# WAC 173-200-040: WAC 173-200-040. Criteria

> Washington · Regulations · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_ADC_173_200_040

## Section

- **Citation:** WAC 173-200-040
- **Heading:** WAC 173-200-040. Criteria
- **Jurisdiction:** Washington
- **Kind:** Regulations
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** Washington Administrative Code / Title 173 / Chapter 173-200 / Section 173-200-040

## Text

(1) Groundwaters in the state of Washington support many different beneficial uses. The purpose of these criteria is to establish maximum contaminant concentrations for the protection of a variety of beneficial uses of Washington's groundwater.
(a) Drinking water is the beneficial use generally requiring the highest quality of groundwater.
(b) Providing protection to the level of drinking water standards will protect a great variety of existing and future beneficial uses.
(c) Some groundwaters of the state support environmental systems with existing and future beneficial uses requiring more stringent protection than that provided by human health based criteria. These groundwaters and dependent uses will be protected by either or both of the following:
(i) Designation of an area and its associated groundwater as a special protection area in accordance with WAC 173-200-090 .
(ii) Establishment of enforcement limits as close to the natural groundwater quality as possible for activities that may adversely affect those groundwaters in accordance with WAC 173-200-050 .
(d) The use of criteria based on drinking water quality shall in no way be interpreted to mean that all groundwaters are used for drinking water or that all groundwaters are presently suitable for drinking water.
(2) The following criteria shall apply to all groundwaters in the state of Washington:
(a) Groundwater concentrations shall not exceed the criteria listed in Table 1, except as described in WAC 173-200-050 (3)(b).
(b) For the primary and secondary contaminants and radionuclides listed in Table 1, the criteria shall be the most stringent concentration of the following and those listed in Table 1:
.
(2) The following criteria shall apply to all groundwaters in the state of Washington:
(a) Groundwater concentrations shall not exceed the criteria listed in Table 1, except as described in WAC 173-200-050 (3)(b).
(b) For the primary and secondary contaminants and radionuclides listed in Table 1, the criteria shall be the most stringent concentration of the following and those listed in Table 1:
(i) Maximum contaminant level goals;
(ii) Maximum contaminant levels; and
(iii) State maximum contaminant levels published in chapter 248-54 WAC as presently promulgated or subsequently amended or repromulgated.
The criteria for primary and secondary contaminants and radionuclide contaminants in Table 1 shall be amended as the federal and state rules are amended and without amendment of this chapter.
(c) For carcinogens listed in Table 1, the criteria are the concentrations that are anticipated to result in a total incremental human cancer risk of less than 1 in 1,000,000, and were estimated using the following equation and standard exposure assumptions:
Groundwater Criteria = (ug/1) RISK x BW x LIFE x UCF CPF x DWIR x DUR Where: RISK = Human cancer risk level (1 in 1,000,000) BW = Body Weight (70 kg) LIFE = Lifetime (70 years) UCF = Unit conversion factor (1,000 ug/mg) CPF = Cancer potency factor as published in the IRIS database (1/mg/kg/day) DWIR = Drinking water ingestion rate (2.0 liters/day) DUR = Duration of exposure (30 years)
Groundwater Criteria =
(ug/1)
RISK x BW x LIFE x UCF
CPF x DWIR x DUR
Where:
RISK
=
Human cancer risk level (1 in 1,000,000)
BW
=
Body Weight (70 kg)
LIFE
=
Lifetime (70 years)
UCF
=
Unit conversion factor (1,000 ug/mg)
CPF
=
Cancer potency factor as published in the IRIS
database (1/mg/kg/day)
DWIR
=
Drinking water ingestion rate (2.0 liters/day)
DUR
=
Duration of exposure (30 years)
For volatile carcinogens, inhalation exposure from showering was incorporated into the criteria by doubling the drinking water ingestion rate.
Body Weight (70 kg)
LIFE
=
Lifetime (70 years)
UCF
=
Unit conversion factor (1,000 ug/mg)
CPF
=
Cancer potency factor as published in the IRIS
database (1/mg/kg/day)
DWIR
=
Drinking water ingestion rate (2.0 liters/day)
DUR
=
Duration of exposure (30 years)
For volatile carcinogens, inhalation exposure from showering was incorporated into the criteria by doubling the drinking water ingestion rate.
