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California Rer onal Water Quality C-ntrol Board <br /> Central Valley Region <br /> Peter N1.Rooney Sacramento Main Office Ed J.Schnabel <br /> Secretary jot Internet Address: bttp:/hru-v.swrcb.ca.gov/-iwgcbS.,home.htm] Chair <br /> Em•iroronental 3443 Routier Road,Suite A,Sacramento,California 95827-3003 <br /> Protection Phone(916)255-3000-FAX(916)255-3015 <br /> TO: Kim A. Schwab FROM: Jon B. Marshack, D.Env. <br /> Assoc. Engineering Geologist Senior Environmental Specialist <br /> Federal Facilities Unit Environmental/Technical Support <br /> DATE: 17 August 1998 SIGNATURE: <br /> SUBJECT: BENEFICIAL USE-PROTECTIVE WATER QUALITY LIMITS <br /> FOR COMPONENTS OF PETROLEUM-BASED FUELS <br /> Request: <br /> In a 17 May 1995 memorandum to staff, I summarized available water quality limits for petroleum fuel <br /> constituents and additives. You have asked whether any numerical limits cited in that memorandum had <br /> been updated. <br /> Response: <br /> Yes. Many of the cited limits have been updated. Additional limits are currently being developed. The <br /> discussion below presents the information contained in my 17 May 1995 memorandum, along with <br /> updated and pending numerical limits. <br /> Discussion: <br /> A significant amount of our work involves the assessment and mitigation of petroleum-based fuel spills <br /> into soil and water. Various water quality criteria have been cited by staff in determining whether <br /> beneficial uses have been impaired or threatened by such spills. In an effort to achieve uniformity in the <br /> use of numerical water quality limits for this purpose and to bring to your attention the wide range of <br /> available and relevant criteria, I offer the list on the following pages. These values come from the staff <br /> report A Compilation of Water Quality Goals, March 1998 edition, along with more recent information. <br /> These limits are intended to be used to interpret applicable Basin Plan water quality objectives for the <br /> protection of existing or potential sources of drinking water. Sources of drinking water are surface and <br /> ground waters which have the beneficial use of municipal and domestic supply(MUN), as designated in <br /> the applicable Water Quality Control Plan (Basin Plan) or the State Water Board "Sources of Drinking <br /> Water" Policy, Resolution No. 88-63. Water quality objectives applicable to such waters include <br /> California drinking water MCLs and narrative objectives prohibiting toxicity and adverse tastes and <br /> odors. Where available, numerical water quality limits are presented to implement each of these <br /> objectives. The most stringent of the listed limits for each chemical would implement all three <br /> objectives. Objectives protective of aquatic life are not included in this list. As such, additional <br /> numerical limits may apply to surface waters in addition to those contained in this memorandum. <br /> Several of the recommended values are based on the taste and odor which these chemicals can impart to <br /> water. For these chemicals, impacts on the palatability of the water occurs at lower concentrations than <br /> those which cause health effects. Taste- and odor-related criteria are applicable, since both health <br /> effects and palatability are relevant to the assessment of beneficial use protection. <br /> California Environmental Protection Agency <br /> Qd RecycleaPaper <br />