studies annually to determine beneficial use assessments and to identify
water quality impairment. Macroinvertebrate and fish examinations are a part of
these studies. No fish flesh analysis is done.
Drinking water maximum contaminant levels are applicable to designated public
water use reaches as identified in water quality standards. Municipalities have
a residual chlorine concentration that is based upon the criterion in water
quality standards which, in turn, is based upon EPA water quality criteria.
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VERMONT
Vermont Agency of Natural Resources
Department of Environmental Conservation
103 South Main Street - 10 North
Waterbury, VT 05676
Mr. Douglas Burnham, Supervisor
Special Studies & Surveillance
(802) 244-5638
The State of Vermont has 8 major and 72 minor industrial and 31 major and 28
minor municipal permits in its NEDES program. There is no requirement for
biological toxicity testing in the permit program. There is a plan, however, to
establish a toxicity testing program in the next 12 to 18 months. A burden would
be placed on the state to demonstrate toxicity prior to a requirement for testing
being imposed on a permittee.
The state believes that there are 6 to 12 discharges with potential toxicity
impact on the receiving waters. Currently, potential toxicity is controlled
through a chemical specific program in which environmental effects literature for
those substances known to be discharged is used to estimate potential environ-
mental harm.
Although the state is not conducting toxicity tests currently, their strategy is
to be responsible for the initial acute screening of effluents for toxicity. The
screening test would include both a 48-hour Daphnia pulex and a 7-day chronic
ceriodaphnia toxicity test. When potential toxicity is determined in the
screening process, the industry would be responsible for conducting 7-day chronic
Ceriodaphnia and larval fathead minnow toxicity tests. With the testing program,
the state would establish toxicity effluent limits; if such were violated, a
toxicity reduction evaluation would be triggered.
A new laboratory building with a toxicity testing unit is in the planning stage.
When completed, this laboratory will enhance the state's testing capabilities.
There is one commercial biological testing laboratory within the state; there is
no laboratory certification program.
In associated biological investigative activities, the state has an ambient
stream monitoring program with 30 locations where macroinvertebrates are sampled
through use of the Surber Sampler. There are six locations where fish popula-
tions are examined to monitor long-term effects of stream acidification on head-
water fish populations.
In a new program initiative, indirect discharge permittees will be required to
monitor macroinvertebrates via rock basket substrates upstream and downstream
from each discharge, with five to eight baskets per location. This program will
provide instream assessment of discharge effects. A program of fish contaminant
monitoring was initiated in 1986. Fish samples will be collected at approxi-
mately five sites per year. Edible portions will be analyzed primarily for heavy
metals and PCBs.
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VIRGINIA
Virginia Water Control Board
2107 North Hamilton Street
Richmond, VA 23230
Mr. Richard Ayers
Water Resources Ecology Supervisor
(804) 257-6418
Virginia has 66 major and 741 minor industrial permits and 67 major municipal
permits in its NPDES permit program, within these, biological toxicity testing
is required in 130 industrial permits and 30 municipal permits, the latter having
treatment capacities over 5 MOD or pretreatment programs. None of the permits
contains biological toxicity limits or water quality based toxic chemical limits.
The basic toxicity testing policy includes semiannual 96-hour acute, static or
static renewal effluent tests using a daphnid and fathead minnow or the
appropriate saltwater species. In some cases, the frequency may be increased,
and chronic toxicity tests may be required. In the lower James River, chronic
toxicity tests involving both Ceriodaphnia and the 7-^day fathead minnow test, or
the appropriate saltwater species, are requirements in 20 permits. Twenty-three
permittees are required to complete macroinvertebrate receiving water
assessments; such assessments generally are associated with those streams whose
physical characteristics provide good assessment potential. It is expected that
instream assessments will be increasingly required as a means to test the
effectiveness of the pollution control program.
