Methodology for Deriving Ambient Water Quality Criteria for the Protection of Human Health
Author:
US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
Date Published:
10/2000
Description:
The Methodology for Deriving Ambient Water Quality Criteria for the Protection of Human Health (2000) (hereafter the “2000 Human Health Methodology”) addresses the development of AWQC to protect human health. The Agency intends to use the 2000 Human Health Methodology both to develop new AWQC for additional pollutants and to revise existing AWQC. Within the next several years, EPA intends to focus on deriving AWQC for chemicals of high priority (including, but not limited to, mercury, arsenic, PCBs, and dioxin). Furthermore, EPA anticipates that 304(a) criteria development in the future will be for bioaccumulative chemicals and pollutants considered highest priority by the Agency. The 2000 Human Health Methodology is also intended to provide States and authorized Tribes flexibility in establishing
water quality standards by providing scientifically valid options for developing their own water quality criteria that consider local conditions. States and authorized Tribes are strongly encouraged to use this Methodology to derive their own AWQC. However, the 2000 Human Health Methodology also defines the default factors EPA intends to use in evaluating and determining consistency of State water quality standards with the requirements of the CWA. The Agency intends to use these default factors to calculate national water quality criteria under Section 304(a) of the Act. EPA will also use this Methodology as guidance when promulgating water quality standards for a State or Tribe under Section 303(c) of the CWA.
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