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Home My WebLink About2_2023_TriennialReview_WQC July 2023 Info ItemIntroduction to the 2023-2025 Surface Water Standards Triennial Review & PFAS Rulemakings Water Quality Committee July 12, 2023 Christopher Ventaloro, NCDEQ Classifications, Standards & Rules Review Branch Outline ❖Review water quality standards rulemaking process ❖Introduce triennial review rulemaking & timeline ❖Introduce PFAS rulemaking & timeline 2 The Water Quality Standards Process 3 ImplementStandardDesignated Use Criteria Triennial Review = rule making process by which protective criteria are adopted into state rule Surface Water Standard Rulemaking Process Development •Staff review current standards, available EPA guidance & literature •Staff develop rulemaking package •Staff present proposed amendments to WQC & EMC for approval to proceed Public Comment •NC Register Publication •Public Comment Period •Public Hearing State Approval •EMC adoption •RRC approval •NC Attorney General sign off Federal Approval •EPA Clean Water Act review •Endangered Species Act consultation •NC notified of approval/disapproval by EPA 4 2023-2025 Triennial –Topics Considered EPA National Recommended Water Quality Criteria (NRWQC) •Updated human health criteria (2015) + exposure factor changes •Ammonia Criteria (freshwater –2013; saltwater –1985) •2012 Recreational Water Quality Criteria •2019 Recreational Cyanotoxin Criteria/Swimming Advisory •2019 Aluminum Criteria •Pesticides (Acrolein, Carbaryl, Chlorpyrifos, Diazinon) •Nutrient Criteria 5 2023-2025 Triennial –Topics Considered Topics of Special Concern in North Carolina •1,4-Dioxane •Pesticides ❖Glyphosate ❖Neonicotinoids (Imidacloprid, thiocloprid, etc) 6 2023-2025 Triennial –Focus Topics 1.Updated human health criteria 2.Updated human health exposure factors (EFs) 3.E. coli criteria for Class B (primary recreation) waters 4.1,4-Dioxane 5.Update variance language (per EPA) 6.Technical corrections 7 1. Updated Human Health Criteria •2015 –EPA published updated human health NRWQC* for 94 chemicals •Human health refers to: •Consumption of fish tissue •Protections for water supplies •Updates incorporated: •Updated toxicity factors (Reference Doses & Cancer values) •Inclusion of Relative Source Contributions (RSCs) •Updated toxicity exposure factors 8 * National Recommended Water Quality Criteria 1. Updated Human Health Criteria •Focus on chemicals with existing 02B standards •14 updated EPA chemicals that correspond to: o 25 existing 02B standards ➢11 fish consumption (02B .0208) ➢14 water supply (Class WS) ***Note: Remainder of updated criteria addressed in next triennial review*** 9 2. Updated Human Health Exposure Factors •Exposure factors are part of the narrative standard for toxic substances in 02B .0208 •Used to calculate fish consumption & water supply standards for substances that do not have existing 02B numeric standards •Example calculation from 02B .0208: ***Exposure factors highlighted in red*** 10 WQS = Water Quality Standard RfD = Reference Dose RSC = Relative Source Contribution BW = Body Weight WCR = Water Consumption Rate FCR = Fish Consumption Rate BCF = Bioconcentration Factor 𝑊𝑄𝑄=𝑄𝑓𝐵× 𝑄𝑄𝐵× 𝐵𝑊 𝑊𝐵𝑄+(𝐹𝐵𝑄𝑥𝐵𝐵𝐹) 2. Updated Human Health Exposure Factors 11 Exposure Factor Current 02B Value1 2015 EPA Value2 Body Weight (kg)70 80 Drinking Water Intake Rate (L/day)2.0 2.4 Fish Consumption Rate (g/day)17.5 22.0 Footnotes: 1.Established in 02B .0208 in 1989 (Eff.10/01/89); Fish consumption updated in 2007 (Eff.05/01/07) 2.Based on exposure of adults aged 21 and older (data from CDC national health surveys) 3. Recreational Bacteria Criteria •2012 –EPA published updated bacterial indicator criteria for primary recreation waters (E. Coli or Enterococcus for freshwaters) •NC’s existing freshwater standard