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Document ID ca-bc-bcwwqgalwa2-2025-03 Title British Columbia Working Water Quality Guidelines: Aquatic Life, Wildlife & Agriculture (March 2025) URL https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/air-land-water/water/waterquality/water-quality-guidelines/bc_working_water_quality_guidelines.pdf Jurisdiction /ca/bc Subdomain(s) Wastewater, Industrial water, Agricultural water, Drinking water Language en Status completed Analyzed at 2026-03-15 04:58:26.070479+00:00 Relevance Provides numeric limits used for waste discharge authorizations and permits.

9 Qualitative 62 Quantitative 50 Definitions

Q Qualitative Requirements (9)

Req ID	Category	Intent	Legal Status	Name	Subdomain(s)	Context	Conditions	Confidence
#Q001	administrative	operational	mandatory	Consideration of Water Quality Guidelines in Decision Making	aquatic life, agricultural water, other	Although WQGs do not have any direct legal standing, once approved, BC WQGs must be considered in any decision affecting water quality made within the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy (ENV).	Once WQGs are approved and decisions affecting water quality are being made within the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy	high
#Q002	monitoring	operational	guidance	Increased Sampling Frequency for Fluctuating Concentrations	aquatic life, agricultural water, other	However, in some cases where concentrations fluctuate widely in nature, more than 5 samples may be necessary.	Where concentrations fluctuate widely in nature	high
#Q003	monitoring	operational	guidance	Decreased Sampling Frequency for Uniform Concentrations	aquatic life, agricultural water, other	In other situations where concentrations are uniform and rarely exceed the long-term WWQG, less frequent monitoring may be justified.	Where concentrations are uniform and rarely exceed the long-term WWQG	high
#Q004	corrective_action	operational	guidance	Alert Signal Monitoring Response	aquatic life, agricultural water, other	In this case, failure of any individual sample to meet the long-term WWQG would serve as an alert signal to increase the monitoring.	When less frequent monitoring has been justified due to uniform concentrations, and an individual sample fails to meet the long-term WWQG	high
#Q005	administrative	operational	recommended	Sediment Quality Guidelines Application Caution	aquatic life	Caution should be exercised in the application of these guidelines.	When applying working sediment quality guidelines	high
#Q006	monitoring	operational	mandatory	BTEX Separation and Testing	aquatic life, agricultural water, other	In assessing aromatics hydrocarbons, BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene) are to be tested separately and compared to their own BC approved WQGs.	When assessing aromatics hydrocarbons	high
#Q007	monitoring	operational	guidance	Total Strontium Comparison Allowance	aquatic life	Given that dissolved strontium concentrations are approximately equivalent to total strontium concentrations, this guideline can be compared to total strontium concentrations when dissolved strontium concentrations are unavailable (ECCC 2020).	When dissolved strontium concentrations are unavailable	high
#Q008	administrative	reporting	mandatory	Sediment Organic Carbon Guideline Adjustment Requirement	aquatic life	Adjustments to guidelines are required when they are expressed in terms of the sediment containing 1% organic carbon.	When guidelines are expressed in terms of the sediment containing 1% organic carbon and the sediment has a different organic carbon content	high
