Pathway for toxicant default guideline value publication
The publication of default guideline values (DGVs) on the Water Quality Guidelines website involves a publication approval process (refer to Figure 1) that includes initial approval to develop a DGV, development of the DGV and final approval.
All toxicant DGVs published in the Water Quality Guidelines from 2018 onwards, whether funded through the Water Quality Guidelines or contributed by third parties, are subject to a period of public comment.
When draft DGVs have successfully passed through the public comment phase, they will be final, and published on the website as a DGV (refer to Figure 1).
Figure 1 Default guideline value publication approval process

DGVs = Default guideline values, WQG = Water Quality Guidelines, WQPSC = Water Quality Policy Subcommittee
Draft default guideline values
Each new or revised toxicant DGV will be published as a draft for public comment for a period of 3 months as a part of our approval process. Until the approval process has been successfully completed, the draft DGV is only draft and should not be used or referred to as an Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Fresh and Marine Water Quality DGV.
Draft DGVs will continue to become available on this website.
If you want to know when the revised guidance has been published, please subscribe for updates.
Submit a response
Provide feedback on a draft DGV during its 3-month public comment period by sending us a completed Submission on the draft toxicant DGV.
Table 1 Toxicant draft DGVs for water and sediment — drafts for public comment
Toxicant | Files | Public comment period closing date |
---|---|---|
Ammonia in freshwater |
|
20 December 2023 |
Copper in freshwater |
|
20 December 2023 |
Copper in marine water |
|
17 August 2023 |
Picloram in freshwater |
|
17 August 2023 |
Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in freshwater |
|
17 August 2023 |
Table 2 Toxicant DGVs for water and sediment — status post public consultation phase
Toxicant | Public comment period close date | Status |
---|---|---|
Alpha-cypermethrin in freshwater | 3 August 2021 | Published |
Bisphenol A in freshwater | 3 August 2021 | Published |
Bisphenol A in marine water | 3 August 2021 | Published |
Boron in freshwater | 29 October 2020 | Published |
Chromium (III) in freshwater | 29 October 2020 | Public comments under consideration |
Dioxins in freshwater | 3 August 2021 | Published |
Fipronil in freshwater | 3 August 2021 | Published |
Glyphosate in freshwater | 29 October 2020 | Published |
Iron in freshwater | 29 October 2020 | Public comments under consideration |
Iron in marine water | 29 October 2020 | Public comments under consideration |
Mancozeb in freshwater | 3 August 2021 | Published |
Metolachlor in freshwater | 29 October 2020 | Published |
Metsulfuron-methyl in freshwater | 29 October 2020 | Published |
Zinc in marine water | 29 October 2020 | Published |
Proposed default guidelines values
Development of draft DGVs involves 4 stages:
- Approved for review process — proposed DGV approved for development and derivation has commenced
- Submitted — proposed DGV developed, including supporting data and information, and submitted for review
- Under consideration — proposed DGV under review, including independent peer review and finalisation based on peer review comments
- Published as draft — open for public comment
Check what is being developed
A number of proposed DGVs have been derived and submitted for consideration to be included in the Water Quality Guidelines as DGVs. These are at different stages of the submission process and are listed in Table 3.
Table 3 Toxicant default guideline values being developed for water and sediment
Toxicant | Medium | Status |
---|---|---|
2,4–D | Freshwater | Approved for review process |
Alpha–cypermethrin | Freshwater | Published |
Ametryn | Freshwater | Under consideration |
Ammonia | Freshwater | Published as draft |
Bisphenol–A | Freshwater | Published |
Bisphenol–A | Marine water | Published |
Boron | Freshwater | Published |
Chlorine | Marine water | Under consideration |
Chromium (III) | Freshwater | Under review following draft consultation phase |
Copper | Freshwater | Published as draft |
Marine water | Under review following draft consultation | |
Diuron | Freshwater | Under consideration |
Marine water | Under consideration | |
Dioxins | Freshwater | Published |
Fipronil | Freshwater | Published |
Fluoride | Freshwater | Under consideration |
Glyphosate | Freshwater | Published |
Iron | Freshwater | Under review following draft consultation phase |
Marine water | Under review following draft consultation phase | |
Mancozeb | Freshwater | Published |
Manganese | Marine water | Under consideration |
MCPA | Freshwater | Under consideration |
Metolachlor | Freshwater | Published |
Metsulfuron-methyl | Freshwater | Published |
Nickel | Freshwater | Under consideration |
Marine water | Under consideration | |
Nitrate | Freshwater | Under consideration |
Permethrin | Freshwater | Under consideration |
Paraquat | Freshwater | Under consideration |
PFOA (perfluoro-octanoic acid) | Freshwater | Approved for review process |
PFOS (perfluorooctane sulphonate) | Freshwater | Under review following draft consultation phase |
Marine water | Approved for review process | |
Picloram | Freshwater | Under review following draft consultation phase |
Simazine | Freshwater | Under consideration |
Marine water | Under consideration | |
Sulfometuron-methyl | Freshwater | Under consideration |
Triclosan | Freshwater | Approved for review process |
Zinc | Freshwater | Approved for review process |
Marine water | Published |
Third party process for proposing default guideline values
Third-parties can propose DGVs for toxicants in water or sediment. These will need to be derived (using the approved method) and funded by third parties for publication on the Water Quality Guidelines website.
