Water quality officials are accepting until May 2 comments on proposed changes to the state’s surface water quality standards, including adding a standard for E. coli to use in place of fecal coliform as an indicator for disease-causing organisms in certain recreational waters.
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Resources has scheduled a public hearing on the proposed changes for 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 22, in the Archdale Building on Salisbury Street in Raleigh.
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The federal Clean Water Act requires states to adopt surface water quality standards. North Carolina’s are broken up into different classifications such as recreational and water supply.
The proposed changes to state standards are part of a required update that takes place every three years based on a review of existing water quality standards. The update is based on recreational water quality criteria the Environmental Protection Agency published in 2012, and on new or updated ecological, health and toxicological information.
Officials are also accepting comments on existing water quality standard variances and other water quality standard topics not addressed by this rulemaking such as adoption of other published EPA National Recommended Water Quality Criteria.
Speaker sign-in begins at 5 p.m. for the April 22 hearing. Parking will be available in deck 64 across the street. The hearing is scheduled to end by 9 p.m. but could conclude earlier if all registered speakers have been heard.
Comments can be submitted to SWTriRevComments2025@deq.nc.gov or mail to Christopher Ventaloro, NC DEQ-DWR Planning Section, 1611 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1611.