#Q009	administrative	reporting	recommended	Sediment Organic Carbon Guideline Adjustment Method	aquatic life	For sediments with organic carbon other than 1%, an adjustment in guidelines should be made by multiplying the guideline by the % organic carbon content of the sediment.	For sediments with organic carbon other than 1%	high

P Quantitative Requirements (62)

Req ID	Category	Intent	Legal Status	Name	Subdomain(s)	Limit Type	Limit Value	Context	Conditions	Confidence
#P001	chemical	unknown	guideline	Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE) (triBDE)	aquatic life	requirement	120 µg/kg ww	AL-fish tissue	Long-term WWQG	high
#P002	chemical	unknown	guideline	Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE) (tetraBDE)	aquatic life	requirement	88 µg/kg ww	AL-fish tissue	Long-term WWQG	high
#P003	chemical	unknown	guideline	Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE) (pentaBDE)	aquatic life	requirement	1 µg/kg ww	AL-fish tissue	Long-term WWQG	high
#P004	chemical	unknown	guideline	Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE) (hexaBDE)	aquatic life	requirement	420 µg/kg ww	AL-fish tissue	Long-term WWQG	high
#P005	chemical	unknown	guideline	Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS)	aquatic life	requirement	4700 µg/kg ww	AL-fish tissue	Long-term WWQG	high
#P006	chemical	unknown	guideline	Bisphenol A (BPA)	other	requirement	110 µg/kg food ww	Working wildlife dietary guidelines (WWDGs)	Long-term WWQG	high
#P007	chemical	unknown	guideline	DDT	other	requirement	14 µg/kg food ww	Working wildlife dietary guidelines (WWDGs)	Long-term WWQG	high
#P008	chemical	unknown	guideline	Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD)	other	requirement	40000 µg/kg food ww	Working wildlife dietary guidelines (WWDGs)	Long-term WWQG	high
#P009	chemical	unknown	guideline	Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE) (tetraBDE)	other	requirement	44 µg/kg food ww	Working wildlife dietary guidelines (WWDGs)	Long-term WWQG	high
#P010	chemical	unknown	guideline	1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethene (tetrachloroethylene, perchlorethylene)	aquatic life	requirement	110 µg/L	Freshwater AL	Long-term WWQG	high
#P011	chemical	unknown	guideline	1,1,2-trichloroethene, trichloroethylene	aquatic life	requirement	21 µg/L	Freshwater AL	Long-term WWQG	high
#P012	chemical	unknown	guideline	1,1,2-trichloroethene, trichloroethylene	agricultural water	requirement	50 µg/L	Livestock watering	Long-term WWQG	high
#P013	chemical	unknown	guideline	1,2,3,4-tetrachlorobenzene	aquatic life	requirement	1.8 µg/L	Freshwater AL	Long-term chronic concentration	high
#P014	chemical	unknown	guideline	Alkalinity (total CaCO3)	aquatic life	requirement	> 20 mg/L CaCO3	Freshwater AL	20 mg/L or 25% lower than background whichever is higher	high
#P015	chemical	unknown	guideline	Cadmium	agricultural water	requirement	5.1 ug/L	Irrigation	Short-term maximum guideline	high
#P016	physical	unknown	guideline	Conductivity (specific)	agricultural water	requirement	< 0.7 mS/cm	Irrigation	For low tolerance crops (strawberry, raspberry, bean, carrot)	high
#P017	chemical	unknown	guideline	Dehydroabietic acid (DHA)	aquatic life	requirement	1 µg/L	Freshwater AL	Short-term maximum at pH 5.0	high
#P018	chemical	unknown	guideline	Endosulfan	aquatic life	requirement	0.03 µg a.i./L	Freshwater AL	Short-term maximum	high
#P019	chemical	unknown	guideline	Lithium	agricultural water	requirement	0.75 mg/L	Irrigation	Citrus	high
#P020	chemical	unknown	guideline	Manganese	aquatic life	requirement	100 µg/L	Marine AL	To protect consumers of shellfish	high
#P021	chemical	unknown	guideline	Sulphate (dissolved)	agricultural water	requirement	1000 mg/L	Livestock watering	Long-term chronic concentration	high