Third party proposed DGVs can be contributed by:
- governments (e.g. intergovernmental committees, state or territory governments, local governments)
- other proponents (e.g. regional or community groups, industry groups, businesses).
Benefits of contributions by third parties
- Give the public and water quality managers' access to more toxicant DGVs, sooner.
- Provide proponents with an opportunity to propose new toxicant DGVs that are of interest to them, and if accepted, will result in new toxicant DGVs being developed.
- Help governments to save costs through the development of additional toxicant DGVs.
Instructions for third-parties to contribute a proposed default guideline value
Before you propose a third-party DGV for publication on the Water Quality Guidelines website, please check:
- current toxicant DGVs in fresh and marine water
- current toxicant DGVs in sediment
- toxicant DGVs for water and sediment — drafts for public comment (Table 1)
- toxicant DGVs for water and sediment — status post public consultation phase (Table 2)
- toxicant DGVs being developed for water and sediment (Table 3)
- toxicant DGVs proposed by third parties (Table 4)
If the toxicant is not listed, then you may submit a request to develop a DGV for consideration. If your proposal is approved, you can start to develop a DGV in line with our publication approval process (refer to Figure 1).
A cost is associated with the review process for each submission.
- Each proposed toxicant DGV submitted for review will be processed based on an assessment of priority and budget availability. Funding the development of a DGV may escalate its priority.
- There is currently a waiting list for reviewing third-party proposed toxicant DGVs (Table 4).
Table 4 List of default guideline values proposed by third parties
Toxicant | Medium |
---|---|
2, 4-D | Marine water |
Aluminium | Marine water |
Ametryn | Marine water |
Atrazine | Freshwater |
Marine water | |
Bromacil | Freshwater |
Marine water | |
Carbamazepine | Freshwater |
Chlorothalonil | Freshwater |
Marine water | |
Cobalt | Freshwater |
Marine water | |
Diclofenac | Freshwater |
Fipronil | Marine water |
Fluometuron | Freshwater |
Marine water | |
Fluoxetine | Freshwater |
Fluroxypyr | Freshwater |
Marine water | |
Gallium | Marine water |
Haloxyfop | Freshwater |
Marine water | |
Hexazinone | Freshwater |
Marine water | |
Imazapic | Freshwater |
Marine water | |
Imidacloprid | Freshwater |
Marine water | |
Isoxaflutole | Freshwater |
Marine water | |
Lead | Marine water |
MCPA | Marine water |
Nikel | Freshwater |
Marine water | |
Metribuzin | Freshwater |
Marine water | |
Molybdenum | Marine water |
Pendimethalin | Freshwater |
Marine water | |
PFOA (perfluoro-octanoic acid) | Marine water |
Prometryn | Freshwater |
Marine water | |
Propanolol | Freshwater |
Marine water | |
Propiconazole | Freshwater |
Marine water | |
Tebuthiuron | Freshwater |
Marine water | |
Terbuthylazine | Fresh water |
Marine water | |
Terbutryn | Freshwater and marine water (combined) |
Triclopyr | Freshwater |
Marine water |
Approved reviewers for proposed toxicant default guideline values
Every toxicant DGV needs to be peer reviewed by at least 2 peer reviewers. As a part of the independent peer review process, third-parties will need to engage peer reviewers approved by the Water Quality Guidelines team.