Water Quality: Issues & Options for Congress & the EPA

Much progress has been made in achieving the ambitious goals that Congress established more than 35 years ago in the Clean Water Act (CWA) to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation’s waters. However, long-standing problems persist, and new problems have emerged. Water quality problems are diverse, ranging from pollution runoff from farms and ranches, city streets, and other diffuse or non-point sources, to toxic substances discharged from factories and sewage treatment plants. This book provides an overview of water quality issues in the 112th Congress with a focus on pesticide use and water quality; animal waste and water quality; and a summary of the Clean Water Act.