ABSTRACT
(Received January 7, 1985)
The need for a wide-ranging environmental impact analysis to guide the establishment of water quality objectives and the associated effluent discharge standards is discussed. The particular problems associated with water pollution control are identified including: multiple and conflicting demands; multiple parameter objective specifications, the stochastic and time varying nature of the system; secondary and tertiary effects; and time-delay.
Current environmental impact analysis techniques are described and discussed and it is concluded that none are yet able to satisfy fully the problems posed by the formulation and implementation of water pollution control strategies.
The application of percentile water quality standards is discussed briefly and some of the principal difficulties outlined. The use of water quality indices is also commented upon.
