United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water (4101)
Washington, DC 20460
www.epa.gov/water
EPA-840-B-00-001
May 2000
Liquid Assets 2000
America's Water Resources at a Turning Point
-------
n Memory...
John H. Chafee
1922 - 1999
This report is dedicated to the
memory of John H. Chafee, who
served as state legislator, Governor
of Rhode Island, Secretary of the
Navy, and U.S. Senator. During his
long and distinguished Senatorial
career, Senator Chafee was a
champion of the Clean Water Act
and the Safe Drinking Water Act.
His energy, commitment,
courage, and statesmanship
continue to inspire all Americans.
"We need to bring alive the necessity for clean water so all Americans
act as stewards of their water resources; whether it is Narragansett Bay
or just the local puddle, every citizen must do his part. For safe, clean,
abundant water—in our homes, rivers, lakes, and streams—is one of
our planet's greatest treasures,"
- Senator John H. Chafee, introducing the Estuary Habitat
Restoration Partnership Act
-------
Liquid Assets 2000:
America's Water Resources at a Turning Point
May 2000
-------
Executive Summary
Each summer millions of Americans
head to the water—a lake, an ocean-
front, or their favorite river—for a few days
of relaxation and recreation. Billions of
dollars will be spent this summer on food,
lodging, and fuel, as well as special equip-
ment, licenses, and services, so people can
enjoy themselves on and around the water.
But throughout the country, our economy
and our summertime traditions are affected
by closed beaches, fewer fish to catch, and
other casualties of dirty water.
We have made tremendous progress clean-
ing up America's waters over the past 30
years. The nation's significant investment to
upgrade sewage treatment plants and
minimize industrial discharges has removed
billions of pounds of pollutants from our
waterways and doubled the number of
waters safe for fishing and swimming.
Despite this resounding success, we still
face significant challenges. An overwhelm-
ing majority of Americans—218 million—
live within 10 miles of a polluted lake, river,
stream, or coastal area. States have identi-
fied almost 300,000 miles of rivers and
streams and more than 5 million acres of
lakes that do not meet state water quality
goals. Many of these waters are not consid-
ered safe for swimming and are unable to
support healthy fish or other aquatic life.
The U .S. Economy Depends
on Clean Water
• A third of all Americans visit coastal
areas each year, making a total of 910
million trips while spending about $44
billion.
• Water used for irrigating crops and
raising livestock helps American farm-
ers produce and sell $197 billion worth
of food and fiber. Farmers understand
the importance of water, especially in
the drought conditions many are facing
this year. Conversely, farmers in North
Carolina were confronted with severe
Hurricane Floyd floods that overran
manure lagoons on hundreds of North
Carolina hog farms.
• The commercial fishing and shellfishing
industries need clean wetlands and
coastal waters to stay in business. Every
year, the Great Lakes, Gulf of Mexico,
and coastal areas produce more than 10
billion pounds offish and shellfish.
• A Money magazine survey found that
clean water and clean air are two of
the most important factors Americans
consider in choosing a place to live.
• Manufacturers use about nine trillion
gallons of fresh water every year. The
soft drink manufacturing industry
alone uses more than 12 billion gallons
of water annually to produce products
valued at almost $58 billion.
The Costs of Dirty Water
Our economy depends on clean water; we
all pay when it is polluted. Contamination
of drinking water sources means higher
health risks and increased treatment costs.
Closed beaches and contaminated rivers
mean lost revenue for local businesses that
serve tourists, anglers, and recreationists.
Swimmers at polluted beaches and lakes
face possible threats from viruses and
bacteria.
Each year Americans pay for dirty water:
• In 1998 about one-third of the 1,062
beaches reporting to the U.S. Environ-
mental Protection Agency (EPA) had
at least one health advisory or closing.
• In 1998 2,506 fish consumption adviso-
ries or bans were issued in areas where
fish were too contaminated to eat.
• Seventeen states reported 37 recre-
ational water outbreaks caused by
microorganisms in the latest (1995-
1996) available data from the Centers
for Disease Control.
