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Clean Water Act Under Attack: Why We Need To Expand And Protect This Landmark Legislation
On June 22, 1969, the Cuyahoga River caught fire in Cleveland, OH when — according to Ohio History Central — “floating pieces of oil slicked debris were ignited on the river by sparks caused by a passing train.” Photo from Ohio History Central.
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In a nut-shell, the Clean Water Act mandates the following:
Establishing water quality standards and ‘designated uses’ for measuring progress (in terms of being able to swim in — and eventually drink — the water);
Prohibiting dumping of raw sewage and chemicals via “point sources” (pipes, trenches, and other conduits); by requiring permits contingent on waste treatment measures);
Applying the new rules to all “navigable waters” (which are connected to other water systems) and water bodies with “significant nexus” (larger bodies of water whose health affects many human and biological communities, even if they are self-contained, and not “navigable”); and
Providing financing and grants for construction and upgrading of municipal waste treatment plants.
Fast forward 40 years later: When’s the last time you saw a river catch on fire? Most of us have access to clean drinking water, and can swim in our local waters (though we still often cannot drink where we swim). We rarely see pipes, tankers, and other facilities projectile vomiting filth into our waters — and when they do, headlines are made, we are shocked and outraged, and the polluters face dire consequences (see AI‘s B.P. Banned From New Federal Contracts In The U.S. by my colleague Justin Lee Acuff)
****
In a nut-shell, the Clean Water Act mandates the following:
Establishing water quality standards and ‘designated uses’ for measuring progress (in terms of being able to swim in — and eventually drink — the water);
Prohibiting dumping of raw sewage and chemicals via “point sources” (pipes, trenches, and other conduits); by requiring permits contingent on waste treatment measures);
Applying the new rules to all “navigable waters” (which are connected to other water systems) and water bodies with “significant nexus” (larger bodies of water whose health affects many human and biological communities, even if they are self-contained, and not “navigable”); and
Providing financing and grants for construction and upgrading of municipal waste treatment plants.
Fast forward 40 years later: When’s the last time you saw a river catch on fire? Most of us have access to clean drinking water, and can swim in our local waters (though we still often cannot drink where we swim). We rarely see pipes, tankers, and other facilities projectile vomiting filth into our waters — and when they do, headlines are made, we are shocked and outraged, and the polluters face dire consequences (see AI‘s B.P. Banned From New Federal Contracts In The U.S. by my colleague Justin Lee Acuff)