Nebraska Administrative Code
Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy

Title 118 - Groundwater Quality Standards and Use Classification
Chapter 4 - Narrative and Numerical Standards
Effective Date of Last Revision: March 27, 2006

001 The following narrative standards shall apply to ground waters in the State:

001.01 Wastes, toxic substances, or any other pollutant (alone or in combination with other pollutants) introduced directly or indirectly by human activity shall not be allowed to enter ground water:

001.01A If beneficial uses of ground water would be impaired or public health and welfare would be threatened; or

001.01B If beneficial uses of hydrologically connected ground waters or assigned uses of surface waters would be impaired.

001.02 Any pollutant introduced directly or indirectly by human activity that would impair beneficial uses of ground water due to unacceptable color, corrosivity, odor, or any other aesthetic characteristic shall not be allowed.

002 Numerical standards (maximum contaminant levels) for the parameters listed below shall apply to ground waters in the State in accordance with Chapters 2 and 3. Any substance introduced directly or indirectly by human activity shall not be allowed to enter ground water if one or more of the following numerical standards would be exceeded ("reserved" indicates that a standard will be promulgated for this parameter):

Public Health Parameters
Maximum Contaminant Levels
1,1,1-Trichloroethane
0.2 mg/l
1,1,2-Trichloroethane
0.005 mg/l
1,1-Dichloroethylene
0.007 mg/l
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene (1,2,4-TCB)
0.07 mg/l
1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP)
0.0002 mg/l
1,2-Dichloroethane
0.005 mg/l
1,2-Dichloropropane
0.005 mg/l
2,4,5-TP Silvex
0.05 mg/l
2,4-D
0.07 mg/l
Acrylamide
(Reserved)
Alachlor
0.002 mg/l
Aldicarb
(Reserved)
Antimony
0.006 mg/l
Arsenic
0.010 mg/l
Asbestos
7.00E+06 fibers/liter with fiber length > 10 microns
Atrazine
0.003 mg/l
Barium
2 mg/l
Benzene
0.005 mg/l
Benzo(a)pyrene (PAHs)
0.0002 mg/l
Beryllium
0.004 mg/l
Cadmium
0.005 mg/l
Carbofuran
0.04 mg/l
Carbon Tetrachloride
0.005 mg/l
Chlordane
0.002 mg/l
Chlorobenzene
0.1 mg/l
Chromium
0.1 mg/l
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene
0.07 mg/l
Copper
1.3 mg/l
Cyanide
0.2 mg/l
Dalapon
0.2 mg/l
Di(2-ethylhexyl)adipate (Adipates)
0.4 mg/l
Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (Phthalates)
0.006 mg/l
Dibromomethane
(Reserved)
Dichloromethane (Methylene Chloride)
0.005 mg/l
Dinoseb
0.007 mg/l
Dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD)
3.00E-08 mg/l
Diquat
0.02 mg/l
Endothall
0.1 mg/l
Endrin
0.002 mg/l
Epichlorohydrin
(Reserved)
Ethylbenzene
0.7 mg/l
Ethylene Dibromide
0.00005 mg/l
Fluoride
4.0 mg/l
Glyphosate
0.7 mg/l
Heptachlor
0.0004 mg/l
Heptachlor Epoxide
0.0002 mg/l
Hexachlorobenzene
0.001 mg/l
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene
0.05 mg/l
Lead
0.015 mg/l
Lindane
0.0002 mg/l
Mercury
0.002 mg/l
Methoxychlor
0.04 mg/l
Molybdenum
(Reserved)
Nickel
(Reserved)
Nitrate (as N)
10 mg/l
Nitrite (as N)
1 mg/l
o-Dichlorobenzene
0.6 mg/l
Oxamyl (Vydate)
0.2 mg/l
p-Dichlorobenzene
0.075 mg/l
Pentachlorophenol
0.001 mg/l
Picloram
0.5 mg/l
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
0.0005 mg/l
Selenium
0.05 mg/l
Simazine
0.004 mg/l
Sodium
(Reserved)
Styrene
0.1 mg/l
Tetrachloroethylene
0.005 mg/l
Thallium
0.002 mg/l
Toluene
1 mg/l
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
0.10 mg/l
Toxaphene
0.003 mg/l
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene
0.1 mg/l
Trichloroethylene
0.005 mg/l
Vanadium
(Reserved)
Vinyl Chloride
0.002 mg/l
Xylenes
10 mg/l
Radionuclides:

Gross alpha particle activity (including radium-226 but excluding radon and uranium)
15 pCi/l
Gross beta particle activity
4 mrem/yr
Combined radium-226 and radium-228
5 pCi/l
Radon
(Reserved)
Uranium
0.030 mg/l


Microbiology:

Total coliform
(Reserved)


Other Parameters Affecting Use

Aluminum
0.05 mg/l
Chloride
250 mg/l
Foaming agents
0.5 mg/l
Iron
0.3 mg/l
Manganese
0.05 mg/l
pH
6.5 - 8.5 standard pH units
Silver
0.10 mg/l
Sulfate
250 mg/l
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
500 mg/l
Zinc
5 mg/l


003 The numerical standards listed in 002 above are intended to protect beneficial uses of ground water. If the background level of a parameter is greater than the numerical standard, this shall not in and of itself prohibit the use of the ground water.

004 If the background level of a parameter is greater than the numerical standard listed in 002 above, the background level shall be used as the numerical standard.

Enabling Legislation: Neb. Rev. Stat. ยง 81-1505(1)(2)

Legal Citation: Title 118, Ch. 4, Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality