Jump to main content.

Recreational Water Quality Criteria

Designed to protect swimmers from illnesses due to exposure to pathogens in recreational waters, the existing criteria are more than 20 years old. Since then, scientists have learned much about molecular biology, virology, and analytical chemistry. This new information will help us build a stronger scientific foundation for up-to-date recreational water quality criteria.

We are in the process of collecting input from the broad scientific and technical community on research and science needs to develop up-to-date, scientifically defensible criteria to protect people from exposure to contaminated recreational waters. Near-term needs were defined as specific research and science activities that could be accomplished in 2 to 3 years to support development of new or revised criteria by 2012.

The March 2007 Experts Scientific Workshop was a forum for discussion of critical research and science needs for developing new or revised recreational ambient water quality criteria in the near-term.

The Critical Path Science Plan (August 2007) describes the high priority research and science that EPA intends to conduct to establish the scientific foundation for the development of new or revised recreational water quality criteria recommendations. The Criteria Development Plan (August 2007) describes the process and timeline EPA intends to follow to develop and publish new or revised water quality criteria for pathogens and pathogen indicators.

At a multi-stakeholder meeting in February 2008, we updated stakeholders on our activities.

Water Quality Standards | Drinking Water | Research and Development

Local Navigation

Jump to main content.