#P022	chemical	unknown	guideline	Total dissolved solids (filterable residue)	agricultural water	requirement	1000 - 3000 mg/L	Livestock watering	Species dependent - see Table 4-13 in CCREM 1987	high
#P023	chemical	unknown	guideline	Uranium	aquatic life	requirement	16.5 µg/L	Freshwater AL	Short term acute	high
#P024	design	unknown	guideline	1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene	aquatic life	requirement	0.0081 µg/g dry weight	Marine AL sediment	Lower WSQG; expressed as µg/g sediment containing 1% organic carbon	high
#P025	design	unknown	guideline	1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene	aquatic life	requirement	0.018 µg/g dry weight	Marine AL sediment	Upper WSQG; expressed as µg/g sediment containing 1% organic carbon	high
#P026	chemical	unknown	guideline	Arsenic (total)	aquatic life	requirement	5.9 µg/g dry weight	Freshwater AL sediment	Lower WSQG = ISQG	high
#P027	chemical	unknown	guideline	Arsenic (total)	aquatic life	requirement	17 µg/g dry weight	Freshwater AL sediment	Upper WSQG = PEL	high
#P028	chemical	unknown	guideline	Iron (total)	aquatic life	requirement	21200 µg/g dry weight	Freshwater AL sediment	Lower WSQG; About 2%	high
#P029	chemical	unknown	guideline	Molybdenum	aquatic life	requirement	23000 µg/g dry weight	Freshwater AL sediment	Upper WSQG = SRC	high
#P030	chemical	unknown	guideline	Salinity	aquatic life	requirement	± 10% unknown	Estuarine aquatic life	± 10% change in concentration (NaCl or equivalent)	high
#P031	chemical	health	guideline	1,2,3-trichlorobenzene	aquatic life	requirement	8 µg/L	Freshwater AL	Long-term chronic concentration	high
#P032	chemical	health	guideline	1,2,4-trichlorobenzene	aquatic life	requirement	24 µg/L	Freshwater AL	Long-term chronic concentration	high
#P033	chemical	health	guideline	1,2-dichlorobenzene	aquatic life	requirement	0.7 µg/L	Freshwater AL	Long-term chronic concentration	high
#P034	chemical	health	guideline	1,2-dichloroethane	aquatic life	requirement	100 µg/L	Freshwater AL	Long-term chronic concentration	high
#P035	chemical	health	guideline	1,2-propylene glycol	aquatic life	requirement	500 mg/L	Freshwater AL	Long-term chronic concentration	high
#P036	chemical	health	guideline	Abamectin	aquatic life	requirement	0.0085 µg a.i./L	Freshwater AL	Adapted from HC PMRA using assessment factors	high
#P037	design	health	guideline	1,2-Dichlorobenzene	aquatic life	requirement	0.023 µg/g dry weight	Marine AL sediment	Lower WSQG; expressed as µg/g sediment containing 1% organic carbon	high
#P038	design	health	guideline	1,4-Dichlorobenzene	aquatic life	requirement	0.031 µg/g dry weight	Marine AL sediment	Lower WSQG; expressed as µg/g sediment containing 1% organic carbon	high
#P039	chemical	health	guideline	Polychlorinated Biphenyls (total PCBs)	other	requirement	0.29 µg/kg food ww	Working wildlife dietary guidelines (WWDGs)	Whole food consumption	high
#P040	chemical	health	guideline	1,3-dichlorobenzene	aquatic life	requirement	150 µg/L	Freshwater AL	Long-term chronic concentration	high
#P041	chemical	health	guideline	Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE) (pentaBDE)	other	requirement	3 µg/kg food ww	Working wildlife dietary guidelines (WWDGs)	Whole food (wet weight)	high
#P042	chemical	health	guideline	Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS)	other	requirement	4.6 µg/kg food ww	Working wildlife dietary guidelines (WWDGs)	Whole food (wet weight)	high
#P043	chemical	health	guideline	Chromium (Cr(III))	aquatic life	requirement	8.9 µg/L	Freshwater AL	Long-term chronic concentration	high
#P044	chemical	health	guideline	Chromium (Cr(III))	agricultural water	requirement	4.9 µg/L	Irrigation	Long-term chronic concentration	high