• Currently EPA estimates that at least a
half-million cases of illness annually
can be attributed to microbial con-
tamination in drinking water.
-------
Achieving Cleaner Waters
Across America
Over the next decade, we must continue
efforts to reduce pollution from industry,
sewage treatment plants, and polluted
runoff. The goal of clean, safe water will
require state and locally led efforts to
identify and clean up the lakes, rivers, and
streams that are still polluted. Using flex-
ible, common-sense guidelines backed by
tough state water quality standards and
driven by partnerships between government
and private sector organizations at every
level, this generation of Americans can be
the first in more than a century to enjoy
fishable, swimmable, and drinkable water in
every community.
Liquid Assets 2000: America's Water Re-
sources at a Turning Point provides a snap-
shot of the economic value of clean water,
the problems we face in the new millen-
nium, and the actions we must take to
protect and restore the nation's water
resources. This report explores the current
condition of the nation's water resources
and demonstrates the link between clean
water and a strong economy by focusing on
specific businesses and activities that rely
on clean water.
There are a myriad of exciting efforts under
way to help improve water quality in com-
munities throughout the country. America's
water resources are at a turning point. The
choice of clean water for all Americans is
ours.
"Every child deserves to grow up with water that is pure to drink, lakes that are safe for
swimming, rivers that are teeming with fish. We have to act now to combat pollution challenges
with new protections to give all our children the gift of clean, safe water in the 21st century."
— President William J. Clinton
-------
Good News, B ad News
The Current Condition of Our Nation's Water Resources
Our drinking water supply is one of
the safest in the world, but...
(violations)
.. one out of every ten people is served by a
community water system reporting a
health standard violation (1999).
Our rivers, lakes, and coastal waters are
cleaner today than 25years ago, but...
lakes
estuaries
...many assessed waters are still too
polluted for safe fishing or swimming.
Wetland losses have been
significantly reduced, but...
Source:
USFWS Status
and Trends Report
and USDA Natural
Resources Inventory
On June 22, 1969, a stray spark ignited
oil and debris on Ohio's Cuyahoga
River, engulfing the river in flames. The
burning of the Cuyahoga came to symbolize
for this country a century of industrializa-
tion with little or no regard for environ-
mental consequences. It also was one of the
seminal events that gave rise to the envi-
ronmental movement, the creation of EPA,
and the passage of a series of laws designed
to safeguard our environment, including
the enactment of the Clean Water Act in
1972.
In the 30 years since the Cuyahoga blaze,
citizens, industries, states, and local govern-
ments, along with the federal government,
have banded together to improve the
quality of the nation's waters. Over a trillion
dollars, much of it authorized under the
Clean Water Act, has been spent to up-
grade and expand wastewater treatment
facilities. This commitment to clean water
continues as industrial facilities and state
and local governments make investments
to improve treatment and reduce water
quality problems. EPA and the states have
written and enforced more than 70,000
permits limiting pollutants. These efforts to
control "point source" discharges from
municipalities, industry, and sewage plants
have yielded tremendous results. The
number of Americans served by adequate
sewage treatment has more than doubled.
Toxic releases from industry continue to
decline. Due to this national commitment,
the Cuyahoga and other once severely
polluted waters are now thriving centers of
healthy communities.
Despite tremendous progress, we still have
much work to do. Nearly 40 percent of the
nation's assessed waters are not meeting the
standards states have set for them. Many of
these problems will require expanded
treatment of sewage or industrial dis-
charges. But the majority of pollution
problems are caused by runoff from city
streets, rural areas, and other diffuse sources.
As you will see in the pages that follow,
polluted runoff poses a serious threat to the
nation's liquid assets, including highly
valued drinking water sources, beaches,
recreational fisheries, coastal seafood
nurseries, and popular vacation areas.
...less than half of the wetlands in the
contiguous states remain, and annual
losses continue to exceed gains.
