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Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet

Regulations​

The Division of Water (DOW) administrative regulations are contained in 
Title 401 Chapters 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 and 11 of the Kentucky Administrative Regulations (KAR).  

Effective KPDES Regulations are specific to 401 KAR Chapter 5. 

Drinking Water Regulations are specific to 401 KAR Chapter 8.

The regulations contained on the Legislative Research Commission (LRC) web site are not official versions. Pursuant to KRS 13A.050, the Kentucky Administrative Regulations Service shall constitute the official state publication of administrative regulations. The official versions are contained in the Kentucky Administrative Regulations Service and in the monthly Administrative Register of Kentucky. For information on how to subscribe to these publications, please contact the LRC at 502-564-8100, ext. 564.

Promulgation is the formal process of putting an administrative regulation into effect. The document below, prepared by the Division of Water, is an informal interpretation of the process for promulgating administrative regulations, as governed by KRS Chapter 13A. It is not a complete legal interpretation of the statute. KRS Chapter 13A is available through the website of the LRC. 

RegulationPromulgationProcess.pdf  [PDF 134KB]

Documents related to regulations currently in the promulgation process are located below. The official version of proposed administrative regulations will be available on the website of the LRC.

5-091 SOC filed Feb 6 2020.pdf
5-091 Notice of SOC Feb 2020.pdf

5-091 Hearing Cancellation Notice 1-22-2020.pdf
5-091 Repeal of 5-090 11-14-2019.pdf
Public Notice 5-091 Nov 2019.pdf

Gold Finch on a Blooming Redbud tree against a blue sky

If you wish to comment on pending regulations, please email comments to water@ky.gov.

Standards

Our water quality may be impacted by many different sources and types of pollution. Water quality standards support efforts to achieve and maintain protective water quality conditions. Under the Clean Water Act, every state must adopt water quality standards to protect, maintain and improve the quality of our nation’s surface waters. These standards set the appropriate level of protection. Water quality standards are important because they help water quality managers protect and restore the quality of Kentucky´s surface waters.

Water Quality Standards

Surface water quality standards can be found in Chapter 10 on the 
Legislative Research Commission Web site.

401 KAR 10:001 Definitions for 401 KAR Chapter 10.
401 KAR 10:026 Designation of uses of surface waters.
401 KAR 10:029 General provisions.
401 KAR 10:030 Antidegradation policy implementation methodology.
401 KAR 10:031 Surface water standards


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