Clean Water Act establishes programs designed to restore and protect the quality of our nations waters by eliminating the discharge of pollutants into surface waters.The programs under the act are the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program, the dredge and fill permit program, and municipal wastewater treatment programs. Elements of the Clean Water Act are:
• A prohibition on discharges, except as in compliance with the Act (section 301)
• A permit program to authorize and regulate discharges in compliance with the Act (section 402)
• A system for determining the limitation to be imposed on authorized and regulated discharges (Sections 301, 306, 307)
• A permit program governing the discharge or placement of dredged or fill material in the nation’s waters (section 404)
• A system for preventing, reporting, and responding to spills into the nation’s waters (section 311)
• A procedure for cooperative federal/state implementatio of the Act (sections 401, 402)
– Strong enforcement mechanisms (sections 309, 505)
Safe Drinking Water Act makes sure that contaminated water is treated. The basic regulated entity is the public water system. The US EPA is responsible for the enforcement of this act. The objectives of the Safe Drinking Water Act are:
• To provide for identification, monitoring, and control of contaminants in finished water, as defined by the SDWA and U.S. EPA
• To provide for enforcement of the rules
• To provide for utility collection and dissemination of information about water
• To provide right-to-know cotumer information
• To provide funding opportunities for utility systems needing to upgrade plant
Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Regulations of the Town and Borough of Newtown Connecticut