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<br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />c <br />co <br />"- <br />co <br /> <br />PART IX. OTHER WATER QUALITY ASPECTS <br /> <br />Although salinity is considered to be the most serious water <br />quality problem in the Colorado River Basin, there are a number of other <br />water quality problems of varying degrees. The following sections <br />include discussion of the most significant sources of water quality <br />degradation exclusive of salinity and the effects of such degradations <br />on water uses as measured by various parameters. The EPA and States <br />have largely controlled the discharge of pollutants through issuances of <br />permits through the P.L. 92-500, Section 402 program. In addition, <br />Section 404 of P.L. 92-500 requires permits to be issued by the Corps of <br />Engineers for discharge of dredged or fill material. <br /> <br />A. Pollution Sources Other Than Salinity <br /> <br />1. Municipal Wastes <br /> <br />Municipal wastes are described herein as those liquid-carried <br />wastes of domestic and service industry origin. Within the Colorado <br />River Basin the majority of the discharges from waste water treatment <br />plants enter the river system and are the primary sources of bacterio- <br />logical and organic pollution. Most of the municipal waste sources in <br />the basin receive secondary treatment plus disinfection which is the <br />minimum degree of treatment required by the Basin States. <br /> <br />Municipalities are required to have their waste discharges meet <br />water quality standards set by the States. At the present time, any <br />pollution from municipal waste sources is confined to those reaches of <br />stream immediately downstream of the waste effluent, and measures are <br />being enforced by the State and Environmental Protection Agency for the <br />control or abatement of pollution from these sources. <br /> <br />2. Indus tria 1 Wastes <br /> <br />Industrial wastes are defined as those spent process waters, cool- <br />ing waters, wash waters, and other waste waters associated with indus- <br />trial operations. The principal pollutants derived from industrial <br />wastes other than salinity are toxic materials, oils and grease, float- <br />ing materials, radioactivity, organic and oxygen-demanding substances, <br />heat, color-, taste-, odor-producing substances, and bacteria. <br /> <br />With the establishment of water quality standards and compliance <br />schedules for the implementation of these standards, the pollution from <br />industrial waste sources in the basin has been or is bein&-abated or <br />controlled. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />100 <br />