Online Water Quality Standards Guidance Updated

The following is a press release from EPA about the update of its water quality standards handbook, which is the bible for anyone looking for EPA's position on water quality issues. It does not have the force of law, but as a practical matter it is a statement of the position that EPA will assert in  enforcement and litigation. States that develop their own water quality standards, like West Virginia, follow the handbook in developing and implementing their water quality programs. 

 EPA has updated the online version of its water quality standards handbook (http://epa.gov/wqshandbook) to make it more user-friendly and improve transparency by providing links to EPA’s most recent policy documents. The handbook is a compilation of EPA's guidance on the water quality standards program and provides direction for states, territories and authorized tribes in reviewing, revising and implementing water quality standards. Look for the “updated information” boxes located throughout each chapter for links to recent policy and guidance as well as hyperlinks to documents referenced in the handbook text. 

EPA has also consolidated its online water quality standards policy and guidance reference library (http://epa.gov/wqslibrary), which includes relevant water quality standards policy and guidance documents. The library is sortable by document title, issue date, topic and EPA publication number. 

For more information please contact Jennifer Brundage by e-mail at brundage.jennifer@epa.gov  or by phone at 202-566-9976.