When an effluent is demonstrated to be toxic, additional testing or a toxicity
reduction evaluation is required. There are ongoing toxicity reduction evalu-
ations with 11 industrial and 4 municipal permittees. None has been completed,
but the cause of the toxicity has been isolated in five cases. One facility has
a toxicity reduction plan as a specific permit requirement; others were triggered
by a generic permit clause and resulted from demonstrated toxicity. Program
success is measured by a demonstration of no toxicity through continued effluent
or instream assessment testing.
There is no state biological testing laboratory certification program. The state
approves a test plan submitted by the permittee, however, and this plan identi-
fies the laboratory that will perform the tests. The state operates a mobile
biological laboratory that provides on-site static and chronic toxicity testing
and a base of operations for macroinvertebrate receiving stream assessment at the
same time.
Annually, the state goal is 20 receiving water assessments through macroin-
vertebrate community studies. Fish flesh bioaccumulation analyses for metals and
some organics are performed for 40 routine locations and for up to 6 caged
organism locations downstream from specific sources. The goal for state-
conducted toxicity testing is 10 facilities on site per year for both acute and
chronic tests using Ceriodaphnia and fathead minnow or appropriate saltwater
species plus 12 facilities per year in the fixed laboratory for acute toxicity
testing only. Trend monitoring locations include 175 for macroinvertebrates and
40 for fish.
Appropriate permits contain residual chlorine limits based upon EPA water quality
criteria. Toxicity tests are on effluents and may include dechlorinated efflu-
ents where appropriate. Designated ambient water supply areas include 5 miles
upstream from a raw water intake. The state currently is debating whether to
extend the drinking water criteria statewide. There is presumed to be no removal
of a drinking water maximum contaminant level during water supply treatment.
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U.S. VTRRTN TSTAMPS
Department of Planning and Natural Resources
179 Altona and Welgunst
Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas,
Virgin Islands 00801
Ms. Marcia Taylor
NPDES Program Supervisor
(809) 774-3320
The Virgin Islands have 5 major and 30 minor industrial and 2 major and 9 minor
municipal permits in the NPDES program* There are no permits with biomonitoring
requirements.
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WASHINGTON
Washington Department of Ecology
Hail Stop PV-11
Olympia, WA 98504
Mr. Stan Springer, Supervisor
Enforcement and Program Coordination Section
(206) 459-6042
Washington has 45 major and 475 minor industrial permits and 45 major and 235
minor municipal permits in its NPDES program. Approximately 37 of the industrial
permits require biological toxicity testing, and of these, about 30 have toxicity
limits. Biological testing will be required in one municipal permit in the near
future. The toxicity test generally is a 96-hour toxicity test using salmonids.
The toxicity limits specify 80 percent survival of test organisms in 65 percent
effluent using the receiving water as dilution water. Upon failing the test,
corrective actions include a determination of the cause of the toxicity.
With the exception of four federal facility permits that require chronic tests
using Ceriodaphnia and seienast-rnmr chronic toxicity testing has not been placed
in NPDES permits; however, the state is beginning a program of acute and chronic
testing using Ceriodaphnia. An additional development period is necessary to
become comfortable with the Ceriodaphnia test. About 12 facility biomonitoring
studies are planned annually with acute and chronic toxicity tests. The state
does not operate a mobile toxicity testing laboratory, and there is no
certification program for biological testing laboratories. Washington is not
using the fathead minnow as a test organism; it is not found in the state's
waters.
The Puget Sound study and management plan has received special emphasis in the
state water quality program. All major dischargers to Puget sound will be moni-
tored with particular attention to sediments, particulate fraction of effluents,
acute and chronic effects, instream biotic effects, and water quality.
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WEST VIRGINIA
W Division of Water Resources
1201 Greenbriar Street
Charleston, WV 25311
Mr. Jerry Bay, Head Mr. Don Rain, Head
Permits Branch Monitoring Branch
(304) 348-0375 (304) 755-9141
The NPDES program encompasses 62 major and approximately 700 minor industrial
facilities and 33 major and approximately 240 minor municipal facilities, with an
additional 2,200 minor sewage discharges. About 70 of the industrial permits
require effluent toxicity testing on an annual, semiannual, or more frequent
basis. No biomonitoring requirements have been imposed upon municipal effluents.
