Category: Standards & Technical Services

Introduction A waste load allocation (WLA) is the portion of a receiving water’s assimilative capacity that is allocated to one of its existing or future point sources of pollution. Utah’s Division of Water Quality (DWQ) conducts a wasteload analysis to calculate the maximum amount of a pollutant that a waterbody can receive and still meet water quality standards. Computer models are used

Standards for Quality for Waters of the State are contained in UAC R317-2. The water quality standards are intended to protect Utah’s waters and improve the quality for beneficial uses. Beneficial uses include drinking water, fish and aquatic life, wildlife, agricultural, industrial, and recreational uses. Once the beneficial uses are established, criteria that are protective of the beneficial use are set.

The Water Quality Standards Workgroup members are volunteers selected so that different stakeholder perspectives are considered when standards are developed. Stakeholders who want to bring additional perspectives to the Workgroup are encouraged to work through a Workgroup member. Recommendations and opinions of Workgroup members are not binding nor is a Workgroup review required for changing standards. Ultimately, water quality standards

The central goals of the Clean Water Act and the Utah Water Quality Act are to protect, maintain, and restore the quality of Utah’s waters. One way in which this is accomplished is through Utah’s water quality standards, which consist of: designated uses (e.g., aquatic life, drinking water, recreation) water quality criteria (both numeric and narrative) antidegradation policy Antidegradation Policy and

The 2026 review The Utah Division of Water Quality reviews state water standards every three years, as required by the Clean Water Act and the Utah Water Quality Act. The 2026 Triennial Review is now open for public comment. Stakeholders and the public are invited to review Utah’s current water quality standards (R317-2) and share feedback on what our priorities

This page provides supporting materials for new or updated water quality standards. These documents explain the regulatory and scientific basis for the standards and offer implementation guidance for Division of Water Quality (DWQ) programs and permittees. Standards Support Documents 2025 Methylmercury in Fish Tissue Implementation 2023 Site-specific ammonia water quality criteria for the Jordan River, Little Cottonwood Creek, State Canal,