#P045	chemical	health	guideline	Chromium (Cr(III))	agricultural water	requirement	50 µg/L	Livestock watering	Long-term chronic concentration	high
#P046	chemical	health	guideline	Chromium (Cr(VI))	aquatic life	requirement	2.5 µg/L	Freshwater AL	Long-term chronic concentration	high
#P047	chemical	health	guideline	1,4-dioxane	aquatic life	requirement	20 mg/L	Freshwater AL	Long-term chronic concentration	high
#P048	chemical	health	guideline	2-methylnaphthalene	aquatic life	requirement	0.0202 µg/g dry weight	Freshwater AL sediment	Lower WSQG (ISQG)	high
#P049	chemical	health	guideline	2-methylnaphthalene	aquatic life	requirement	0.201 µg/g dry weight	Freshwater AL sediment	Upper WSQG (PEL)	high
#P050	chemical	health	guideline	Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE) (hexaBDE)	other	requirement	4 µg/kg food ww	Working wildlife dietary guidelines (WWDGs)	Whole body, wet weight consumed by wildlife	high
#P051	chemical	health	guideline	Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE) (heptaBDE)	other	requirement	64 µg/kg food ww	Working wildlife dietary guidelines (WWDGs)	Whole body, wet weight consumed by wildlife	high
#P052	chemical	health	guideline	Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE) (decaBDE)	other	requirement	9 µg/kg food ww	Working wildlife dietary guidelines (WWDGs)	Whole body, wet weight consumed by wildlife	high
#P053	chemical	health	guideline	TBBPA (Tetrabromobisphenol A)	other	requirement	20000 µg/kg food ww	Working wildlife dietary guidelines (WWDGs)	Whole body, wet weight consumed by wildlife	high
#P054	chemical	health	guideline	Acephate	aquatic life	requirement	37.5 µg a.i./L	Freshwater AL	Long-term chronic concentration	high
#P055	chemical	health	guideline	Acetamiprid	aquatic life	requirement	0.037 µg a.i./L	Freshwater AL	Adapted from Raby et al. (2018)	high
#P056	chemical	health	guideline	Acrolein	aquatic life	requirement	0.35 µg/L	Freshwater AL	Adapted from HC PMRA	high
#P057	chemical	health	guideline	Aldicarb	aquatic life	requirement	0.15 µg/L	Marine AL	Long-term chronic concentration	high
#P058	chemical	health	guideline	Antimony (III)	aquatic life	requirement	270 µg/L	Marine AL	Long-term chronic concentration	high
#P059	chemical	health	guideline	Mercury (total)	aquatic life	requirement	0.13 µg/g dry weight	Marine AL sediment	Lower WSQG (ISQG)	high
#P060	chemical	health	guideline	Mercury (total)	aquatic life	requirement	0.7 µg/g dry weight	Marine AL sediment	Upper WSQG (PEL)	high
#P061	chemical	health	guideline	Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE) (octaBDE)	other	requirement	63 µg/kg food ww	Wildlife Dietary Guidelines (WWDGs)	Concentration in aquatic biota (whole body, wet weight) consumed by wildlife	high
#P062	chemical	health	guideline	Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE) (nonaBDE)	other	requirement	78 µg/kg food ww	Wildlife Dietary Guidelines (WWDGs)	Concentration in aquatic biota (whole body, wet weight) consumed by wildlife	high

D Definitions (50)

Req ID	Name	Context	Confidence
#D001	Lower WSQG	a concentration that will protect aquatic life from the adverse effects of a toxic substance in most situations (equivalent to CCME's Threshold Effect Level or Interim Sediment Quality Guidelines (TEL or ISQGs; CCME 2001))	high
#D002	Upper WSQGs	a concentration that if exceeded will likely cause severe effects on AL (equivalent to CCME's Probable Effect Level (PEL; CCME [2001])	high
#D003	Wildlife Dietary Guidelines (WDGs)	concentrations of toxic substances in aquatic biota (whole body, wet weight) which are consumed by terrestrial and semi-aquatic wildlife.	high
#D004	a.i.	active ingredient	high
#D005	a.e.	acid equivalent	high
