4. Existing Water Quality Standards
4.1 Effluent Discharge Standards
The standards for water quality may be categorised as discharge standards and ambient standards. The maximum discharge limits for inland waters, and discharge of effluent and sludge onto land, including accidental spills, of more than 60 m3, are enforceable and listed under the Environmental Quality (Sewage and Industrial Effluents) Regulations 1979 (Table 4.1). There are three effluent standards. Standard A applies to discharges upstream of a public water supply intake point on a waterway. Standard B applies to discharges downstream of a water intake point. The third standard is other than Standard A or B. In addition there are seperate standards for industries processing oil palm and rubber.