A　two-step　screening　and　prioritization　approach　of　the　chemical　hazard　to　derive　water　quality　criteria　for　the　protection　of　human　health　in　China　was　developed.　Seventy-five　potential　candidate　chemicals　were　identified　in　Step　1,　and　then　were　screened　and　scored　in　Step　2,　based　on　three　characteristics:　detection　frequency,　toxicity,　and　human　exposure.　Substances　with　a　score　above　900　were　considered　the　proposed　candidates.　Using　this　approach,　18　chemicals　were　successfully　identified,　and　ranked　in　the　following　order:　zinc,　di(2-ethylhexyl)　phthalate,　dibutyl　phthalate,　trichloromethane,　arsenic,　cadmium,　gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane　(HCH),　copper,　benzo[a]pyrene,　lead,　benzene,　fluoranthene,　mercury,　beta-HCH,　anthracene,　p,p＇-DDT,　and　alpha-HCH.　Additional　chemical　contaminants,　including　thallium,　antimony,　chromium　(VI),　and　nitrobenzene,　suggested　by　the　Ministry　of　Environmental　Protection　for　consideration　during　the　development　of　the　water　quality　criteria,　brought　the　final　number　of　proposed　candidates　to　22.　These　candidates　belong　to　different　groups:　nine　metals,　four　polycyclic　aromatic　hydrocarbons　(PAHs),　four　pesticides,　two　phthalic　acid　esters,　one　halogenated　hydrocarbon,　and　two　monocyclic　aromatic　hydrocarbons.　This　list　of　pollutants　will　provide　guidance　when　selecting　the　substances　to　be　considered　during　the　development　of　water　quality　criteria　for　the　protection　of　human　health　in　China.