2002: The Year of Clean Water

The Clean Water Act is a series of laws that deal mostly with water pollution. Specifically they target direct pollution, as well as water pollution from run off. The main goals of this legislation are to protect wild life and provide clean drinking water, as well as clean water for recreation.

• EPA's CWA Module - A Guide to the Clean Water Act
• The Clean Water Act - Key Issues
• Federal Water Pollution Control Act - The Text of the Federal Laws
• Clean Water Network - Working to Keep the Promise of the Clean Water Act

Background

In the 1970s there was growing concern over water pollution. It was not uncommon prior to the Act for factories to dispose of waste directly into waterways. Another problem was pollution that easily entered into run off, and ended up in waterways, or drinking water. 

• The Clean Water Act - History of the CWA
• History of the Clean Water Act - From the Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure
• Impacts of Climate Change - The History of the Clean Water Act

Basic Information

The Clean Water Act gave the EPA, and some other government agencies, greater ability to control pollution of waterways and bodies of water. It also legislated consequences for polluters of water, with the goal of protecting water bodies. Additionally regional organizations have been able to use these laws to prevent pollution.

• The Clean Water Act - An Introduction
• The History of the Clean Water Act - Best Management Practices
• Hudson River Dredging - An Update

Implementation to Date

The CWA has been implemented in large part through actions of the EPA. The EPA has taken action against businesses and individuals who have polluted waterways. The Act does not however govern groundwater supplies, though the EPA has engaged polluters of groundwater as well.

• The Clean Water Act - Thirty Years Later
• The Adirondack Park Agency - An Organization that has helped to implement CWA laws.
• CWA Law - An overview of implementation
• Clean Water Act Implementation - An overview of implementation efforts in the Mississippi River Basin

The Year of Clean Water

Thirty Years after the introduction of the Clean Water Act, the Bush Administration declared the ‘Year of Clean Water’. This marked not only the anniversary of the Clean Water Act, and subsequent Safe Drinking Water Act, but also enhanced enforcement of this legislation.

• The Year of Clean Water - A Statement form the White House
• Year of Clean Water Observance - An Overview form the Natural Resources Conservation Service
• Year of Clean Water Celebrations - An Environmental Update
• National Water Monitoring Day - Free Resources for Testing Water

In Summary

The Clean Water Act, though it faces implementation issues even today, was necessary in the midst of the rampant pollution of water supplies. Everything from drinking water, to recreational use of waterways, to protecting wild life had become a concern before the act was implemented. While the Act did face opposition from businesses, and individuals that were required to take on extra efforts, the result has been very recognizably preserving clean bodies of water within the United States.

• Clean Water Defense - From the Natural Resources Defense Council
• The Environment - Water Pollution