The Clean Water Act of 1972

What It Is

The Clean Water Act is a federal law enacted by Congress in 1972 that significantly changed how the United States handles water pollution. Before this law, factories directly discharged industrial chemicals into waterways, cities released raw sewage into drinking water rivers, and some waterways were so polluted they caught fire. Cleveland's Cuyahoga River caught fire in June 1969, becoming a national symbol of the crisis. The law passed with such strong bipartisan support that it overrode a veto by President Nixon.

Why It Matters

The Clean Water Act created the modern wastewater treatment profession. For the first time, it established minimum treatment standards for every community, made it illegal to discharge pollutants without a permit, and funded the construction of thousands of treatment plants. Before the law, only about a third of the nation's waters were safe for fishing and swimming. For anyone considering a career in this field, the Clean Water Act is the legal foundation that defines what the job requires and why this profession exists in its current form.