Good Chemical Status

Chemical status is an assessment of water quality based on concentrations of pollutants, particularly priority substances. Chemical status has two grades: good and poor.

A body of surface water achieves good chemical status when pollutant concentrations do not exceed environmental quality standards.

The environmental quality standard is based on the concentration of a given pollutant in the natural environment which, in order to protect human health and the environment, must not be exceeded.

A body of groundwater achieves good chemical status when pollutant concentrations do not exceed quality standards and do not prevent associated bodies of surface water from achieving their objectives.