Hawaii Administrative Rules
Title 11 - DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Subtitle 1 - GENERAL DEPARTMENTAL PROVISIONS
Chapter 54 - WATER QUALITY STANDARDS
Section 11-54-5.2 - Inland water criteria
Current through February, 2024
(a) Criteria for springs and seeps, ditches and flumes, natural freshwater lakes, reservoirs, low wetlands, coastal wetlands, saline lakes, and anchialine pools. Only the basic criteria set forth in section 11-54-4 apply to springs and seeps, ditches and flumes, natural freshwater lakes, reservoirs, low wetlands, coastal wetlands, saline lakes, and anchialine pools. Natural freshwater lakes, saline lakes, and anchialine pools will be maintained in the natural state through Hawaii's "no discharge" policy for these waters. Waste discharge into these waters is prohibited, except as provided in section 11-54-4(e)(see section 11-54-3(b)(1)).
(b) Specific criteria for streams. Water column criteria for streams shall be as provided in the following table:
|
Parameter |
Geometric mean not to exceed the given value |
Not to exceed the given value more than ten per cent of the time |
Not to Exceed the given value more than two per cent of the time |
|
Total Nitrogen |
250.0* |
520.0* |
80,0.0* |
|
(µg N/L) |
180.0** |
380.0** |
600.0** |
|
Nitrate + Nitrite |
70.0* |
180.0* |
300.0* |
|
Nitrogen |
30 .0** |
90.0** |
170.0** |
|
(µg [N03+N02]-N/L) |
|||
|
Total Phosphorus |
50.0* |
100.0* |
150.0* |
|
(µg P/L) |
30.0** |
60.0** |
80.0** |
|
Total |
20.0* |
50.0* |
80.0* |
|
Suspended Solids |
10.0** |
30.0** |
55.0** |
|
(mg/L) |
|||
|
Turbidity |
5.0* |
15.0* |
25.0* |
|
(N.T.U.) |
2.0** |
5.5** |
10.0** |
* Wet season - November 1 through April 30.
** Dry season - May 1 through October 31.
L = liter
N.T.U. = Nephelometric Turbidity Units. A comparison of the intensity of light scattered by the sample under defined conditions with the intensity of light scattered by a standard reference suspension under the same conditions. The higher the intensity of scattered light, the higher the turbidity. µg = microgram or 0.000001 grams pH Units - shall not deviate more than 0.5 units from ambient conditions and shall not be lower than 5.5 nor higher than 8.0
Dissolved Oxygen - Not less than eighty per cent saturation, determined as a function of ambient water temperature.
Temperature - Shall not vary more than one degree Celsius from ambient conditions. Specific Conductance - Not more than three hundred micromhos/centimeter.
(c) Specific criteria for elevated wetlands: pH units shall not deviate more than 0.5 units from ambient conditions and shall not be lower than 4.5 nor higher than 7.0.
(d) Specific criteria for estuaries.
|
Parameter |
Geometric mean not to exceed the given value |
Not to exceed the given value more than ten per cent of the time |
Not to Exceed the given value more than two per cent of the time |
|
Total Nitrogen (µg N/L) |
200.00 |
350.00 |
500.00 |
|
Ammonia Nitrogen (µg NH4-N/L) |
6.00 |
10.00 |
20.00 |
|
Nitrate + Nitrite Nitrogen |
8.00 |
25.00 |
35.00 |
|
(µg [NO3+N02]-N/L) Total Phosphorus (µg P/L) |
25.00 |
50.00 |
75.00 |
|
Chlorophyll a (µg/L) |
2.00 |
5.00 |
10.00 |
|
Turbidity (N.T.U.) |
1.5 |
3.00 |
5.00 |
L = liter
N.T.U. = Nephelometric Turbidity Units. A comparison of the intensity of light scattered by the sample under defined conditions with the intensity of light scattered by a standard reference suspension under the same conditions. The higher the intensity of scattered light, the higher the turbidity.
µg = microgram or 0.000001 grams
pH Units - shall not deviate more than 0.5 units from ambient conditions and shall not be lower than 7.0 nor higher than 8.6.
Dissolved Oxygen - Not less than seventy-five per cent saturation, determined as a function of ambient water temperature and salinity.
Temperature - Shall not vary more than one degree Celsius from ambient conditions.
Salinity - Shall not vary more than ten per cent from ambient conditions.
Oxidation - reduction potential (EH) - Shall not be less than -100 millivolts in the uppermost ten centimeters (four inches) of sediment.
|
Parameter |
Geometric mean not to exceed the given value |
Not to exceed the given value more than ten per cent of the time |
Not to exceed the given value more than two per cent of the time |
|
Total Nitrogen (µg N/L) |
300.00 |
550.00 |
750.00 |
|
Ammonia Nitrogen (µg NH4-N/L) |
10,00 |
20.00 |
30.00 |
|
Nitrate + Nitrite Nitrogen (µg [N03+N02]-N/L) |
15.00 |
40.00 |
70.00 |
|
Total Phosphorus (µg P/L) |
60,00 |
130.00 |
200.00 |
|
Chlorophyll a (µg/L) |
3.50 |
10.00 |
20.00 |
|
Turbidity (N.T.U.) |
4.00 |
8.00 |
15.00 |
L = liter
N.T.U. = Nephelometric Turbidity Units. A comparison of the intensity of light scattered by the sample under defined conditions with the intensity of light scattered by a standard reference suspension under the same conditions. The higher the intensity of scattered light, the higher the turbidity.
µg = microgram or 0.000001 grams.
pH Units - shall not deviate more than 0.5 units from ambient conditions and shall not be lower than 6.8 nor higher than 8.8.
Dissolved Oxygen - Not less than sixty per cent saturation, determined as a function of ambient water temperature and salinity.
Temperature - Shall not vary more than one degree Celsius from ambient conditions.
Salinity - Shall not vary more than ten per cent from ambient conditions.
Oxidation - Reduction potential (EH) - Shall not be less than -100 millivolts in the uppermost ten centimeters (four inches) of sediment.
