Section 93.6. General water quality criteria

(a) Water may not contain substances attributable to point or nonpoint source discharges in concentration or amounts sufficient to be inimical or harmful to the water uses to be protected or to human, animal, plant or aquatic life.

(b) In addition to other substances listed within or addressed by this chapter, specific substances to be controlled include, but are not limited to, floating materials, oil, grease, scum and substances that produce color, tastes, odors, turbidity or settle to form deposits.

The provisions of this § 93.6 amended March 10, 1989, effective March 11, 1989, 19 Pa.B. 968; amended November 17, 2000, effective November 18, 2000, 30 Pa.B. 6059; amended February 11, 2005, effective February 12, 2005, 35 Pa.B. 1197. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (272025).

Notation

Authority

The provisions of this § 93.6 amended under sections 5(b)(1) and 402 of The Clean Streams Law (35 P. S. § § 691.5(b)(1) and 691.402); and section 1920-A of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P. S. § 510-20).

Notes of Decisions

Denial of an application for a mine drainage permit cannot be based solely on the ground that the watershed has been designated a conservation area, but must be reviewed on the basis of whether its proposed operation would discharge an effluent which would result in the degradation of the water quality of a stream in terms of its protected uses designated under this section. Doraville Enterprises v. Commonwealth, 73 Pa. D. & C.2d 635, 645, 646 (1975)

The water quality criteria do not preclude the allowance of a reasonable mixing zone if there is no significant effect on the ambient temperature of the stream outside the mixing zone. Bartram v. Parrish, 74 Pa. D. & C.2d 627, 649 (1974).

Cross References

This section cited in 25 Pa. Code § 71.64 (relating to small flow treatment facilities); 25 Pa. Code § 93.7 (relating to specific water quality criteria); and 25 Pa. Code § 96.3 (relating to water quality protection requirements).