DEP Proposes Changes to Water Quality Standards

The DEP Water Quality Standards office unveiled a revised proposal for determining which waters of the state should be preserved as drinking water supplies. It would designate all streams in the state as water supplies (designated as Category A in the standards), and provide a way for NPDES permit writers to determine where that use should not apply. Currently, to show the Category A use should not apply, one must go through a very involved procedure that includes getting approval from the Legislature and from EPA. The new procedure would expedite that process, but only for small streams, or streams with modifications on them, such as culverts. Larger streams would still be assumed to be potable water supplies, even if there is no water supply intake. The result is that dischargers can be stuck with lower permit limits, and higher costs, in order to protect water users that are not even present.

The change proposed by the DEP is positive, at least for dischargers to the smallest streams. However, removing the use will still be cumbersome on larger streams. The DEP would be better served by foregoing the designation of all streams as public water supplies, and protecting those streams that actually serve as water supplies.

An article on the meeting can be found at http://www.wvgazette.com/News/200804300675