More Than a Quarter
Century of Clean
Water Act Successes
• Doubling the number of
waterways safe for fishing and
swimming
• More than doubling the
number of Americans served
by adequate sewage treat-
ment
• Reducing annual wetlands
losses by roughly 75 percent
• Reducing soil erosion from
cropland by more than a third
-------
America's Water Resources: A Large and Diverse Portfolio
90,465
square miles
of estuaries
41 million
acres
of lakes,
ponds, and
reservoirs
33,000 trillion
i£l gallons of
groundwater
3.6 million
miles of rivers
and streams
/>
les
5,521 miles
of Great
Lakes shoreline
274 million
wetlands
66,645 miles
of ocean
shoreline
"For my entire career, I have
believed very deeply that a strong
economy and a clean
environment go hand in hand."
—Vice President Al Gore
Source: National Water Quality Inventory, 1998
* t^m
Coastal Waters are Biq Business
-------
The B usiness of Clean Water:
How Water Quality Affects Major Economic Sectors
The impact of clean water on the recreation and tourism industry is profound. But the same is
true for many other sectors of our economy. In many ways clean water is the fuel that powers the
nation's economic engine. Commercial fishing, agriculture, real estate, and manufacturing are just
a few of the sectors that rely on clean water to operate and ensure productivity. Every day these
and other sectors of the U.S. economy rely on clean water to grow, process, or deliver their
products and services.
Recreation and Tourism Bring Jobs and Profits
Beautiful beaches, white-water rivers, and
calm, cool lakes contribute to a flourishing
recreation and tourism industry in this
country. Water has a powerful attraction for
people, which is translating into jobs and
profits for our economy. The travel, tour-
ism, and recreation industries supported
jobs for more than 6.8 million people and
generated annual sales in 1996 of more
than $450 billion. Water-related recreation
and tourism make for a large part of those
jobs and revenue. Almost all Americans
participate in water-based recreation and
tourism and spend about 10 percent of
their income on recreational activities.
-II r
Fishing Revenues Return to Lake
Winnebago
Lake Winnebago in Fond Du Lac
County, Wisconsin, is the host of
many national fishing tournaments.
When residents got tired of seeing
summer algae blooms (sometimes so
bad that they covered the entire lake,
creating a foul smell) they formed the
Lake Winnebago East Priority Water-
shed Project to save their precious lake
and fishing tourism revenues. The
project worked with local farmers to
install manure storage facilities and
fence cows from area streams. The
Wisconsin Department of Trade and
Consumer Protection and the Fond du
Lac County Land Conservation
Department joined to install a sediment
control basin and grassed waterway.
These efforts will keep an estimated
320 tons of sediment out of the
water each year, preventing excess
nutrients from polluting the lake.
Sales of kayaks and canoes in 1996 alone
exceeded $99 million.
When people decide to plan vacations and
travel for pleasure, there is a strong ten-
dency to head to the water. A third of all
Americans visit coastal areas each year,
making a total of 910 million trips while
spending about $44 billion. Coastal tourism
supports businesses like hotels, resorts,
restaurants, outdoor outfitters, chartered
fishing services, cruiselines, and real estate
and travel agencies. For many Americans,
a day at the beach provides recreation,
relaxation, and a chance to renew the
spirit.
A significant portion of recreational
spending is tied to fish and wildlife, both of
which require high quality water and
habitat (e.g., wetlands, vegetated stream
banks, and silt-free streambeds) for sur-
vival. Thirty-five million American an-
glers, aged 16 or older, spent $38 billion in
pursuit of their sport in 1996. Fishing
expenditures increased by
Did You Know....
37 percent
between 1991
and 1996. Over the
period from 1955 to
1996, angler participation
rates increased by more than
twice the rate of population growth. If
sportfishing were incorporated as a single
business, it would rank 24th on the Fortune
500 list of top sales producers, surpassing
such giants as General Motors, Exxon,
Mobil, and AT&T.
