Trenton, NJ, February 3, 2025. On February 3, 2025 the Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) adopted changes to their Ground Water Quality Standards (GWQS – NJAC 7:9C). Revisions to the GWQS are made under the authority provided in the New Jersey Water Pollution Control Act, which requires NJDEP to classify and manage groundwater resources in the State, and adopt and enforce GWQS for the protection of human health and the environment.
More than two hundred constituents are regulated under the GWQS. The changes update individual criteria using current USEPA methodologies and most recent chemical toxicity data. The USEPA methods include equations to calculate criteria for each regulated contaminant using default values used for each variable and contaminant-specific chemical properties. For all calculations, the changes increase average body weight from 70 to 80 kg and the quantity of water consumed daily from 2 to 2.4 liters per day. For twenty-nine compounds, NJDEP utilized alternative values that differ from USEPA default values for certain equation variables. NJDEP included justification for each variable in the NJ Register.
The criteria for fifty constituents are more stringent, and thirteen contaminants are less stringent. Seven of the fifty decreases reduce the criteria by more than an order of magnitude, which could trigger additional investigation or remedial action.
GWQS Decreases of More than One Order of Magnitude
- Constituent Previous GWQS New GWQS
- 1,1-biphenyl………………………………….. 400……………………………………….. 5
- Cobalt…………………………………………….100……………………………………….. 2
- Cyanide………………………………………… 100……………………………………….. 5
- 1,3-dichlorobenzene……………………… 600……………………………………….. 5
- Heptachlor epoxide……………………….. 0.2…………………………………….. 0.02
- Methoxychlor………………………………… 40………………………………………. 0.1
- Vinyl chloride 1 0.035
Values are micrograms per liter.
Also of note are the effects on some common contaminant groups found at many regulated sites in New Jersey.
- Chlorinated solvents: tetrachloroethene (PCE) and its daughter products, trichloroethene (TCE), cis-1,2-dichloroethene (DCE), and vinyl chloride, all become more stringent;
- Gasoline constituents: no changes were proposed for toluene, xylenes and additives, however benzene and ethylbenzene criteria both decrease.
- Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs): the total PCB criteria decreases by 60%.
- PFAS compounds: perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) standards change from interim status to final criteria at 13, 14 and 13 parts per trillion, respectively.
. The NJDEP has published guidance to phase-in these changes to assist the regulated community with compliance. To discuss your project, contact Jeff Campbell or Kassidy Klink.
Jeffrey Campbell, LSRP, PG Kassidy Klink,PG, LSRP Back to News