(3) For contaminants for which no numeric criteria have been established, enforcement limits shall be established in accordance with WAC 173-200-050 .
TABLE 1
GROUNDWATER QUALITY CRITERIA
CONTAMINANT CRITERION I. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CONTAMINANTS AND RADIONUCLIDES A. PRIMARY CONTAMINANTS Barium* 1.0 milligrams/ liter (mg/1) Cadmium* 0.01 mg/1 Chromium* 0.05 mg/1 Lead* 0.05 mg/1 Mercury* 0.002 mg/1 Selenium* 0.01 mg/1 Silver* 0.05 mg/1 Fluoride 4 mg/1 Nitrate (as N) 10 mg/1 Endrin 0.0002 mg/1 Methoxychlor 0.1 mg/1 1,1,1-Trichloroethane 0.20 mg/1 2-4 D 0.10 mg/1 2,4,5-TP Silvex 0.01 mg/1 Total Coliform Bacteria 1/100 ml B. SECONDARY CONTAMINANTS Copper* 1.0 mg/1 Iron* 0.30 mg/1 Manganese* 0.05 mg/1 Zinc* 5.0 mg/1 Chloride 250 mg/1 Sulfate 250 mg/1 Total Dissolved Solids 500 mg/1 Foaming Agents 0.5 mg/1 pH 6.5-8.5 Corrosivity noncorrosive Color 15 color units Odor 3 threshold odor units C. RADIONUCLIDES Gross Alpha Particle Activity 15 pico Curie/ liter (pCi/1) Gross Beta Particle Radioactivity Gross Beta Activity Tritium Strontium-90 50 20,000 8 pCi/l pCi/l pCi/l Radium 226 & 228 5 pCi/1 Radium -226 3 pCi/1 II
ride 250 mg/1 Sulfate 250 mg/1 Total Dissolved Solids 500 mg/1 Foaming Agents 0.5 mg/1 pH 6.5-8.5 Corrosivity noncorrosive Color 15 color units Odor 3 threshold odor units C. RADIONUCLIDES Gross Alpha Particle Activity 15 pico Curie/ liter (pCi/1) Gross Beta Particle Radioactivity Gross Beta Activity Tritium Strontium-90 50 20,000 8 pCi/l pCi/l pCi/l Radium 226 & 228 5 pCi/1 Radium -226 3 pCi/1 II. CARCINOGENS Acrylamide 0.02 micrograms/ liter ug/1 Acrylonitrile 0.07 ug/1 Aldrin 0.005 ug/1 Aniline 14 ug/1 Aramite 3 ug/1 Arsenic* 0.05 (ug/1) Azobenzene 0.7 ug/1 Benzene 1.0 ug/1 Benzidine 0.0004 ug/1 Benzo(a)pyrene 0.008 ug/1 Benzotrichloride 0.007 ug/1 Benzyl chloride 0.5 ug/1 Bis(chloroethyl)ether 0.07 ug/1 Bis(chloromethyl)ether 0.0004 ug/1 Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate 6.0 ug/1 Bromodichloromethane 0.3 ug/1 Bromoform 5 ug/1 Carbazole 5 ug/1 Carbon tetrachloride 0.3 ug/1 Chlordane 0.06 ug/1 Chlorodibromomethane 0.5 ug/1 Chloroform 7.0 ug/1 4 Chloro-2-methyl aniline 0.1 ug/1 4 Chloro-2-methyl analine hydrochloride 0.2 ug/1 o-Chloronitrobenzene 3 ug/1 p-Chloronitrobenzene 5 ug/1 Chlorthalonil 30 ug/1 Diallate 1 ug/1 DDT (includes DDE and DDD) 0.3 ug/1 1,2 Dibromoethane 0.001 ug/1 1,4 Dichlorobenzene 4 ug/1 3,3' Dichlorobenzidine 0.2 ug/1 1,1 Dichloroethane 1.0 ug/1 1,2 Dichloroethane (ethylene chloride) 0.5 ug/1 1,2 Dichloropropane 0.6 ug/1 1,3 Dichloropropene 0.2 ug/1 Dichlorvos 0.3 ug/1 Dieldrin 0.005 ug/1 3,3' Dimethoxybenzidine 