Clean Water Act
US EPA Clean Water Act The Clean Water Act is the cornerstone of surface water quality protection in the U.S. The statute employs a variety of regulatory and nonregulatory tools to reduce pollutant discharges into waterways, finance municipal wastewater treatment plants, and manage polluted runoff. These tools are employed to achieve the broader goal of restoring and maintaining the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation's waters so that they can support "the protection and propagation of fish, shellfish, and wildlife and recreation in and on the water."
Starting in the late 1980s, efforts to address polluted runoff have increased significantly. For "nonpoint" runoff, voluntary programs, including cost-sharing with landowners are the key tool. For "wet weather point sources" like city storm sewer systems and construction sites, a regulatory approach is being employed.
Evolution of Clean Water programs over the last decade have also included something of a shift from a program-by-program, source-by-source, pollutant-by-pollutant approach to more holistic watershed-based strategies. Under the watershed approach equal emphasis is placed on protecting healthy waters and restoring impaired ones. A full array of issues are addressed, not just those subject to CWA regulatory authority. Involvement of stakeholder groups in the development and implementation of strategies for achieving and maintaining state water quality and other environmental goals is another hallmark of this approach.
For more details on Clean Water Act, please vist the EPA's resource.