**GAO-03-308**                      Published: Jan 30, 2003. Publicly Released: Feb 13, 2003.                  

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## Highlights

Water quality standards are composed of designated uses and criteria. These standards are critical in making accurate, scientifically based determinations about which of the nation's waters are in need of cleanup. To assess EPA and states' actions to improve standards, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment asked GAO to determine the extent to which (1) states are changing designated uses when necessary and EPA is assisting the states toward that end and (2) EPA is updating its criteria documents and assisting states in establishing criteria that can be compared with reasonably obtainable monitoring data.

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## Topics

Natural Resources and Environment

Environmental monitoringstate relationsStandards evaluationWater pollution controlWater qualityWater quality standardsPollutantsPollutionRecreationProtocols