6 ug/1 3,3 Dimethylbenzidine 0.007 1,2 Dimethylhydrazine 60 ug/1 2,4 Dinitrotoluene 0.1 ug/1 2,6 Dinitrotoluene 0.1 ug/1 1,4 Dioxane 7.0 ug/1 1,2 Diphenylhydrazine 0.09 ug/1 Direct Black 38 0.009 ug/1 Direct Blue 6 0.009 ug/1 Direct Brown 95 0.009 ug/1 Epichlorohydrin 8 ug/1 Ethyl acrylate 2 ug/1 Ethylene dibromide 0.001 ug/1 Ethylene thiourea 2 ug/1 Folpet 20 ug/1 Furazolidone 0.02 ug/1 Furium 0.002 ug/1 Furmecyclox 3 ug/1 Heptachlor 0.02 ug/1 Heptachlor Epoxide 0.009 ug/1 Hexachlorobenzene 0.05 ug/1 Hexachlorocyclohexane (alpha) 0.001 ug/1 Hexachlorocyclohexane (technical) 0.05 ug/1 Hex
ug/1 Direct Blue 6 0.009 ug/1 Direct Brown 95 0.009 ug/1 Epichlorohydrin 8 ug/1 Ethyl acrylate 2 ug/1 Ethylene dibromide 0.001 ug/1 Ethylene thiourea 2 ug/1 Folpet 20 ug/1 Furazolidone 0.02 ug/1 Furium 0.002 ug/1 Furmecyclox 3 ug/1 Heptachlor 0.02 ug/1 Heptachlor Epoxide 0.009 ug/1 Hexachlorobenzene 0.05 ug/1 Hexachlorocyclohexane (alpha) 0.001 ug/1 Hexachlorocyclohexane (technical) 0.05 ug/1 Hexachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, mix 0.00001 ug/1 Hydrazine/Hydrazine sulfate 0.03 ug/1 Lindane 0.06 ug/1 2 Methoxy-5-nitroaniline 2 ug/1 2 Methylaniline 0.2 ug/1 2 Methylaniline hydrochloride 0.5 ug/1 4,4' Methylene bis(N,N'-dimethyl) aniline 2 ug/1 Methylene chloride (dichloromethane) 5 ug/1 Mirex 0.05 ug/1 Nitrofurazone 0.06 ug/1 N-Nitrosodiethanolamine 0.03 ug/1 N-Nitrosodiethylamine 0.0005 ug/1 N-Nitrosodimethylamine 0.002 ug/1 N-Nitrosodiphenylamine 17 ug/1 N-Nitroso-di-n-propylamine 0.01 ug/1 N-Nitrosopyrrolidine 0.04 ug/1 N-Nitroso-di-n-butylamine 0.02 ug/1 N-Nitroso-N-methylethylamine 0.004 ug/1 PAH 0.01 ug/1 PBBs 0.01 ug/1 PCBs 0.01 ug/1 o-Phenylenediamine 0.005 ug/1 Propylene oxide 0.01 ug/1 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo- p-dioxin 0.0000006 ug/1 Tetrachloroethylene (perchloroethylene) 0.8 ug/1 p,α,α,α-Tetrachlorotoluene 0.004 ug/1 2,4 Toluenediamine 0.002 ug/1 o-Toluidine 0.2 ug/1 Toxaphene 0.08 ug/1 Trichloroethylene 3 ug/1 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol 4 ug/1 Trimethyl phosphate 2 ug/1 Vinyl chloride 0.02 ug/1
CONTAMINANT
CRITERION
I.
PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CONTAMINANTS AND
RADIONUCLIDES
A.
PRIMARY CONTAMINANTS
Barium*
1.0
milligrams/
liter (mg/1)
Cadmium*
0.01
mg/1
Chromium*
0.05
mg/1
Lead*
0.05
mg/1
Mercury*
0.002
mg/1
Selenium*
0.01
mg/1
Silver*
0.05
mg/1
Fluoride
4
mg/1
Nitrate (as N)
10
mg/1
Endrin
0.0002
mg/1
Methoxychlor
0.1
mg/1
1,1,1-Trichloroethane
0.20
mg/1
2-4 D
0.10
mg/1
2,4,5-TP Silvex
0.01
mg/1
Total Coliform Bacteria
1/100
ml
B
ONDARY CONTAMINANTS AND
RADIONUCLIDES
A.
