Definition: The Federal Water Pollution Control Act, also known more commonly as the Clean Water Act, came into effect in 1972. This Clean Water Act is the primary legislation concerning water pollution and its regulation. It establishes a permit system that must be used by point sources of pollution such as industrial facilities, government facilities, and agricultural operations. These point sources are not allowed to discharge or dispose of the pollutants they produce in surface water without a permit from the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).
The Clean Water Act regulates several kinds of water pollutants including toxins, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) pollutants, total suspended solids (TSS), fecal coliform, oil, grease, and pollutants that alter pH.