However, some permits for POIWs with pretreatment programs contain biomonitoring
requirements for industrial users. Some of the industrial permits require
instream macroinvertebrate assessment. The standard permit language requires a
48-hour static LC50 test on fathead minnows and Daphnia pulex. Should the
toxicity test results indicate toxicity, further biomonitoring requirements or a
toxicity reduction plan may be required.
The state conducts fathead minnow and daphnid acute toxicity tests on 50 to 75
facility discharges annually. These tests are made during the time of major
facility inspection. Trend monitoring activities encompass macroinvertebrate
assessments in comprehensive studies on a 42-station network. In addition,
macroinvertebrate communities are examined in 15 to 20 special study type
investigations, which have 4 to 5 sampling locations per study.
The state does not operate a mobile biological laboratory. Currently, there is
no biological laboratory certification program; however, such a certification
program is in the planning stage.
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WISCONSIN
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
P.O. Box 7921
Madison, WI 53707
Mr. Carl Blabaum, Director
Bureau of Wastewater
(608) 266-3910
Die State of Wisconsin has 62 major and 731 minor industrial and 88 major and 507
minor municipal permits in its NPDES program. As a part of the 1987 permit
application process, 36 pulp and paper mills were required to submit results of
7-day chronic ceriodaphnia and fathead minnow toxicity tests on effluents. These
facilities also were required to perform acute toxicity tests for the 1979 permit
issuances. The further use of biomonitoring for these and other industrial
facilities is currently being evaluated.
The state expects to require toxicity testing of some municipalities in the
future. The use of toxicity reduction evaluations is just beginning to be
addressed. Testing for metals and the priority pollutants is required in permits
of municipalities with treatment plants exceeding 5 MOD design capacity.
In the late 1970s, the state operated a mobile acute toxicity testing laboratory.
This trailer is not currently in use, since little end-of-pipe toxicity was
found. There is no certification program for commercial biological laboratories.
The majority of the pulp and paper mill toxicity testing is being performed by
the Institute of Paper Chemistry located at Appleton, WI. There is no state
toxicity testing capability, but it is expected that the capability for chronic
toxicity testing will be developed within the next 12 to 18 months.
The state has performed a study on the applicability of the Antes test to water
pollution control testing. The mouse test for toxic algae also is being
investigated further. There is an extensive macroinvertebrate sampling program
involving 450 samples, but the thrust of this program is toward nonpoint source
pollution. There are 40 to 50 trend monitoring locations where macroinverte-
brates, zooplankton, phytoplankton, and chlorophyll are examined.
Wisconsin has an extensive fish and wildlife tissue examination program where
approximately 500 flesh samples are examined for PCBs, 45 for chlordane and
dieldrin, 10 for toxaphene, and 1,200 for total mercury. Some of the samples are
examined for more than one of the above mentioned constituents or for other
constituents, such as dioxins and furans, as circumstances require.
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WYOMING
Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality
Water Quality Division
Herschler Building, 4th Floor West
Cheyenne, WY 82002
Mr. John Wagner
Technical Supervisor
(307) 777-7781
Wyoming administers a permit program consisting of 30 major and 770 minor
industrial and 20 major and 80 minor municipal NPDES permits. Of these, two
municipalities are required to complete acute 48-hour daphnid toxicity tests on a
quarterly schedule. There is no toxicity testing required of industry, but '
industrial activities generally are confined to resource extraction such as coal
mining and oil production, and complex industrial wastewaters are rare. As
industrial and municipal permits are reissued, all major permits and selected
minor permits will have a toxicity testing requirement.
Toxicity tests are not performed by the state Water Quality Division, and very
little water pollution related biological assessment of any kind is undertaken by
the agency. There is no biological laboratory certification program. EPA's
Duluth, MN, mobile laboratory will conduct acute and chronic tests on 10 to 12
facility discharges this fall. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department has
completed fish sampling as a technical support service to the Water Quality
Division upon request.
»U.S. Government Printing Office : 1988 -516-002/80070
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