ENVIRONMENT »» EPA »» CLEAN WATER ACT »» Feb 15, 2021

The 1972 Clean Water Act protects all our nation's waterways from pollution. The Act's original intent was to totally eliminate chemical discharges into our lakes, rivers and streams by 1985. The Clean Water Act gives our EPA broad jurisdiction in setting water quality standards. It enforces these standards by penalizing those responsible for pollution, and helping states construct water treatment facilities. However, for the past few decades, the quality of our nation