EPA Improves Access To Local Water Quality Information

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This week, EPA released the Watershed Assessment, Tracking and

Environmental Results (WATERS) integration web site. WATERS

unites geographically specific water quality data from state web sites

and various EPA sites, including EPA's new National Water Quality

Standards Database and its Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL)

Database, with the US Geological Survey's National Hydrographic

Dataset. WATERS users can click on an interactive map to see

which waters are classified by states as impaired (those waters not

attaining water quality standards), and to learn the purpose or use of

each waterbody (such as whether or not it is designated for protection

as a drinking water supply, for recreational use, or for fishing).

Although not yet complete, WATERS will eventually cover all 50 states,

and contain links to data on ambient water quality, drinking water quality,

polluted runoff, fish consumption advisories, facility discharge outfalls,

and other information. For more on WATERS, visit:  http://www.epa.gov/waters on the Internet.