#D006	Total resin acids	Total resin acids include abietic acid, neoabietic acid, pimaric acid, isopimaric acid, and sandaracopimaric acid but not dehydroabietic acid.	medium
#D007	AET	Apparent Effects Threshold	high
#D008	BA	Background Approach	high
#D009	CoA	Co-Occurrence analysis	high
#D010	EqP	Equilibrium Partitioning	high
#D011	ISQG	Interim Sediment Quality Guideline	high
#D012	MPC	Maximum permissible Concentration	high
#D013	NSTPA	National Status and Trends Program Approach	high
#D014	PEL	Probable Effect Level	high
#D015	SLC	Screening Level Concentration	high
#D016	SRC	Serious Risk Concentration	high
#D017	Working Water Quality Guidelines (WWQGs)	adopted from other jurisdictions or from the scientific literature and represent a best estimate for predicted no-effects concentration of a given substance	high
#D018	Tissue Residue Guidelines (TRGs)	intended to protect fish from direct adverse effects of bioaccumulative substances	high
#D019	AL	Aquatic Life	high
#D020	Working Water Quality Guidelines	a collection of British Columbia (B.C.) Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy water quality guidelines (WQGs) that are adopted from other environmental jurisdictions for the substances without approved WQGs.	high
#D021	Water quality	In BC, the definition of water quality includes sediment, and therefore WQG documents may include sediment quality values.	high
#D022	TEL	Threshold Effect Level	high
#D023	WTRGs	specify the concentration of substance in whole body fish tissue (wet weight) which is not expected to cause adverse effects to the fish.	high
#D024	WWDGs	specify the concentration of a substance in whole food (wet weight) which is not expected to cause adverse effects to the wildlife consumers.	high
#D025	BTEX	benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene	high
#D026	WLRS	Ministry of Water, Land, and Resource Stewardship	high
#D027	ENV	Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy	high
#D028	WQGs	water quality guidelines	high
#D029	5-in-30	A 5 samples in 30 days averaging period	high
#D030	ALRVs	aquatic life reference values	high
#D031	AF	assessment factors	high
#D032	ALBs	aquatic life benchmarks	high
#D033	Low tolerance crops	strawberry, raspberry, bean, carrot	high
#D034	slightly tolerant crops	all other fruits and berries, onions, parsnip, radish, pea, pumpkin, lettuce, pepper, muskmelon, sweet potato, sweet corn, potato, celery, cabbage kohlrabi, cauliflower, cowpea, broadbean, flax, sunflower, corn, clover	high
#D035	moderately tolerant crops	spinach, cantaloupe, cucumber, tomato, squash, brussel sprout, broccoli, turnip, brome, alfalfa, big trefoil, beardless, wildrye, vetch timothy, crested wheatgrass	high
#D036	tolerant crops	beet, zucchini, canola, sorghum, oat hay, wheat hay, brume, tall fascue, sweet clover, perennial ryegrass	high
#D037	very tolerant crops	asparagus, soybean, safflower, oats, rye wheat, sugar beet, barley, barley hay, tall wheatgrass	high
#D038	HC	Health Canada	high
#D039	PMRA	Pest Management Regulatory Agency	high
#D040	US EPA	US Environmental Protection Agency	high
#D041	CCME	Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment	high
#D042	CCREM	Canadian Council of Resource and Environmental Ministers	high
#D043	ECCC	Environment and Climate Change Canada	high
#D044	ANZECC	Australia and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council	high
#D045	B.C.	British Columbia	high
#D046	NAS-NAE	National Academy of Sciences-National Academy of Engineering	high
#D047	NTAC	National Technical Advisory Committee	high
#D048	OME	Ontario Ministry of the Environment	high
#D049	NYSDEC	New York State Department of Environmental Conservation	high
#D050	MOEE	Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy	high