Wis. Admin. Code Department of Natural Resources NR 102.14

Current through September 30, 2024

Section NR 102.14 - Taste and odor criteria

(1) At certain concentrations, substances may not be toxic to humans, but may impart undesirable taste or odor to water or aquatic organisms ingested by humans. The taste and odor criterion is derived to prevent substances from concentrating in surface waters or accumulating in aquatic organisms to a level which results in undesirable tastes or odors to human consumers.

(2) The taste and odor criterion is derived as follows:

(a) For substances which impart tastes and odors to waters, the taste and odor criterion shall equal that threshold concentration (TC_w) below which objectionable tastes or odors to human consumers do not occur. Threshold concentrations for substances imparting tastes and odors to water are listed in Table 1.

Table 1

Threshold Concentrations (TC_w) for Substances Causing Taste and Odor in Water

Substance	Threshold Concentration (ug/L)1
Acenaphthene ...............	20
Chlorobenzene ..............	20
2-Chlorophenol .............	0.1
3-Chlorophenol .............	0.1
4-Chlorophenol .............	0.1
Copper ....................	1000
2,3-Dichlorophenol ..........	0.04
2,4-Dichlorophenol ..........	0.3
2,5-Dichlorophenol ..........	0.5
2,6-Dichlorophenol ..........	0.2
3,4-Dichlorophenol ..........	0.3
2,4-Dimethylphenol ..........	400
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene . . ..	1
2-Methyl-4-Chlorophenol . . ..	1800
3-Methyl-4-Chlorophenol . . ..	3000
3-Methyl-6-Chlorophenol . . ..	20
Nitrobenzene ...............	30
Pentachlorophenol ...........	30
Phenol ....................	300
2,3,4,6-Tetrachlorophenol .....	1
2,4,5-Trichlorophenol ........	1
2,4,6-Trichlorophenol ........	2
Zinc ......................	5000

(b) For substances which impart tastes or odors to aquatic organisms, the taste and odor criterion shall be calculated as follows:

TOC = TC¹ / BAF

Where:

TOC = Taste and odor criterion in milligrams per liter (mg/L).

TC = Threshold concentration in milligrams of substance per kilogram of wet tissue weight (mg/kg) of the aquatic organism being consumed below which undesirable taste and odor is not detectable to human consumers as derived in par. (d).

BAF = Aquatic life bioaccumulation factor with units of liter per kilogram (L/kg) as derived in s. NR 105.10.

(c) The lower of the taste and odor criteria derived as specified in pars. (a) and (b) is applicable to surface waters classified as public water supplies. The taste and odor criteria derived as specified in par. (b) are applicable to cold water and warm water sport fish communities.

(d) Threshold concentrations for substances imparting tastes or odors to water (TCw) other than those listed in Table 1 and threshold concentrations for substances imparting tastes or odors to aquatic organisms (TCf) shall be selected by the department using its best professional judgment.

Wis. Admin. Code Department of Natural Resources NR 102.14

Cr. Register, February, 1989, No. 398, eff. 3-1-89; am. (2) (b) and (c), Register, August, 1997, No. 500, eff. 9-1-97.