Setting wastewater standards for industry falls under which act?

• A. Clean Waters Act
• B. Clean Air Act
• C. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
• D. National Environmental Policy Act

Answer: (A)

Discharges of industrial wastewater into U.S. waters are regulated primarily by the Clean Water Act, which sets wastewater standards and requires permits for how much pollutant a facility can release. It creates the framework to control pollutants via the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and to establish effluent limitations and water-quality standards designed to protect rivers, lakes, and streams.

Other acts address different environmental areas: the Clean Air Act regulates air emissions, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act governs hazardous and solid waste management, and the National Environmental Policy Act requires environmental assessments for federal actions. Because the focus here is on controlling pollutants discharged into water, the Clean Water Act is the correct one. (Sometimes you’ll see the title written as Clean Waters Act in error; the proper name is Clean Water Act.)