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- Info
Clean water action plan: Restoring and protecting America's waters
| Author: |
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency |
| Date: |
1998 |
| Periodical: |
EPA-840-R-98-001. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office |
| Abstract: |
After 25 years of progress, the nation's clean water program is at a crossroads. Implementation of the existing programs will not stop serious new threats to public health, living resources, and the nation's waterways, particularly from polluted runoff. These programs lack the strength, resources, and framework to finish the job of restoring rivers, lakes, and coastal areas. To fulfill the original goal of the Clean Water Act - "fishable and swimmable" water for every American - the nation must chart a new course to address the pollution problems of the next generation. The Action Plan builds on the solid foundation of existing clean water programs and proposes new actions to strengthen efforts to restore and protect water resources. In implementing this Action Plan, the federal government will: support locally led partnerships that include a broad array of federal agencies, states, tribes, communities, businesses, and citizens to meet clean water and public health goals; increase financial and technical assistance to states, tribes, local governments, farmers, and others; and help states and tribes restore and sustain the health of aquatic systems on a watershed basis. This action Plan proposes a new collaborative effort by state, tribal, and local governments, the public sector and the public to restore those watersheds not meeting clean water, natural resource, and public health goals and to sustain healthy conditions in other watersheds. For the past 25 years, most water pollution control efforts relied on broadly applied national programs that reduced water pollution from individual sources, such as discharges from sewage treatment plants and factories, and from polluted runoff. Today, there is growing recognition that clean water strategies built on this foundation and tailored to specific watershed conditions are the key to the future. efforts to control point source pollution and polluted runoff, and protect drinking water sources and sensitive natural resources such as wetlands. A watershed focus also helps identify the most cost-effective pollution control strategies to meet clean water goals. Working at the watershed level encourages the public to get involved in efforts to restore and protect their water resources and is the foundation for building strong clean water partnerships. The watershed approach is the best way to bring state, tribal, federal, and local programs together to more effectively and efficiently clean up and protect waters. It is also the key to greater accountability and progress toward clean water goals.
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