Which act regulates pollution in water?

• A. Clean Water Act (CWA)
• B. Clean Air Act
• C. Safe Drinking Water Act
• D. National Environmental Policy Act

Answer: (A)

Regulating water pollution is handled primarily by the Clean Water Act. This law creates the framework for controlling pollutants that enter rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. It does this mainly through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, which requires facilities that discharge pollutants from a point source to obtain permits and meet specific effluent limits. In addition, the act establishes water quality standards to protect the designated uses of waters and lets states develop plans to address pollution through mechanisms like total maximum daily load calculations. The result is a focused approach to keeping surface waters clean and usable for activities like drinking, recreation, and aquatic life.

The other acts address different environmental domains. The Clean Air Act regulates air pollution and emissions to the atmosphere. The Safe Drinking Water Act sets standards for drinking water quality and public water systems, ensuring safe drinking water but not primarily regulating discharges into surface waters. The National Environmental Policy Act requires federal agencies to assess environmental impacts of their actions and isn't a pollution-permitting law.