EPA Issues Final Recommended Recreational Water Quality Criteria or Swimming Advisories for Two Cyanotoxins

EPA has issued its final Recommended Recreational Ambient Water Quality Criteria or Swimming Advisories for Microcystins and Cylindrospermopsin. These recommended concentrations are at or below levels in which human health is protected while swimming or participating in other recreational activities in and on the water. States, territories, and authorized tribes can consider adopting these recommended criteria into their water quality standards and using them for Clean Water Act purposes. Alternatively, they can use these same values as the basis of swimming advisories for public notification purposes at recreational waters. The recommended criteria or swimming advisories are based on peer-reviewed, published science and methods. For more information about the recommendations, visit the EPA website. You may also want to check out EPA’s newly created infographics for state and local governments to communicate basic recreational information about HABs to the public. For questions about the recommended criteria, please contact Jamie Strong of EPA at Stong.Jamie@epa.gov.