PRIMARY CONTAMINANTS
Barium*
1.0
milligrams/
liter (mg/1)
Cadmium*
0.01
mg/1
Chromium*
0.05
mg/1
Lead*
0.05
mg/1
Mercury*
0.002
mg/1
Selenium*
0.01
mg/1
Silver*
0.05
mg/1
Fluoride
4
mg/1
Nitrate (as N)
10
mg/1
Endrin
0.0002
mg/1
Methoxychlor
0.1
mg/1
1,1,1-Trichloroethane
0.20
mg/1
2-4 D
0.10
mg/1
2,4,5-TP Silvex
0.01
mg/1
Total Coliform Bacteria
1/100
ml
B.
SECONDARY CONTAMINANTS
Copper*
1.0
mg/1
Iron*
0.30
mg/1
Manganese*
0.05
mg/1
Zinc*
5.0
mg/1
Chloride
250
mg/1
Sulfate
250
mg/1
Total Dissolved Solids
500
mg/1
Foaming Agents
0.5
mg/1
pH
6.5-8.5
Corrosivity
noncorrosive
Color
15 color units
Odor
3 threshold
odor units
C.
RADIONUCLIDES
Gross Alpha Particle Activity
15
pico Curie/
liter (pCi/1)
Gross Beta Particle Radioactivity
Gross Beta Activity
Tritium
Strontium-90
50
20,000
8
pCi/l
pCi/l
pCi/l
Radium 226 & 228
5
pCi/1
Radium -226
3
pCi/1
II. CARCINOGENS
Acrylamide
0.02
micrograms/
liter ug/1
Acrylonitrile
0.07
ug/1
Aldrin
0.005
ug/1
Aniline
14
ug/1
Aramite
3
ug/1
Arsenic*
0.05
(ug/1)
Azobenzene
0.7
ug/1
Benzene
1.0
ug/1
Benzidine
0.0004
ug/1
Benzo(a)pyrene
0.008
ug/1
Benzotrichloride
0.007
ug/1
Benzyl chloride
0.5
ug/1
Bis(chloroethyl)ether
0.07
ug/1
Bis(chloromethyl)ether
0.0004
ug/1
Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate
6.0
ug/1
Bromodichloromethane
0.3
ug/1
Bromoform
5
ug/1
Carbazole
5
ug/1
Carbon tetrachloride
0.3
ug/1
Chlordane
0.06
ug/1
Chlorodibromomethane
0.5
ug/1
Chloroform
7.0
ug/1
4 Chloro-2-methyl aniline
0.1
ug/1
4 Chloro-2-methyl analine
hydrochloride
0.2
ug/1
o-Chloronitrobenzene
3
ug/1
p-Chloronitrobenzene
5
ug/1
Chlorthalonil
30
ug/1
Diallate
1
ug/1
DDT (includes DDE and DDD)
0.3
ug/1
1,2 Dibromoethane
0.001
ug/1
1,4 Dichlorobenzene
4
ug/1
3,3' Dichlorobenzidine
0.2
ug/1
1,1 Dichloroethane
1.0
ug/1
1,2 Dichloroethane
(ethylene chloride)
0.5
ug/1
1,2 Dichloropropane
0.6
ug/1
1,3 Dichloropropene
0.2
ug/1
Dichlorvos
0.3
ug/1
Dieldrin
0.005
ug/1
3,3' Dimethoxybenzidine
6
ug/1
3,3 Dimethylbenzidine
0.007
1,2 Dimethylhydrazine
60
ug/1
2,4 Dinitrotoluene
0.1
ug/1
2,6
nd DDD)
0.3
ug/1
1,2 Dibromoethane
0.001
ug/1
1,4 Dichlorobenzene
4
ug/1
3,3' Dichlorobenzidine
0.2
ug/1
1,1 Dichloroethane
1.0
ug/1
1,2 Dichloroethane
(ethylene chloride)
0.5
ug/1
1,2 Dichloropropane
0.6
ug/1
1,3 Dichloropropene
0.2
ug/1
Dichlorvos
0.3
ug/1
Dieldrin
0.005
ug/1
3,3' Dimethoxybenzidine
6
ug/1
3,3 Dimethylbenzidine
0.007
1,2 Dimethylhydrazine
60
ug/1
2,4 Dinitrotoluene
0.1
ug/1
2,6 Dinitrotoluene
0.1
ug/1
1,4 Dioxane
7.0
ug/1
1,2 Diphenylhydrazine
0.09
ug/1
Direct Black 38
0.009
ug/1
Direct Blue 6
0.009
ug/1
Direct Brown 95
0.009
ug/1
Epichlorohydrin
8
ug/1
Ethyl acrylate
2
ug/1
Ethylene dibromide
0.001
ug/1
Ethylene thiourea
2
ug/1
Folpet
20
ug/1
Furazolidone
0.02
ug/1
