Regulations and Standards Division of Water

​​​​​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.

Please visit the DEP Regulations page for more information.

Water Quality Standards

Water quality may be impacted by many different sources and types of pollution. Water quality standards serve to 1) define the function or role of a water resource in the environment , 2) identify the criteria which must be met in order to maintain that function or role, and 3) an antidegradation implementation methodology that determines the extent to which water quality can be lowered, while still meeting applicable designated uses, through permitted activities under certain water pollution control programs. Under the Clean Water Act, every state must adopt water quality standards to protect, maintain and improve the quality of our nations 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.

Kentucky's water quality standards can be found in 401 KAR Chapter 10:

• 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