The Federal Clean Water Act has done a lot to help clean up our water and preserve our water resources, which impact plants and animals alike. But water pollution continues to be a problem, both in the US and around the world, and more needs to be done to improve water quality.
If you are like most Americans, you don't put much thought into your water until it doesn't flow from your faucet. This can be a big mistake, however, because there are problems with water pollution that are continuing to get bigger and bigger. The Federal Clean Water Act was created to help decrease the amount of pollution that is in the water, but most people do not understand that they have to do their part as well. What does the Federal Clean Water Act mean to you?
The Federal Clean Water Act was first passed in 1972 and amended in 1977 to regulate the amount of pollution that was discharged into the waters of the United States. This act gave the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) the power to regulate and implement water pollution control programs. It also set standards for water quality and made it illegal to discharge pollution from a point source into waters, unless a permit is obtained.
The Federal Clean Water Act was created to stall the effect of pollution on the nation's waters by decreasing the amount of pollution that is discharged. In the beginning, the regulations were, for the large part, mainly concerned with point source polluters, which means that they come from a direct source like industries and sewage treatment facilities.
Through the years, however, more attention has been given to other problems that cause water pollution, including surface runoff. The approach to water pollution control over the last decade has been a more whole system approach, which is concerned about keeping the clean water sources as clean as possible and cleaning up the ones that are polluted to help take care of the whole group of water sources, rather than just one or the other.
Smaller streams, wetlands, and other waters are in the most danger from pollution, however, simply because they are not as tightly governed or controlled as the larger bodies of surface water. By not taking care of all of the water sources in the country, we are setting ourselves up for a water pollution problem that will be near impossible to get under control. By supporting efforts to get ALL of the water sources of the nation covered by the Federal Clean Water Act, we can help protect the water for future generations.
The Federal Clean Water Act has done quite a bit of good for the waterways of the United States, but more needs to be done to help protect our water. Water is a precious resource that many of us take for granted, but without some attention being given to the water pollution issue, future generations may find clean water in short supply. By supporting politicians and private groups who are working to clean the polluted water sources and keep the clean water sources free of pollution, we can help to protect the water for ourselves, for the environment, and for future generations.
