Defining Water Quality: The U.S. Clean Water Act

Chapter 14

© 2004 Thomson Learning/South-Western

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Understanding Water Resources for Policy Development

Identifying Water Resources and Their Interdependence Surface water – bodies of water open to the earth’s

atmosphere as well as springs, wells, or other collectors directly influenced by surface water

Ground water – fresh water beneath the earth’s surface, generally in aquifers

Hydrologic cycle – the natural movement of water from the atmosphere to the surface, beneath the ground and back into the atmosphere

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Understanding Water Resources for Policy Development

Targeting Water Quality Policy Point Source – any single identifiable source of

pollution from which pollutants are released, such as a factory smokestack, a pipe, or a ship

Nonpoint Source – a source of pollution that cannot be identified accurately and degrades the environment in a diffuse, indirect way over a relatively broad area

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Understanding Water Resources for Policy Development

Setting the Policy Agenda Water quality is important not only to protect human

health but also to protect the ecology and to ensure that all uses of water are maintained

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Water Quality Legislation in the United States: Overview

Early U.S. Water Quality Laws Rivers and Harbor Act of 1899 Water Pollution Control Act of 1948

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Water Quality Legislation in the United States: Overview

Evolving Toward Today’s Policy Position Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act

(MPRSA) Federal Water Pollution Control Act (FWPCA) Clean Water Act (CWA) of 1977 Water Quality Act of 1987

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Policy Objectives Under the Clean Water Act (CWA) Zero Discharge Goal – a U.S. objective

calling for the elimination of all polluting effluents into navigable waters

Fishable-Swimmable Goal – an interim U.S. objective requiring that surface waters be capable of supporting recreational activities and the propagation of fish and wildlife

No Toxics in Toxic Amounts – a U.S. goal prohibiting the release of toxic substances in toxic amounts into all water resources

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Policy Objectives Under the Clean Water Act (CWA)

Identifying Pollutants Under the Clean Water Act Toxic pollutant – a contaminant which upon

exposure, will cause death, disease abnormalities, or physiological malfunctions

Conventional pollutant – an identified pollutant that is well understood by scientists

Nonconventional pollutant – a default category for pollutants not identified as toxic or conventional

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Defining Water Quality: Standard-Setting Under the Clean Water Act Receiving water quality standards –

state-established standards defined by use designation and water quality criteria

Use Designation - a component of receiving water quality standards that identifies the intended purposes of a water body

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Defining Water Quality: Standard-Setting Under the Clean Water Act

Use-Support Status – a classification of a water body based on a state’s assessment of its present condition relative to what is needed to maintain its designated uses

Water Quality Criteria – a component of receiving water quality standards that gives the biological and chemical attributes necessary to sustain or achieve designated uses

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Analysis of Receiving Water Quality Standards

Absence of Benefit-Cost Analysis in Setting the Standards Even in states’ reports to the EPA on use-support

status, benefit-cost assessment is not being done, even though the law calls for such an analysis

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Analysis of Receiving Water Quality Standards

Lack of Consistency with the Technology-Based Effluent Limitations The link between the water quality standards and

the effluent limitations is blurred because each is motivated differently

Standards are motivated by water usage The effluent limits are motivated by technology

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Benefit-Cost Analysis of U.S. Water Quality Control Policy

Benefit-Cost Analysis of the FWPCA of 1972 Estimating the Benefits of the FWPCA of 1972 Estimating the Costs of the FWPCA of 1972 Benefit-Cost Comparison

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Benefit-Cost Analysis of U.S. Water Quality Control PolicyFigure 14.2(a) Benefit-Cost Analysis of the U.S. FWPCA of 1972,

as of 1985

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Benefit-Cost Analysis of U.S. Water Quality Control PolicyFigure 14.2(b) Benefit-Cost Analysis of the U.S. FWPCA of 1972,

as of 1985

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Benefit-Cost Analysis of U.S. Water Quality Control Policy

Advances in Benefit-Cost Analysis of U.S. Water Quality Policy Updated Benefit Estimate of U.S. Water Quality

Controls Contingent valuation method (CVM) can capture

existence value as well as user value of environmental resources

Comparable Costs of U.S. Water Quality Controls Updated Benefit-Cost Comparison for U.S. Water

Control Policies

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Benefit-Cost Analysis of U.S. Water Quality Control PolicyFigure 14.3 Benefit-Cost Analysis of U.S. Post-1972 Water Quality

Policy: Total Social Benefits and Total Social Costs

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Benefit-Cost Analysis of U.S. Water Quality Control PolicyFigure 14.4 Benefit-Cost Analysis of U.S. Water Control Policy for

1985-1990: Marginal Social Cost and Marginal Social Benefit