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 |
---|
Aluminium in marine water | - Aluminium in marine water Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, technical brief
- Aluminium in marine water, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, data table
- Aluminium in marine water, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, quality assessment worksheet
| 4 February 2025 |
Ametryn in freshwater | - Ametryn in freshwater, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, technical brief
- Ametryn in freshwater, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, data table
- Ametryn in freshwater, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, quality assessment worksheet
| 4 February 2025 |
Diuron in freshwater | - Diuron in freshwater, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, technical brief
- Diuron in freshwater, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, data table
- Diuron in freshwater, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, quality assessment worksheet
| 4 February 2025 |
Nickel in freshwater | - Nickel in freshwater, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, technical brief
- Nickel in freshwater, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, data table
- Nickel in freshwater, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, quality assessment worksheet
| 5 October 2024 |
Nickel in marine water | - Nickel in marine water, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, technical brief
- Nickel in marine water, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, data table
- Nickel in marine water, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, quality assessment worksheet
| 5 October 2024 |
Nitrate in freshwater | - Nitrate in freshwater, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, technical brief
- Nitrate in freshwater, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, data table
- Nitrate in freshwater, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, quality assessment worksheet
| 30 August 2024 |
Zinc in freshwater | - Zinc in freshwater, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, technical brief
- Zinc in freshwater, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, data table
- Zinc in freshwater, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, quality assessment worksheet
| 30 August 2024 |
Ammonia in freshwater | - Ammonia in freshwater, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, technical brief
- Ammonia in freshwater, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, data table
- Ammonia in freshwater, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, quality assessment worksheet
| 20 December 2023 |
Copper in freshwater | - Copper in freshwater, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, technical brief
- Copper in freshwater, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, data table
- Copper in freshwater, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, quality assessment worksheet
| 20 December 2023 |
Copper in marine water | - Copper in marine water, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, technical brief
- Copper in marine water, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, data table
- Copper in marine water, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, quality assessment worksheet
| 17 August 2023 |
Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in freshwater | - PFOS in freshwater, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, technical brief
- PFOS in freshwater, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, data table
- PFOS in freshwater, Draft toxicant default guideline values for protecting aquatic ecosystems, quality assessment worksheet
| 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 | Under review following draft consultation phase |
Copper in marine water | 17 August 2023 | Under review following draft consultation phase |
Dioxins in freshwater | 3 August 2021 | Published |
Diuron in marine water | 5 October 2024 | Published |
Fipronil in freshwater | 3 August 2021 | Published |
Fluoride in freshwater | 10 March 2024 | Published |
Glyphosate in freshwater | 29 October 2020 | Published |
Iron in freshwater | 29 October 2020 | Under review following draft consultation phase |
Iron in marine water | 29 October 2020 | Under review following draft consultation phase |
Mancozeb in freshwater | 3 August 2021 | Published |
Metolachlor in freshwater | 29 October 2020 | Published |
Metsulfuron-methyl in freshwater | 29 October 2020 | Published |
MCPA in freshwater | 20 June 2024 | Published |
Paraquat in freshwater | 20 June 2024 | Published |
PFOS (Perfluorooctane sulfonate) in freshwater | 17 August 2023 | Under review following draft consultation phase |
Picloram in freshwater | 17 August 2023 | Published |
Simazine in freshwater | 5 October 2024 | Published |
Sulfometuron-methyl in freshwater | 20 June 2024 | Published |
Zinc in marine water | 29 October 2020 | Published |
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 |
2,4–D | Marine water | Under consideration |
Ametryn | Freshwater | Under consideration |
Ammonia | Freshwater | Published as draft |
Atrazine | Freshwater | Under consideration |
Atrazine | Marine water | Under consideration |
Chlorine | Marine water | Under consideration |
Chlorothalonil | Freshwater | Submitted |
Chlorothalonil | Marine water | Submitted |
Cobalt | Freshwater | Under consideration |
Cobalt | Marine water | Under consideration |
Copper | Freshwater | Published as draft |
Diuron | Freshwater | Under consideration |
Marine water | Under consideration |
Fipronil | Marine water | Under consideration< |
Fluoride | Freshwater | Published as draft |
Imidacloprid | Freshwater | Under consideration |
Imidacloprid | Marine water | Submitted |
Imazapic | Freshwater | Submitted |
Imazapic | Marine water | Submitted |
Gallium | Marine water | Under consideration |
Lead | Marine water | Submitted |
Manganese | Marine water | Under consideration |
MCPA | Freshwater | Under review following draft consultation phase |
MCPA | Marine water | Submitted |
Molybdenum | Marine water | Under consideration |
Nickel | Freshwater | Under consideration |
Marine water | Under consideration |
Nitrate | Freshwater | Under consideration |
Permethrin | Freshwater | Under consideration |
Paraquat | Freshwater | Under review following draft consultation phase |
PFOA (perfluoro-octanoic acid) | Freshwater | Under consideration |
PFOA (perfluoro-octanoic acid) | Marine water | Submitted |
PFOS (perfluorooctane sulphonate) | Marine water | Under consideration |
Simazine | Freshwater | Under consideration |
Marine water | Under consideration |
Sulfometuron-methyl | Freshwater | Under review following draft consultation phase |
Triclosan | Freshwater | Approved for review process |
Zinc | Freshwater | Under consideration |
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 | Central or third party DVG | Priority | Provider/authors |
---|
4-hydroxychlorothalonil (fresh) | T | NA | QLD DES |
|
6PPD and 6PPD-quinone | C | Priority | DCCEEW |
Acetamiprid (f and/or m) | T | N/A | QLD DES |
Bromacil (f, m) | T | N/A | QLD DES |
Carbamazepine (f) |
N/A | CSIRO | N/A |
Carbendazim (f and m combined) | T | N/A | QLD DES |
Clothianidin (f and/or m) | T | N/A | N/A |
|
Diclofenac (f) | T | N/A | CSIRO |
|
Dimethoate | T | N/A | QLD DES |
|
Dimethoate (fresh) | T | N/A | QLD DES |
|
Dimethoate (marine) | T | N/A | QLD DES |
|
Dinetofuran (f and/or m) | T | N/A | QLD DES |
|
|
Fluoxetine (f) | T | N/A | CSIRO |
|
Fluroxypyr (f, m) | T | N/A | QLD DES |
|
|
Haloxyfop (f, m) | T | N/A | QLD DES |
|
|
|
Hexazinone (f, m) | T | N/A | QLD DES |
|
Isoxaflutole (f, m) | T | N/A | QLD DES |
|
|
Mercury (f, m) | C | Priority | DCCEEW |
|
|
Methoxyfenozide (f & m combined) | T | N/A | QLD DES |
|
Metribuzin (f, m) | T | N/A | QLD DES |
|
|
Pendimethalin (f, m) | T | N/A | QLD DES |
|
|
|
PfHxS (f, m) | C | Priority | DCCEEW |
|
Prometryn (f, m) | T | N/A | QLD DES |
|
|
Propanolol (f, m) | T | N/A | CSIRO |
|
|
|
Propiconazole (f, m) | T | N/A | QLD DES |
|
|
|
|
Tebuthiuron (f, m) | T | N/A | QLD DES |
|
|
Terbuthylazine (f, m) | T | N/A | QLD DES |
|
|
|
Terbutryn (f & m combined) | T | N/A | QLD DES |
|
|
|
|
Thiacloprid (f and/or m) | T | N/A | QLD DES |
|
|
Thiamethoxam (f and/or m) | T | N/A | QLD DES |
|
|
|
Triclopyr (f, m) | T | N/A | QLD DES |
|
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.