Big and small game and migratory birds that
depend on clean water also generate eco-
nomic activity for the recreation and
tourism industry. In 1996 nearly 14 million
people spent about $20 billion hunting
game and migratory waterfowl. They made
223 million trips and spent $5.2 billion on
trip-related expenses and $11 billion on
equipment. Even more Americans watch
and photograph wildlife. More than 62
million people participate in this relaxing—
and sometimes exciting—pastime every
year, spending more than $29 billion.
One out of every six people aged 16 or older fishes an average of
18 days a year, spending more than $1,000 in the process.
-------
Commercial Fishery Yields Depend on Clean Water
Baltimore journalist H.L. Mencken once
described the Chesapeake Bay as a giant
protein factory because of its incredibly
productive fish and shellfish habitat. Every
year our nation's protein factories—the
Great Lakes, the Gulf of Mexico, and other
coastal areas—produce more than 10
billion pounds of fish and shellfish. The
seafood industry in California alone gener-
ates sales exceeding $800 million annually,
according to the California Seafood Coun-
cil. But profitable fisheries and a prosperous
economy have come at a cost to fish popu-
lations in coastal waters, a situation only
worsened by polluted waters.
Data from the National Marine Fisheries
Service show declining populations for
many species, including salmon, halibut,
perch, cod, haddock, and flounder. These
declines can be linked to a number of
factors, including
overfishing and
habitat loss.
Environmental
degradation is a key
factor. Wetlands
provide critical habitat
during various life cycle
phases for about 70 percent of
all commercial fish species.
Although we have significantly
reduced the rate of wetland loss, wetlands
are being degraded at a rapid rate by sedi-
ments, nutrients, hydromodification (i.e.,
building of dams and channelizing streams),
invasive species, and other causes. In the
Clean Water Action Plan, the President set
a goal of reversing the historic pattern of
wetland losses in the United States and
achieving a net increase of 100,000 acres of
wetlands each year, beginning in 2005.
Clean Water Feeds America
Water is an absolute necessity for ensuring
agricultural productivity. American farmers
produce food and fiber products worth $197
billion a year. The sale of livestock and
poultry makes up $98 billion of the total,
with the cattle industry alone accounting
for $40 billion of all meat sales. Water, in
combination with rich agricultural lands
and technological advancements, helps
make all this productivity possible.
The agricultural industry uses 63 percent of
all groundwater withdrawals, mostly for
irrigation. An estimated 55 million acres
were irrigated in 1997.
Using Partnerships to Solve Water
Quality Problems in Farm Country
Ten years ago, Iowa's Bigalk Creek was
not much more than a watering
trough for cattle. The historical
rainbow trout populations were
virtually wiped out due to sedimenta-
tion and high bacteria levels. To reduce
erosion in the watershed, the Iowa
Department of Agriculture and Land
Stewardship and the U.S. Natural
Resources Conservation Service
undertook an important water qjality
project. They fenced off an important
section of the stream for trout
reproduction and installed nose pumps
to provide water to cattle while
keeping them away from the stream
bank. These actions have kept an
estimated 12,285 tons of soil out of
Bigalk Creek, reduced livestock manure
loadings by 50 percent, and raised
awareness regarding pesticide and
fertilizer impacts in the watershed.
Bigalk Creek is now one of only three
streams in Iowa with documented
reproduction of rainbow trout.
Source: Howard Soil and Water
Conservation District, 2000
-------
Real Estate Values Soar at the Water's Edge
Lake Residents Pay for Clean Water
West Boggs Lake in southern Illinois is
owned and maintained by the Daviess
and Martin Joint County Parks and
Recreation Department. Upon
observing poor water qjality and a
slump in new home sales, the
department enacted a special-use
permit fee for water-use activities that
degrade water qjality. In 1999 the
Department collected more than
$450,000 in user fees, which were
deposited into a special park fund to
improve lake water qjality. Since the
program's inception, West Boggs
Lake's water qjality and recreational
fishing have dramatically improved.
Lakeside residents have also seen an
increase in real estate values and sales.
When it comes to real estate, a
waterfront view is a prime selling
feature—as long as the water is
clean. Ocean, lake, and riverfront
properties often sell or rent for
several times the value of similar
properties located inland.
