Surface Water Quality Standards

Arizona surface water

Surface Water Quality Rulemaking Status

Revised on: March 3, 2023 - 11:36am

A revision of rules in the Arizona Administrative Code Title 18, Chapter 11, Article 1 requires EPA approval to become effective. Therefore, there is sometimes a delay in implementing what is in the latest version of the rules in the Arizona Administrative Code and what is in effect. Below is a status of rules currently in effect and under review by EPA.

A revision of rules in the Arizona Administrative Code Title 18, Chapter 11, Article 2 are related to Arizona’s Surface Water Protection Program (SWPP) and do not require EPA approval. These rules go into effect at the completion of rulemaking.

Status for rule revisions in Arizona Administrative Code Title 18, Chapter 11, Article 1 (federal program)

Rules currently in effect:

  • 2016 R18-11 Article 1 | Download >
  • The above rules are in effect except in the cases where EPA approved the 2019 R18-11 Article 1 changes as published in the Notice for Final Rulemaking (NFRM) | Download 2019 NFRM >
    • EPA approval letter from January 2022 | Download >
    • EPA approval letter from October 2022 | Download >

Outstanding actions for 2019 R18-11 Article 1:

Narrative standards

  • R18-11-120 Enforcement of Non-Permitted Discharges (A-D)

Numeric

  • Appendix A Table 1
    • Acrolein — A&Wc Acute, A&Wc Chronic, A&Ww Acute, A&Ww Chronic, A&Wedw Acute, A&Wedw Chronic
    • Ammonia — A&Wc Acute, A&Wc Chronic, A&Ww Acute, A&Ww Chronic, A&Wedw Acute, A&Wedw Chronic
    • 4-Bromophenyl phenyl ether - A&Wc Acute, A&Wc Chronic, A&Ww Acute, A&Ww Chronic, A&Wedw Acute, A&Wedw Chronic
    • Cadmium — A&Wc Acute, A&Wc Chronic, A&Ww Acute, A&Ww Chronic, A&Wedw Acute, A&Wedw Chronic, A&We Acute
    • DDT and its breakdown products — A&Wc Acute, A&Wc Chronic, A&Ww Acute, A&Ww Chronic, A&Wedw Acute, A&Wedw Chronic, A&We Acute, AgI & AgL
    • Permethrin — A&Wc Acute, A&Wc Chronic, A&Ww Acute, A&Ww Chronic, A&Wedw Acute, A&Wedw Chronic
  • Appendix A Table 2 — Hardness 20, 100, & 400. Calculation Formula
    • Acute Water Quality Standards for Dissolved Cadmium — A&Wc
    • Acute Water Quality Standards for Dissolved Cadmium — A&Ww & EDW
    • Acute Water Quality Standards for Dissolved Cadmium — A&We
  • Appendix A Table 3 — Hardness 20, 100, & 400. Calculation Formula
    • Chronic Water Quality Standards for Dissolved Cadmium — A&Ww, A&Wc, & EDW
  • Appendix A Table 11 — All new values based on pH and temperature
    • Acute Standards for Total Ammonia (in mg/L, as N) for Aquatic and Wildlife coldwater, Unionid Mussels Present — A&We
    • Acute Standards for Total Ammonia (in mg/L, as N) for Aquatic and Wildlife coldwater, Unionid Mussels Present — A&Ww, A&Wc, & EDW
  • Appendix A Table 12 — All new values based on pH and temperature
    • Acute Standards for Total Ammonia (in mg/L, as N) for Aquatic and Wildlife warmwater, Unionid Mussels Present — A&We
  • Appendix A Table 13 — All new values based on pH and temperature
    • Chronic Criteria for Total Ammonia (in mg/L, as N) for Aquatic and Wildlife coldwater and warmwater, Unionid Mussels Present
  • Appendix A Table 14 — All new values based on pH and temperature
    • Acute Standards for Total Ammonia (in mg/L, as N) for Aquatic and Wildlife warmwater, Unionid Mussels Absent
  • Appendix A Table 15 — All new values based on pH and temperature
    • Acute Standards for Total Ammonia (in mg/L, as N) for Aquatic and Wildlife warmwater and Effluent Dependent, Unionid Mussels Absent
  • Appendix A Table 16 — All new values based on pH and temperature
    • Chronic Standards for Total Ammonia (in mg/L, as N) for Aquatic and Wildlife warmwater and Effluent Dependent, Unionid Mussels Absent
  • Appendix A Table 17 — All new values based on pH and temperature
    • Chronic Criteria for Total Ammonia (in mg/L, as N) for Aquatic and Wildlife coldwater, Unionid Mussels Absent

Note: ADEQ rescinded the Appendix A Human Health numeric criteria in the 2019 R18-11 Article 1. Therefore, the EPA will take no action on those criteria.

Status for rules in Arizona Administrative Code Title 18, Chapter 11, Article 2 (state program)

No revisions to R18-11 Article 2 are in process at this time