Nebraska Administrative Code
Topic - ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY
Title 117 - NEBRASKA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
Chapter 4 - STANDARDS FOR WATER QUALITY
Section 117-4-004 - Water Supply

Universal Citation: 117 NE Admin Rules and Regs ch 4 ยง 004

Current through March 20, 2024

004.01 Public Drinking Water.

These are surface waters which serve as a public drinking water supply. These waters must be treated (e.g., coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, chlorination) before the water is suitable for human consumption. After treatment, these waters are suitable for drinking water, food processing, and similar uses.

004.01A General Criteria.

Wastes or toxic substances introduced directly or indirectly by human activity in concentrations that would degrade the use (i.e., would produce undesirable physiological effects in humans) will not be allowed.

004.01B Numerical Criteria.

Numerical criteria for the parameters listed below are not to be exceeded. Any substance introduced directly or indirectly by human activity is not to be allowed to enter surface water if one or more of the following numerical standards would be exceeded. The numerical standards listed below are intended to protect beneficial use of public drinking water supply. If the natural background level of a parameter is greater than the numerical standard, this will not in and of itself prohibit the use of the surface water. If the natural background level of a parameter is greater than the numerical standard listed below, the background level is to be used in place of the numerical criteria.

POLLUTANT

NUMERICAL LIMIT

CAS #

Inorganics:

Antimony b

0.0056 mg/L

7440-36-0

Arsenic b

0.00018 mg/L

7440-38-2

Asbestos c

7 million fibers/liter with fiber length >10 microns

1332-21-4

Barium a

1.0 mg/L

7440-39-3

Beryllium c

0.004 mg/L

7440-41-7

Cadmium c

0.005 mg/L

7440-43-9

Chromium c

0.1 mg/L

7439-92-1

Cyanide (as free cyanide) a

0.004 mg/L

57-12-5

Fluoride c

4.0 mg/L

7681-49-4

Mercury c

0.002 mg/L

7439-97-6

Nitrate-nitrogen c

10 mg/L

14797-55-8

Nitrite-nitrogen c

1 mg/L

14797-65-0

Selenium c

0.05 mg/L

7782-49-2

Thallium b

0.00024 mg/L

7440-28-0

Organics:

Alachlor c

0.002 mg/L

15972-60-8

Atrazine c

0.003 mg/L

1912-24-9

Benzene a

0.003 mg/L

71-43-2

Benzo(a)pyrene b

0.0000012 mg/L

50-32-8

Carbofuran c

0.04 mg/L

1563-66-2

Carbon tetrachloride b

0.004 mg/L

56-23-5

Chlorobenzene c

0.1 mg/L

108-90-7

Chlordane b

0.0000031 mg/L

57-74-9

cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene c

0.07 mg/L

156-59-2

Dalapon c

0.2 mg/L

75-99-0

Dibromochloropropane (DBCP) c

0.0002 mg/L

96-12-8

Dichloromethane c

0.005 mg/L

75-09-2

Di(2-ethylhexyl)adipate or Bis(2-ethylhexyl) adipate c

0.4 mg/L

103-23-1

Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate or Bis(2-Ethylhexyl) Phthalate b