Community and business leaders also
understand the potential value of water-
front locations. Today waterfronts are often
a focal point for urban renewal in many
cities. Before passage of the 1972 Clean
Water Act, many of our rivers and water-
fronts were so polluted that no one wanted
to go near them, much less invest in new
development. But times are changing.
Twenty-five years ago, the Connecticut
River was considered a polluted nuisance.
Today, this American Heritage River has
become a source of beauty, recreation and
economic revitalization. Along with the
Clean Water Act, efforts by Riverfront
Recapture, Inc. and state and local groups
have paid off. In the shadow of the down-
town Hartford skyline, people are fishing,
rowing and water skiing. Outdoor sporting
events like top-level bass tournaments are
doing more than showcasing the river, they
are generating millions for the local
economy. With the emergence of riverfront
parks, land near the river is becoming
highly desirable again. Riverfront Plaza will
soon be home to a convention center,
hotel, retail and entertainment facilities,
housing, and an aquarium or discovery
center. With nearly a billion dollars worth
of development planned for sites along the
river, the Connecticut is reclaiming its role
as the region's economic lifeline.
Manufacturing: Water Fuels the Nation's Industries
"Water has a psychological value.... People derive measurable
pleasure from recreational activities like boating and fishing and find
comfort in knowing that the water they drink is of the highest
quality."
—The National Water Research Institute
The size and nature of American industries
vary widely, and yet nearly all of them share
a common need—a reliable source of water
to support operations. In 1995 the U.S.
Geological Survey estimated that manufac-
turing companies used more than nine
trillion gallons of fresh water per year,
approximately four percent more than they
had used in 1990. In many cases water is
needed primarily for production purposes,
such as in the manufacturing of computer
chips or steel, and is treated and returned
to a surface water or groundwater source.
Proper treatment of this returned water is a
vital component of the nation's water
program under the Clean Water Act.
-------
Today's Chal lenges
Clean water is important to our health
and our livelihood. Today's biggest
threat to water quality is polluted runoff.
During rainstorms or snowmelt, billions of
pounds of dirt, manure, fertilizer, farm and
lawn chemicals, oils and grease from city
streets and parking lots, nutrient and toxic
contaminants from the atmosphere, con-
taminants from tire and brake pad wear,
contaminants from abandoned mines, and
other pollutants are carried into the
nation's waters. Runoff from sprawling
developments, hydromodification, and
some farming and forestry operations that
lack conservation measures continue to
contribute significantly to degraded condi-
tions nationwide. According to the 1998
National Water Quality Inventory, states
report that polluted runoff is the leading
cause of water quality problems nationwide
and pollution from agriculture, including
cropland erosion, animal waste (e.g., chicken,
hog, and beef farms), and fertilizers, is the
leading cause of polluted runoff.
Some of today's other water quality threats
include combined sewer overflows, sanitary
sewer overflows, and stormwater system
discharges. These discharges contribute to
serious water quality problems, including
beach closings, shellfish bed closures, and
threats to groundwater and drinking water
supplies.
1
Combined sewer overflows occur in older
cities with "combined sewer systems,"
where the sewer system collects both storm
water runoff and sanitary sewage in the
same pipe. During rainfall or snowmelt,
volume in the combined sewer system can
exceed capacity, resulting in direct dis-
charges to streams, rivers, lakes or estuaries.
These overflows contain not only storm
water, but untreated human and industrial
waste, toxic materials and debris. They
occur during wet weather in approximately
900 cities that have combined sewer
systems.
Sanitary sewer overflows, meanwhile, are
discharges of raw sewage from separate
Coastal Waters at Risk
Nutrients from livestock manure, sewage, and fertilizer runoff cause algae blooms in
coastal waters. When the algae die and decompose, they use up the oxygen needed by
fish and other aqjatic organisms. Low oxygen conditions annually affect a large area in
the Gulf of Mexico, which last year reached the size of New Jersey. Similar "hypoxia"
afflicts estuarine waters in many parts of the country. Impacts include reduced fish and
shellfish reproduction, economic losses, and human health effects. Controlling nutrients
reqjires a national, coordinated effort.
