Clean Water Act/Safe DRinking Water Act

br March 14 , 2007

Clean Water Act /Safe Drinking Water Act Clean Water Act /Safe Drinking Water Act The Clean Water Act (CWA ) and Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA ) was formed when a growing public awareness and concern for controlling the water pollution led to the enactment of Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1792 . 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

implement pollution control programs such as setting wastewater standard 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 release any pollutant from any point source into navigable waters , unless a permit is 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 nonpoint source pollution

Joel Goss and Lynn Dodge explains that clean water is necessary for good health (Gross , Dodge , 2006 ) It is necessary to implement laws and regulations when are water system is at risk . We must always see to it that The Clean Water Act remains a high standard means of keeping our water pure

The Safe Drinking Water Act celebrated its thirtieth anniversary on December 16 , 2004 . It is the main federal law that ensures the quality of American 's drinking water

Under SDWA , EPA sets standards for drinking water quality and oversees the state 's , localities , and water suppliers who implement those standards

Edward J . Calabrese (Calabrese , 1989 , explains the Safe Drinking Water Act , amendments , regulations and standards as he tells us that our water systems must be looked at closely and monitored in to provide clean and safe drinking water for all Americans

Other important aspects of the CWA include a variety of enforcement mechanisms , including administrative compliance and penalty s civil and criminal judicial remedies , contractor listing , and a citizen suit provision

EPA 's enforcement settlement policies , which are relatively sophisticated within the federal government have consistently promoted environmental auditing and the use of Supplemental Environmental Projects

There are many types of pollutants that can contaminate our drinking water that cause illness and diseases . Regardless of where our drinking water comes from , it can all be contaminated by a number of impurities

Some of these contaminants include chemicals like pesticides , heavy metals such as arsenic and lead , human and animal waste , and even chemical by-products created during drinking water treatment . Exposure to these contaminants can cause a number of health problems , ranging from nausea and stomach pain to developmental problems and cancer Long-term exposure can cause rashes , heart disease , diabetes , cancer and a number of immune , neurological , developmental and reproductive problems

Because of the different types of levels of pollutants in U .S . waters it is very difficult to...