0.0032 mg/L

117-81-7

Dinoseb c

0.007 mg/L

88-85-7

Dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD) b

0.00000000005 mg/L

1746-01-6

Diquat c

0.02 mg/L

85-00-7

Endothall c

0.1mg/L

145-73-3

Endrin a

0.00003 mg/L

72-20-8

Ethylbenzene a

0.068 mg/L

100-41-4

Ethylene dibromide c

0.00005 mg/L

106-93-4

Glyphosate c

0.7 mg/L

1071-53-6

Heptachlor b

0.000000059 mg/L

76-44-8

Heptachlor epoxide b

0.00000032 mg/L

1024-57-3

Hexachlorobenzene b

0.00000079 mg/L

118-74-1

Hexachlorocyclopentadiene a

0.004 mg/L

77-47-4

Lindane c

0.0002 mg/L

58-89-9

Methoxychlor a

0.00002 mg/L

72-43-5

o-Dichlorobenzene c

0.6 mg/L

95-50-1

Oxamyl (Vydate) c

0.2 mg/L

23135-22-0

2,4,5-TP Silvex c

0.05 mg/L

93-72-1

2,4-D c

0.07 mg/L

94-75-7

PCB's b

0.00000064 mg/L

-----

Pentachlorophenol b

0.0003 mg/L

87-86-5

Picloram c

0.5 mg/L

1918-02-1

Simazine c

0.004 mg/L

122-34-9

Styrene c

0.1 mg/L

100-42-5

trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene c

0.1 mg/L

156-60-5

1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene b

0.00071 mg/L

120-82-1

Trichloroethylene a

0.003 mg/L

79-01-6

Tetrachloroethylene c

0.005 mg/L

127-18-4

Toluene a

0.057 mg/L

108-88-3

Total trihalomethanes c

0.1 mg/L

-----

Toxaphene b

0.000007 mg/L

8001-35-2

Vinyl chloride b

0.00022 mg/L

75-01-4

Xylenes c

10.0 mg/L

1330-20-7

1,2-Dichloropropane c

0.005 mg/L

78-87-5

1,2-Dichloroethane c

0.005 mg/L

107-06-2

1,1-Dichloroethylene c

0.007 mg/L

75-35-4

1,1,1-Trichloroethane c

0.2 mg/L

71-55-6

1,1,2-Trichloroethane c

0.005 mg/L

79-00-5

p-Dichlorobenzene c

0.075 mg/L

106-46-7

Radionuclides:

Beta particles and photon emitters c

4 millirems per year

-----

Combined radium-226 and radium-228 c

5 pCi/l

-----

Gross alpha particle activity (including radium-226 but excluding radon and uranium) c

15 pCi/l

-----

Uranium c

0.030 mg/L

7440-61-1

Other Parameters Affecting Use:

Aluminum d

0.2 mg/L

7429-90-5

Chloride d

250 mg/L

16887-00-6

Copper d

1 mg/L

7440-50-8

Foaming Agents (methylene-blue active substances) d

0.5 mg/L

-----

Iron d

0.3 mg/L

7439-89-6

Manganese d

0.05 mg/L

7439-96-5

Silver d

0.10 mg/L

7440-22-4

Sulfate d

250 mg/L

14808-79-8

Total Dissolved Solids d

500 mg/L

-----

Zinc d

5 mg/L

7440-66-6

Other Priority Pollutants

Nickel a

0.61 mg/L

7440-02-0

Acrolein a

0.003 mg/L

107-02-8

Acrylonitrile b

0.00061 mg/L

107-13-1

Bromoform b

0.07 mg/L

75-25-2

Chlorodibromomethane b

0.008 mg/L

124-48-1

Chloroform a

0.06 mg/L

67-66-3

Dichlorobromomethane b

0.0095 mg/L

75-27-4

1,3-Dichloropropene b

0.0027 mg/L

542-75-6

Methyl Bromide a

0.1 mg/L

74-83-9

Methylene Chloride a

0.04 mg/L

75-09-2

1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane b

0.002 mg/L

79-34-5

2-Chlorophenol a

0.03 mg/L

95-57-8

2,4-Dichlorophenol a

0.01 mg/L

120-83-2

2,4-Dimethylphenol a

0.1 mg/L

105-67-9

2-Methyl-4,6-Dinitrophenol a

0.002 mg/L

534-52-1

Dinitrophenols a

0.01 mg/L

25550-58-7

2,4-Dinitrophenol a

0.01 mg/L

51-28-5

Phenol a

4 mg/L

108-95-2

2,4,5-Trichlorophenol a

0.3 mg/L

95-95-4

2,4,6-Trichlorophenol a

0.003 mg/L

88-06-2

3-Methyl-4-Chlorophenol a

0.5 mg/L

59-50-7

Acenaphthene a

0.07 mg/L

83-32-9

Anthracene a

0.3 mg/L

120-12-7

Benzidine b

0.0000014 mg/L

92-87-5

Benzo(a)Anthracene b

0.000012 mg/L

56-55-3

Benzo(b)Fluoranthene b

0.000012 mg/L

205-99-2

Benzo(k)Fluoranthene b

0.00012 mg/L

207-08-9

Bis(2-Chloroethyl) Ether b

0.0003 mg/L

111-44-4

Bis(2-Chloro-1-methylethyl) Ether a

0.2 mg/L

108-60-1

Bis(Chloromethyl) Ether b

0.0000015 mg/L

542-88-1

Butylbenzyl Phthalate b

0.001 mg/L

85-68-7

2-Chloronaphthalene a

0.8 mg/L

91-58-7

Chrysene b

0.0012 mg/L

218-01-9

Dibenzo(a,h)Anthracene b

0.0000012 mg/L

53-70-3

1,3-Dichlorobenzene a

0.007 mg/L

541-73-1

3,3'-Dichlorobenzidine b

0.00049 mg/L

91-94-1

Diethyl Phthalate a

0.6 mg/L

84-66-2

Dimethyl Phthalate a

2.0 mg/L

131-11-3

Di-n-Butyl Phthalate a

0.02 mg/L

84-74-2

2,4-Dinitrotoluene b

0.00049 mg/L

121-14-2

1,2-Diphenlyhydrazine b

0.0003 mg/L

122-66-7

Fluoranthene a

0.02 mg/L

206-44-0

Fluorene a

0.05 mg/L

86-73-7

Hexachlorobutadiene a

0.00002 mg/L

87-68-3

Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) - Technical b

0.000066 mg/L

608-73-1

Hexachloroethane a

0.0007 mg/L

67-72-1

Indeno (1,2,3-cd)Pyrene b

0.000012 mg/L

193-39-5

Isophorone b

0.34 mg/L

78-59-1

Nitrobenzene a

0.01 mg/L

98-95-3

N-Nitrosodimethylamine b

0.0000069 mg/L

62-75-9

N-Nitrosodi-n-Propylamine b

0.00005 mg/L

621-64-7

N-Nitrosodiphenylamine b

0.033 mg/L

86-30-6

Pentachlorobenzene a

0.0001 mg/L

608-93-5

Pyrene a

0.02 mg/L

129-00-0

Aldrin b

0.0000000077 mg/L

309-00-2

alpha-Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) b

0.0000036 mg/L

319-84-6

beta-Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) b

0.00008 mg/L

319-85-7

4,4'-DDT b

0.0000003 mg/L

50-29-3

4,4'-DDE b

0.00000018 mg/L

72-55-9

4,4'-DDD b

0.0000012 mg/L

72-54-8

Dieldrin b

0.000000012 mg/L

60-57-1

alpha-Endosulfan a

0.02 mg/L

959-98-8

beta-Endosulfan a

0.02 mg/L

33213-65-9

Endosulfan Sulfate a

0.02 mg/L

1031-07-8

Endrin Aldehyde a

0.001 mg/L

7421-93-4

a Human health criteria based on the consumption of water, fish and other aquatic organisms

b Human health criteria at the 10-5 risk level for carcinogens based on the consumption of water, fish and other aquatic organisms

c Primary Drinking Water MCL

d Secondary Drinking Water Standard

004.02 Agricultural.

004.02A General Criteria.

Wastes or toxic substances introduced directly or indirectly by human activity in concentrations that would degrade the use (i.e., would produce undesirable physiological effects in crops or livestock) will not be allowed.

004.02B Class A - Agricultural.

These are waters used for general agricultural purposes (e.g., irrigation and livestock watering) without treatment.

004.02B1 Conductivity.

Not to exceed 2,000 umhos/cm between April 1 and September 30.

004.02B2 Nitrate and Nitrite as Nitrogen.

Not to exceed 100 mg/L.

004.02B3 Selenium.

Not to exceed 0.02 mg/L.

004.02C Class B - Agricultural.

These are waters where the natural background water quality limits its use for agricultural purposes. No water quality criteria are assigned to protect this use.

004.03 Industrial.

These are waters used for commercial or industrial purposes such as cooling water, hydroelectric power generation, or nonfood processing water; with or without treatment. Water quality criteria to protect this use will vary with the type of industry involved. Where water quality criteria are necessary to protect this use, site-specific criteria will be developed.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Nebraska may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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