Source: Clean Coastal Waters, National Research Council
sanitary sewers, which are not designed to
carry storm water runoff. Sanitary sewer
overflows occur as a result of leaky, dam-
aged, or blocked sewer pipes or when the
volume of sewage flow exceeds the capacity
of the sewer pipes or treatment plant,
backing up into basements, onto city
streets, and into our waters. Storm water
runoff from urbanized areas, industrial sites,
and construction sites is another major
source of pollution.
Although some programs are in place to
control sewer overflows and stormwater
runoff, EPA is continuing to explore ways
to control the environmental and public
health threats posed by these "wet weather"
sources of pollution. These and other
emerging threats require continued vigi-
lance as our infrastructure ages and popula-
tions increase.
While this report focuses primarily on water
pollution, we face other problems. Air
pollution, global warming and other chal-
lenges are important issues that we need to
address and which contribute to water
pollution as well.
-------
I *
•
Americans Pay
for Dirty Water
Although our lakes, rivers, estuaries,
and wetlands are much cleaner than
they were in 1970, headlines like these are
all too common.
The cost of polluted water is significant.
Americans pay for dirty water every year:
• A 1993 outbreak of Cryptosparidium, a
disease-causing microbe, in
Milwaukee's drinking water sickened
more than 400,000 people and killed
more than 50.
• The toxic microbe Pfksteria piscicida
has killed millions of fish in North
Carolina since 1995 and tens of thou-
sands of fish in Maryland in 1997.
Losses to the U.S. seafood and tourism
industries from Pfksteria are estimated
at $1 billion. Maryland alone suffered
$43 million in canning and fishing
I. .s. fouLlfd
f.n tr size of
•"-
r-
°*™«*^,
losses in a single year. North Carolina is
now spending millions of dollars for
watershed restoration in an effort to
control potential outbreaks in the
future.
Harmful algae blooms, which flourish
in nutrient-rich waters, have devas-
tated the scallop industry on Long
Island, killed millions offish in Texas
coastal bays, and sickened many who
have eaten contaminated shellfish or
visited stricken seashores.
UNSAFE
SWIMMING
A 1995 study by the Santa Monica Bay
Restoration Project of 15,000 bathers
at three Santa Monica Bay beaches
found that approximately 1 in every 25
beachgoers who swam near a flowing
storm drain contracted gastroentestinal
illness or cold- and flu-like symptoms.
Mining in the western United States
has contaminated stream reaches in the
headwaters of more than 40 percent of
the watersheds in the West. EPA is
spending $30,000 per day to treat
contaminated mine drainage at the
Summitville Mine in Colorado, which
will cost an estimated $170 million to
clean up. Remediation of the half-
million abandoned mines in 32 states
may cost up to $35 billion or more.
-------
Contamination from coal-fired power
plants, motor vehicles, or other air pollu-
tion can also cause signifcant water quality
problems. Lakes in the Midwest and the
Northeast are contaminated by mercury
from distant utilities' combustion sources.
Streams in Appalachia run red with dis-
solved iron from acid mine drainage.
Salmon populations in the Northwest are
being depleted by sediment runoff and dam
impacts.
With clean water, an ounce of prevention is
worth much more than a pound of cure.
Every day we must make choices to protect
groundwater, control polluted runoff,
improve sewage treatment, and restore the
nation's watersheds, or the costs will con-
tinue to mount.
Total Number of Fish Advisories in Effect in Each State in 1998
(change from 1997)
(+6)
Number of Advisories in Effect
(1998)
I 1 1-10
I 1 11-20
I 1 21-30
I 1 31-50
I 1 51-100
i 1 >ioo
Source: US EPA, 1999
-------
Federal Tools in Action
Tie Clean Water Act provides many
:ools to gain clean water. One tool—
the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL)
program—has become increasingly impor-
tant over the last decade. Under the
TMDL program, states, territories, and
authorized tribes identify their polluted
waters, submit a list of these waters to EPA,
and work with citizens to set priorities for
restoring them to health. State agencies
then work with landowners, private compa-
nies, and other local stakeholders to
develop cleanup plans
for these polluted waters.
