Washington Administrative Code
Title 173 - Ecology, Department of (See also Titles 197, 317, 372, and 508)
Chapter 173-200 - Water quality standards for groundwaters of the state of Washington
Section 173-200-030 - Antidegradation policy
Universal Citation: WA Admin Code 173-200-030
Current through Register Vol. 24-06, March 15, 2024
(1) The antidegradation policy of the state of Washington, is generally guided by chapter 90.48 RCW, the Water Pollution Control Act, and chapter 90.54 RCW, the Water Resources Act of 1971. The goal of this policy is to ensure the purity of the state's groundwaters and to protect the natural environment.
(2) The antidegradation policy is as follows:
(a) Existing and future beneficial uses shall
be maintained and protected and degradation of groundwater quality that would
interfere with or become injurious to beneficial uses shall not be
allowed.
(b) Degradation shall not
be allowed of high quality groundwaters constituting an outstanding national or
state resource, such as waters of national and state parks and wildlife
refuges, and waters of exceptional recreational or ecological
significance.
(c) Whenever
groundwaters are of a higher quality than the criteria assigned for said
waters, the existing water quality shall be protected, and contaminants that
will reduce the existing quality thereof shall not be allowed to enter such
waters, except in those instances where it can be demonstrated to the
department's satisfaction that:
(i) An
overriding consideration of the public interest will be served; and
(ii) All contaminants proposed for entry into
said groundwaters shall be provided with all known, available, and reasonable
methods of prevention, control, and treatment prior to entry.
Statutory Authority: RCW 90.48.035. 90-22-023, § 173-200-030, filed 10/31/90, effective 12/1/90.
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