Growing public awareness and concern for controlling water pollution led to enactment of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972. As amended in 1977, this law became commonly known as the Clean Water Act. The Act established the basic structure for regulating discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States. It gave EPA the authority to implement pollution control programs such as setting wastewater standards for industry. The Clean Water Act also continued requirements to set water quality standards for all contaminants in surface waters. The Act made it unlawful for any person to discharge any pollutant from a point source into navigable waters, unless a permit was obtained under its provisions. It also funded the construction of sewage treatment plants under the construction grants program and recognized the need for planning to address the critical problems posed by non-point source pollution.

This act lays the footwork for how we live day to day and how we are supposed to protect our country¡¦s water supply, but is it working? Are we working to protect our water supply? How clean is our water? In this paper I int

Individual use assessment also provides important detail about the condition of our water supply. There has also been specific designated individual use standards established. These standards can be put into six general use categories:

Because of growing awareness and concern for controlling water pollution we now have the Federal Water Pollution and Control Act. Its purpose is to protect the water of our country and also to protect us. Through this information I have shown that indeed this act does seem so have a good affect on our water. Slowly but surely, our rivers and streams are becoming safer and cleaner. I have also shown that our water for the most part is very clean. This act has been very effective in restoring and maintaining the water and will continue to do so with proper care for many years to come.

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