Clean Water Act

E4930

The Clean Water Act is a landmark U.S. environmental law that regulates the discharge of pollutants into the nation’s waters and sets water quality standards to protect human health and aquatic ecosystems.

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Statements (52)

Predicate Object
instanceOf United States federal statute
environmental law
abbreviation National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
surface form: NPDES
addresses nonpoint source pollution through grants and planning
administeredBy United States Environmental Protection Agency
state environmental agencies
aimsToProtect aquatic ecosystems
human health
allows citizen suits
amendedIn 1977
1981
1987
amends Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1948
authorizes EPA to set effluent limitations
EPA to set water quality standards
codifiedIn Title 33 of the United States Code
country United States of America
surface form: United States
defines point source
enactedBy United States Congress
enactmentDate 1972-10-18
establishes National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
basic structure for regulating pollutant discharges into U.S. waters
primaryGoal restore and maintain the biological integrity of the Nation’s waters
restore and maintain the chemical integrity of the Nation’s waters
restore and maintain the physical integrity of the Nation’s waters
protects surface waters
wetlands
provides civil enforcement mechanisms
criminal enforcement mechanisms
publicLawNumber Public Law 92-500
purpose eliminate the discharge of pollutants into navigable waters
regulates discharge of pollutants into waters of the United States
point source discharges
relatedTo National Environmental Policy Act
Safe Drinking Water Act
requires permits for industrial discharges
permits for municipal wastewater discharges
technology-based effluent limits
water quality–based effluent limits when necessary
section Section 303
Section 319
Section 401
Section 402
Section 404
section303Subject water quality standards and total maximum daily loads
section319Subject nonpoint source pollution management
section401Subject state water quality certification
section402Subject NPDES permitting program
section404Subject dredge and fill permits for waters of the United States
shortName CWA
signedBy Richard Nixon
yearEnacted 1972

Referenced by (27)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

this entity surface form: Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972
Oil Pollution Act amends Clean Water Act
subject surface form: Oil Pollution Act of 1990
OPA amends Clean Water Act
subject surface form: Oil Pollution Act of 1990
Public Law 101-380 amends Clean Water Act
this entity surface form: Federal Water Pollution Control Act
Public Law 101-380 amends Clean Water Act
ENRD enforces Clean Water Act
this entity surface form: Clean Water Act (in Alaska)
this entity surface form: Clean Water Act (state implementation) in Washington
this entity surface form: Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972
this entity surface form: Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972
Public Law 92-500 officialName Clean Water Act
this entity surface form: Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972
92nd United States Congress passed Clean Water Act
95th Congress passedLegislation Clean Water Act
subject surface form: 95th United States Congress
this entity surface form: Clean Water Act amendments of 1977
this entity surface form: United States Clean Water Act Section 402
Safe Drinking Water Act relatedTo Clean Water Act
Water Quality Act of 1965 relatedTo Clean Water Act
Public Law 92-500 shortName Clean Water Act
this entity surface form: United States Clean Water Act