Transcript Slide 1
Chapter 14
Defining Water Quality: The U.S.
Clean Water Act
© 2004 Thomson Learning/South-Western
Understanding Water Resources for
Policy Development
Identifying Water Resources and Their
Interdependence
Surface water – bodies of water open to the earth’s
atmosphere as well as springs, wells, or other
collectors directly influenced by surface water
Ground water – fresh water beneath the earth’s
surface, generally in aquifers
Hydrologic cycle – the natural movement of water
from the atmosphere to the surface, beneath the
ground and back into the atmosphere
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Understanding Water Resources for
Policy Development
Targeting Water Quality Policy
Point Source – any single identifiable source of
pollution from which pollutants are released, such
as a factory smokestack, a pipe, or a ship
Nonpoint Source – a source of pollution that cannot
be identified accurately and degrades the
environment in a diffuse, indirect way over a
relatively broad area
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Understanding Water Resources for
Policy Development
Setting the Policy Agenda
Water quality is important not only to protect human
health but also to protect the ecology and to ensure
that all uses of water are maintained
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Water Quality Legislation in the United
States: Overview
Early U.S. Water Quality Laws
Rivers and Harbor Act of 1899
Water Pollution Control Act of 1948
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Water Quality Legislation in the United
States: Overview
Evolving Toward Today’s Policy Position
Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act
(MPRSA)
Federal Water Pollution Control Act (FWPCA)
Clean Water Act (CWA) of 1977
Water Quality Act of 1987
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Policy Objectives Under the Clean Water
Act (CWA)
Zero Discharge Goal – a U.S. objective
calling for the elimination of all polluting
effluents into navigable waters
Fishable-Swimmable Goal – an interim U.S.
objective requiring that surface waters be
capable of supporting recreational activities
and the propagation of fish and wildlife
No Toxics in Toxic Amounts – a U.S. goal
prohibiting the release of toxic substances in
toxic amounts into all water resources
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Policy Objectives Under the Clean Water
Act (CWA)
Identifying Pollutants Under the Clean Water
Act
Toxic pollutant – a contaminant which upon
exposure, will cause death, disease abnormalities,
or physiological malfunctions
Conventional pollutant – an identified pollutant that
is well understood by scientists
Nonconventional pollutant – a default category for
pollutants not identified as toxic or conventional
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Defining Water Quality: Standard-Setting
Under the Clean Water Act
Receiving water quality standards –
state-established standards defined by use
designation and water quality criteria
Use Designation - a component of receiving
water quality standards that identifies the
intended purposes of a water body
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Defining Water Quality: Standard-Setting
Under the Clean Water Act
Use-Support Status – a classification of a
water body based on a state’s assessment of
its present condition relative to what is
needed to maintain its designated uses
Water Quality Criteria – a component of
receiving water quality standards that gives
the biological and chemical attributes
necessary to sustain or achieve designated
uses
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Analysis of Receiving Water Quality
Standards
Absence of Benefit-Cost Analysis in Setting
the Standards
Even in states’ reports to the EPA on use-support
status, benefit-cost assessment is not being done,
even though the law calls for such an analysis
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Analysis of Receiving Water Quality
Standards
Lack of Consistency with the TechnologyBased Effluent Limitations
The link between the water quality standards and
the effluent limitations is blurred because each is
motivated differently
Standards are motivated by water usage
The effluent limits are motivated by technology
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Benefit-Cost Analysis of U.S. Water
Quality Control Policy
Benefit-Cost Analysis of the FWPCA of 1972
Estimating the Benefits of the FWPCA of 1972
Estimating the Costs of the FWPCA of 1972
Benefit-Cost Comparison
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Benefit-Cost Analysis of U.S. Water
Quality Control Policy
Figure 14.2(a) Benefit-Cost Analysis of the U.S. FWPCA of 1972,
as of 1985
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Benefit-Cost Analysis of U.S. Water
Quality Control Policy
Figure 14.2(b) Benefit-Cost Analysis of the U.S. FWPCA of 1972,
as of 1985
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Benefit-Cost Analysis of U.S. Water
Quality Control Policy
Advances in Benefit-Cost Analysis of U.S.
Water Quality Policy
Updated Benefit Estimate of U.S. Water Quality
Controls
Contingent valuation method (CVM) can capture
existence value as well as user value of
environmental resources
Comparable Costs of U.S. Water Quality Controls
Updated Benefit-Cost Comparison for U.S. Water
Control Policies
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Benefit-Cost Analysis of U.S. Water
Quality Control Policy
Figure 14.3 Benefit-Cost Analysis of U.S. Post-1972 Water Quality
Policy: Total Social Benefits and Total Social Costs
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Benefit-Cost Analysis of U.S. Water
Quality Control Policy
Figure 14.4 Benefit-Cost Analysis of U.S. Water Control Policy for
1985-1990: Marginal Social Cost and Marginal Social Benefit
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