The department of ecology (ecology) is seeking public input on draft revisions to Water Quality Policy 1-11, Chapter 1, Assessment of Water Quality for the Clean Water Act Sections 303(d) and 305(b) Integrated Report. The revisions will address new bacteria standards for water contact recreation that were adopted in January 2019.

Policy 1-11 guides how ecology assesses data on waterbody segments and makes listing decisions on the water quality status. The updated Policy 1-11 will be used as guidance to conduct the next water quality assessment for Washington waters in order to develop and submit a new "Integrated Report" to the United States Environmental Protection Agency to meet federal Clean Water Act requirements under Sections 303(d) and 305(b).

Ecology is conducting a thirty day public review of the draft revisions to Policy 1-11 for bacteria from April 1 – 30, 2020. Ecology will hold a statewide webinar on April 22 to explain the draft revisions and answer questions from the public. A copy of the draft revisions to Policy 1-11 for bacteria, as well as additional information on the assessment process and webinar, can be found on ecology's website at https://www.ecology.wa.gov/Water-Shorelines/Water-quality/Water-improvement/Assessment-of-state-waters-303d/Assessment-policy-updates.

The deadline for getting public comments on revisions to Water Quality Policy 1-11, Chapter 1, is 11:59 p.m. on April 30, 2020. Comments may be submitted online at http://wq.ecology.commentinput.com/?id=PVWBUor sent to the address provided below.

More details about this next water quality assessment can be found at https://www.ecology.wa.gov/Water-Shorelines/Water-quality/Water-improvement/Assessment-of-state-waters-303d.

Questions about Policy 1-11 revisions for bacteria, or the water quality assessment process, should be directed to Susan Braley, Department of Ecology, P.O. Box 47600, Olympia, WA 98504-7600, phone 360-407-6414, email 303d@ecy.wa.gov.