Abstract
A historical summary of water quality regulation in the United States finds a changing emphasis on receiving system issues. When the Clean Water Act (CWA) replaced the 1965 Federal Water Pollution Control Act there was a major shift from an ambient water quality, receiving system emphasis, to technology based controls. As CWA programs evolved, receiving system issues have received greater attention. For example initial initiatives in site-specific criteria development were followed by water quality-based toxics control that may soon be replaced by ecosystem-based biocriteria. The pendulum is swinging, regulation is more comprehensively addressing receiving system issues. At this time, it is appropriate to consider if the balance between the understanding of the complex chemical, physical, and ecological dynamics of receiving systems and our capacity to regulate pollutant concentrations and loading is matched, particularly when dealing with wet weather events? There is a real concern that additional investment in control technology will not provide a concomitant improvement in receiving water integrity. If technology and our understanding of receiving systems is mismatched - can, or should, the pendulum maintain its regulatory momentum? Can the pendulum swing against an increasing current of impact identification and public concern? The relevance of receiving water issues associated with wet weather events will be the focus for answering these questions.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages | 168-176 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| State | Published - 1994 |
| Event | Proceedings of the Conference on National Water Resources Regulation: Where is the Environmental Pendulum Now? - Washington, DC, USA Duration: Jan 31 1994 → Feb 1 1994 |
Other
| Other | Proceedings of the Conference on National Water Resources Regulation: Where is the Environmental Pendulum Now? |
|---|---|
| City | Washington, DC, USA |
| Period | 1/31/94 → 2/1/94 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Engineering