AZ Council approves standards to protect waters from
pollution
PHOENIX
The Governor's Regulatory Review Council has approved standards developed
by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality to protect surface water
quality throughout the state. GRRC is the state body required to review
regulations of state agencies before they can become law.
"These standards are long overdue and are absolutely essential to protect
Arizona's precious water resources," ADEQ Director Steve Owens said. "The
people of this state deserve clean water in our rivers, lakes and streams."
Among other protections, the standards designate two water bodies as
Outstanding Arizona Waters. They are Fossil Creek, a major tributary of the
Verde River and the boundary between Gila and Yavapai counties, and Davidson
Canyon, a tributary of Cienega Creek in Pima County.
"The designations allow ADEQ to protect the water quality of these creeks,
and give them the highest level of protection from pollution and degradation
of their outstanding water quality," Owens said.
The new standards also protect lakes and reservoirs from being choked by
weeds and algae. They also ensure the biological integrity of perennial
streams and protect them from excessive sedimentation, which can limit or
kill fish and other aquatic life.
In addition, the standards add prohibitions against discharges to the Vekol
and Smith washes upstream of the Ak Chin Indian Community near the city of
Maricopa in Pinal County. The prohibitions recognize the value of these
washes, which are of great significance to the Ak Chin.
ADEQ issues the standards under the federal Clean Water Act, which requires
the approval of the Environmental Protection Agency and requires states to
review the standards every three years. The new standards become effective
in February.
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