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r <br /> .� California Regional Water Quality Control Board <br /> Central Valley Region <br /> Robert Schneider,Chair <br /> Terry Tamminen Arnold <br /> Secretaryfor Sacramento Main Office Sehwarzenegger <br /> Environmental 11020 Sun Center Drive 9200,Rancho Cordova,California 95670-6114 Governor <br /> Protection (916)464-3291 •Fax(916)464-4645 <br /> http-//www.sNvreb.ca gov/rwgcb5 <br /> TO: Technical Staff FROM: Jon B. Marshack, D.Env. <br /> & Other Interested Persons Staff Environmental Scientist <br /> Program Support Unit <br /> original signed by JBM <br /> DATE: 1 April 2004 SIGNATURE: <br /> SUBJECT: BENEFICIAL USE-PROTECTIVE WATER QUALITY LIMITS <br /> FOR COMPONENTS OF PETROLEUM-BASED FUELS <br /> This memorandum summarizes available water quality limits for petroleum fuel mixtures, constituents <br /> and additives. Some of the relevant limits have recently changed. The discussion below explains how <br /> numerical water quality limits may be used to translate applicable water quality objectives for <br /> groundwater. The attached table contains available limits recommended for each applicable objective. <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 limits 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 limits, I offer the Iist on the following pages. These limits are intended to be used <br /> to interpret applicable Basin Plan water quality objectives for the protection of existing or potential <br /> sources of drinking water. Sources of drinking water are surface and ground waters which have the <br /> beneficial use of municipal and domestic supply (MUN), as designated in the applicable Water Quality <br /> Control Plan (Basin Plan) or the State Water Board "Sources of Drinking Water" Policy, Resolution No. <br /> 88-63. Water quality objectives applicable to MUN waters include Chemical Constituents(which <br /> requires compliance with California drinking water MCLs and generally prohibits adverse effects on <br /> beneficial uses), Toxicity(which prohibits toxic chemicals in toxic amounts) and Tastes and Odors <br /> (which prohibits adverse tastes and odors or nuisance conditions). Additional objectives and numerical <br /> limits may apply to petroleum fuels in surface waters in addition to those contained in this <br /> memorandum. <br /> The Policy for Application of Water Quality Objectives, in Chapter IV of the Basin Plans, requires <br /> consideration of numerical water quality limits to implement each of these objectives. In most cases, the <br /> most stringent of the listed limits for each chemical would implement all objectives applicable to <br /> groundwater. A discussion of the use of numerical limits to implement narrative water quality <br /> objectives is contained in the staff report A Compilation of Water Quality Goals. <br /> California Environmental Protection Agency <br /> t5 Recycled Paper <br />