NEW YORK — EPA announced the approval of the 2012 list of waters in New Jersey considered impaired or threatened by pollutants, according to a press release.
The list helps to establish regulatory priorities for addressing potential threats from water pollution, stated the release.
The release reported that an impaired water body doesn’t meet federally-approved water quality standards even after pollution controls have been put in place, and a threatened water body is expected to be impaired within two years.
Some of the most common pollutants in New Jersey’s water bodies that are causing impairment include: Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) — 14 percent of impairments, arsenic — 13 percent, phosphorus — nine percent, and low dissolved oxygen — eight percent, continued the release.
The 2012 list for New Jersey identifies 1,770 instances in which a pollutant is keeping the impaired water body from supporting its “designated use” such as drinking water, swimming and recreation activities, noted the release.
Read the release here.
