WATER QUALITY

Ambient Water Quality Guidelines for Chlorophenols —
First Update

Table of Contents

Summary

Tables

• Table 1: Summary of Water Quality Guidelines for Chlorophenols
• Table 2: Interim Fish Muscle Tissue Flavour Impairment Guidelines
• Table 3: Aquatic Life Toxicity Guidelines

Preface

Introduction

Recommended Guidelines

Application of Guidelines

Summary

This document is one in a series that establishes ambient water quality guidelines for British Columbia. It includes a short report and a technical appendix. This document sets guidelines for chlorophenols, chlorinated hydroxylated monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, to protect drinking water, freshwater and marine aquatic life, recreational waters, food-processing industries, and wildlife and livestock drinking water.

Guidelines were not set for crop irrigation or other industries. Suitable data documenting the effects of chlorophenols for these uses is lacking. The CCME (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment) has set guidelines for all water uses and all chlorophenols for which we have set guidelines.

Toxicity to aquatic life and the generation of an unpleasant taste in fish and shellfish that live in chlorophenol-contaminated waters are effects that occur at the lowest chlorophenol concentrations. The guidelines for chlorophenols are summarized in three tables at the end of the short report. A more detailed discussion of the guidelines is presented in the technical appendix. The guidelines for aquatic life and livestock drinking water have been recalculated since the first edition of this document, printed in August, 1993. New data became available and some old data were considered unreliable; the new criteria are less stringent than the old criteria for aquatic life and livestock drinking water. Other criteria are unchanged from the previous document.

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Tables

Table 1. Summary of Water Quality Guidelines for Chlorophenols