What Is The Clean Water Act and How Does It Impact Stormwater?
The Clean Water Act Clean Water Act is a U.S. federal law that regulates the discharge of pollutants into the nation’s surface waters, including lakes, rivers, streams, wetlands, and coastal areas. Early efforts to reduce water pollution focused on traditional point source dischargers such as industry, and sewage treatment facilities. In 1987, Congress amended the Clean Water Act to address municipal stormwater discharges. All governmental agencies responsible for discharging water from any source, including the stormwater drainage system, into rivers or oceans, must meet the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) requirements of the Clean Water Act. The requirements are detailed in a NPDES Permit which outlines the specific actions under which agencies are “permitted” to discharge to waterways.