uses fecal coliform •2020-2022 Triennial Review –Proposed site-specific E. coli standard for Class B (primary recreation) waters in 19 Counties in the Asheville Region •Public comments requested E. coli standard apply statewide •Received comments from EPA that the site-specific approach did not meet their requirements EMC did not adopt the proposed site-specific standard 12 3. Recreational Bacteria Criteria •2022-2023 –DEQ is conducting a statewide fecal coliform and E. coli study to inform standard and RIA development •Proposing adoption of E. coli as the bacterial indicator for all freshwater Class B waters •Standard will replace current fecal coliform indicator •Standard will be based on EPA's 2012 Recreational Water Quality Criteria 13 4. 1,4-Dioxane •Chemical of concern for NC •2020-2022 Triennial review –Proposed adoption of the numeric interpretation of the narrative standard in the 02B .0208 & water supply rules •EMC adopted numeric values into the .0208 & water supply rules •RRC objected to these rules 14 4. 1,4-Dioxane •Propose standards for 1,4-dioxane ❖Calculate fish consumption & water supply values per 02B .0208 rules using updated exposure factors ❖Evaluate available toxicity information and updated exposure factors 15 5. Update Language for Variances •02B .0226 –Exemptions From Surface Water Quality Standards •Current language: •Variances from applicable standards, revisions to water quality standards or site-specific water quality standards may be granted by the Commission on a case-by-case basis pursuant to G.S.143-215.3(e), 143-214.3 or 143-214.1. •EPA requested states update rule language to either: •Reference 40 CFR §131.14 or •Provide language specifying the requirements for variances per §131.14 •Staff proposing to add reference to 40 CFR §131.14 16 6. Technical Corrections •Rules being reviewed to determine if technical corrections are needed •Minor corrections including: ❖Typographical errors (typos) ❖Incorrect rule references 17 2023-2025 Triennial –Next Steps •Continue development of focus topics 1.Updated human health criteria 2.Updated human health exposure factors (EFs) 3.E. coli criteria for Class B (primary recreation) waters 4.1,4-Dioxane 5.Update variance language (per EPA) 6.Technical corrections •Development of Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) •Update Water Quality Committee –November 2023 18 Per-& Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Rulemaking •Perfluorinated chemicals are of specific concern for NC •Proposing numeric standards for a subset of PFAS for the following designated uses: ❖Fish tissue consumption ❖Water supply •Working to determine which PFAS will be included & to identify available scientific information for standards development 19 WQC Info Item November 2023 WQC Approval to Proceed to EMC Jan 2024 EMC Approval to Notice March 2024 File for NC Register Publication March 2024 Notice of Text / Public Comment period begins mid-April 2024 Public Hearing1 June 2024 End of Public Comment period2 mid-June 2024 EMC Adoption PFAS –Sept 2024 Triennial –Nov 2024 Rulemaking Timeline Per federal Clean Water Act: 1 At least 45-days from Public Notice 2 At least 60-days from Public Notice Surface Water Quality Standards Contacts 21 Elizabeth Kountis Water Quality Standards Coordinator Phone: 919-707-368 elizabeth.kountis@deq.nc.gov DWR Classifications, Standards & Rules Review website: https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/water-resources/planning/classification-standards Susan Meadows Water Quality Standards Assistance Phone: 919-707-9033 susan.meadows@deq.nc.gov Paul Wojoski Classifications & Standards Branch Supervisor Phone: 919-707-3676 paul.wojoski@deq.nc.gov Christopher Ventaloro Water Quality Standards Coordinator Phone: 919-707-9016 christopher.ventaloro@deq.nc.gov