A course of Environmental Engineering describing the regulations related to water quality concerns.

1. ID-714
Water Quality Management
Presentation topic;
Water Quality Regulations
University of Agriculture Faisalabad,Pakistan

2. Federal Regulations(US America)
• These regulations have helped control water pollution and protect our drinking water.
• They also helped us to clean up contaminated water and protect waters that is important
aquatic habitat to species whose survival is in question.
Clean Water Act
• The federal water pollution control act , commonly known as Clean Water Act(CWA) is the
cornerstone of water quality legislation(law makers)
• The current Act is a combination of federal water pollution control policies developed
over many years. The clean water act consist of five separate parts , called Titles.
• Title I is the introductory section, which declares the goals and policies of the act.
According to title I; The objective of this act is to restore the physical, chemical and
biological integrity of Nation’s water.
• The CWA also establishes the goal of making the nation’s water drinkable and fishable,
and also includes the description of research programs.
• Title II includes a description of the grants program for constructing publicly owned
treatment works. It also includes a description of the river basin planning program.

3. Federal Regulations(US America)
Clean Water Act
• Title III of CWA is the section on water quality standards and enforcement measures.
Individual state water quality agencies typically develop these standards and submit to
Environmental protection Agency for review and approval.
• Title III also includes a description of programs for effluent limitations , reviewing water
quality conditions, preventing the discharge of oil and hazardous substances, and
maintaining clean lakes.
 Section 305(b) of Title III includes the procedures for reviewing water quality conditions.
Every two years, state agencies inventory the quality of waters in their state and
submit a summary report to the environmental protection agency
 Many of the policies and procedures for preventing oil pollution in United Sates’ waters
are outlined under Section 311 of Title III .According to section 311 The
Congress hereby declares that it the policy of united states that there should be no
discharges of oil or hazardous substances into or upon the navigable water of the United
States ,adjoining shorelines , or into the waters of contiguous zone.
 Section 311 requires a Nation contingency plan to be developed for the removal of spilled
oil and hazardous substances

4. Federal Regulation(US America)
Clean Water Act
• Another program outlined under Section 311 requires owners of sites
containing petroleum products to prepare and implement spill prevention,
control, and countermeasure plans for these sites.
• Title IV of the CWA contains programs for water quality permits and
licenses , including three may you have heard
1. National Pollutant discharge Elimination System(NPDES)permitting program .
2. The dredge(excavating material) and fill permitting program,
3. The water quality certification program.
• Finally Title V includes the other general provisions of the Act. These
provisions include administrative procedures, definitions, and methods for
procurement.
 Section 505 describes the procedures that an individual citizen can take to file a
civil suit against any entity, including the government, for violating terms of the
Clean Water Act.

5. Federal Regulations(US America)
Safe Drinking Water Act(SDWA);
• The SDWA is the key piece of legislation that protects our drinking water
• The Safe Drinking Water Act defines the maximum concentrations of
contaminants allowed in our drinking water. It defines the maximum
contaminant levels (MCLs) for inorganic substances, organic substances,
and microorganisms.
• For example, the MCL for nitrate, an inorganic substance, is ten parts per
million. The MCL for benzene, an organic substance, is 0.005 parts per
million. The MCL for coliform bacteria allows only one water sample per
month to test positive for total coliforms when fewer than forty samples are
taken per month

6. Federal Regulations(US America)
Safe Drinking Water Act(SDWA);
• Only approved laboratories are allowed to perform most of the analyses
required by the SDWA. Individual state health departments are usually
responsible for the laboratory approval process.
• Because of the concern over the health effects of lead and copper, the Safe
Drinking Water Act requires communities to review their water distribution
systems to evaluate pipe materials and report this information to the agency
responsible for drinking water in their state.
• Lead contamination can originate from pipes, from solder and interior
linings used on the distribution mains, or from home plumbing. Copper
contamination can originate from alloys used in distribution mains or home
plumbing.
• The 1986 amendments to the SDWA prohibit the use of lead pipes, solder, or
flux in drinking water systems. State and local plumbing codes enforce this
prohibition