Furium
0.002
ug/1
Furmecyclox
3
ug/1
Heptachlor
0.02
ug/1
Heptachlor Epoxide
0.009
ug/1
Hexachlorobenzene
0.05
ug/1
Hexachlorocyclohexane (alpha)
0.001
ug/1
Hexachlorocyclohexane
(technical)
0.05
ug/1
Hexachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, mix
0.00001
ug/1
Hydrazine/Hydrazine sulfate
0.03
ug/1
Lindane
0.06
ug/1
2 Methoxy-5-nitroaniline
2
ug/1
2 Methylaniline
0.2
ug/1
2 Methylaniline hydrochloride
0.5
ug/1
4,4' Methylene bis(N,N'-dimethyl)
aniline
2
ug/1
Methylene chloride
(dichloromethane)
5
ug/1
Mirex
0.05
ug/1
Nitrofurazone
0.06
ug/1
N-Nitrosodiethanolamine
0.03
ug/1
N-Nitrosodiethylamine
0.0005
ug/1
N-Nitrosodimethylamine
0.002
ug/1
N-Nitrosodiphenylamine
17
ug/1
N-Nitroso-di-n-propylamine
0.01
ug/1
N-Nitrosopyrrolidine
0.04
ug/1
N-Nitroso-di-n-butylamine
0.02
ug/1
N-Nitroso-N-methylethylamine
0.004
ug/1
PAH
0.01
ug/1
PBBs
0.01
ug/1
PCBs
0.01
ug/1
o-Phenylenediamine
0.005
ug/1
Propylene oxide
0.01
ug/1
2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-
p-dioxin
0.0000006
ug/1
Tetrachloroethylene
(perchloroethylene)
0.8
ug/1
p,α,α,α-Tetrachlorotoluene
0.004
ug/1
2,4 Toluenediamine
0.002
ug/1
o-Toluidine
0.2
ug/1
Toxaphene
0.08
ug/1
Trichloroethylene
3
ug/1
2,4,6-Trichlorophenol
4
ug/1
Trimethyl phosphate
2
ug/1
Vinyl chloride
0.02
ug/1
*metals are measured as total metals
*metals are measured as total metals

## Nearby sections

- [WAC 173-200-010 WAC 173-200-010. Introduction](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_ADC_173_200_010.md)
- [WAC 173-200-020 WAC 173-200-020. Definitions](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_ADC_173_200_020.md)
- [WAC 173-200-030 WAC 173-200-030. Antidegradation policy](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_ADC_173_200_030.md)
- [WAC 173-200-040 WAC 173-200-040. Criteria](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_ADC_173_200_040.md)
- [WAC 173-200-050 WAC 173-200-050. Enforcement limit](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_ADC_173_200_050.md)
- [WAC 173-200-060 WAC 173-200-060. Point of compliance](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_ADC_173_200_060.md)
- [WAC 173-200-070 WAC 173-200-070. Early warning value](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_ADC_173_200_070.md)
- [WAC 173-200-080 WAC 173-200-080. Evaluation](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_ADC_173_200_080.md)
- [WAC 173-200-090 WAC 173-200-090. Special protection areas](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_ADC_173_200_090.md)
- [WAC 173-200-100 WAC 173-200-100. Implementation and enforcement](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_ADC_173_200_100.md)

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