These plans set "pollution
budgets" that show how much
pollution a waterbody can receive and still
meet water quality standards. EPA is work-
ing to strengthen existing cleanup efforts by
promoting more focused, collaborative
efforts at the state, tribal, and local level to
identify and clean up polluted waterbodies.
Clean Water Act Programs at Work
The Water Quality Standards Program sets overall goals, criteria, and limits for
individual waterbodies and drives the development of water-qjality-based
discharge permits.
The Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Program reqjires states, territories
and authorized tribes to identify their polluted waters and submit prioritized lists
of these waters to EPA, and to develop TMDLs for these waters to help them
achieve water qjality standards,
Effluent Guidelines Program sets national limits on the amounts of pollutants
in wastewater that can be discharged into U.S. waters and publicly-owned
treatment works from industrial and other facilities.
The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Program issues
permits based on effluent guidelines for individual dischargers.
The Stormwater Program reqjires cities, industrial facilities, and other sources
of pollution to institute proper management practices to minimize runoff from
urban areas.
The State Revolving Loan Program provides low-cost financing for a range of
water qjality and infrastructure projects.
The Wetlands Protection Program establishes a permit program jointly
administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and EPA to regulate discharges
of dredged or fill materials into waters, including wetlands, of the United States.
The Nonpoint source Management Program provides funding for broad
state and tribal management programs to address polluted runoff from agricul-
ture, urban development and forestry, and helps to restore streams, estuaries,
lakes and wetlands.
The National Estuary Program identifies, restores and protects nationally
significant estuaries of the United States using partnerships. There are 28
estuaries in the program.
"It is critical that we, as a
nation, rededicate ourselves to
attaining the Clean Water Act
goals that have inspired us for
the past 25 years. The TMDL
regulations we have proposed
draw on the core authorities of
the Clean Water Act and refine
and strengthen the existing
program for identifying and
restoring polluted waters. They
provide a map that will support
us in our effort to fulfill the
original promise of the Clean
Water Act."
—Carol Browner, EPA Administrator
-------
The Clean Water Action Plan
In 1998, President Clinton and Vice Presi-
dent Gore released the Clean Water Action
Plan (www.cleanwater.gov), a comprehen-
sive strategy designed to help protect and
restore the nation's water resources using a
watershed framework. The plan's 111 key
actions focus on achieving cleaner water by
strengthening public health protection,
targeting high-priority areas, and providing
communities with new resources to control
polluted runoff and enhance natural re-
source stewardship. More than one-third of
the 111 actions, including new curbs on
urban runoff, unified watershed assess-
ments, and a beach action plan, are
complete.
Under the Action Plan, many states, tribes,
and local organizations are working on
watershed restoration action strategies
based on new assessments or existing
watershed, ecosystem, conservation, or
other integrated plans. Work has begun in
many watersheds identified as top priorities.
Already, more than 300 watershed restora-
tion action strategies are guiding the design
and implementation of projects that stem
various sources of pollution. Although it
will take several years to complete action
strategies for all high-priority watersheds,
states, territories, and tribes are currently
using their watershed restoration action
strategies to coordinate their programs and
plan for future restoration activities. To-
gether, federal, state, and local govern-
ments, tribes, the private sector, and
communities are working toward healthy
watersheds for our future.
Watershed Cleanup Plan Brings
Community Together
Landowners in the Muddy Creek basin in
Virginia were concerned when they
learned the state Department of Environ-
mental Quality had announced that a
TMDL cleanup plan would be developed
to address high fecal coliform bacteria
levels in the creek. The Rockingham
County Farm Bureau Association formed a
citizen's advisory committee consisting of 12 basin landowners and four environmen-
tal advisors. The committee encouraged all basin landowners to participate in
meetings sponsored by the Department of Environmental Quality. "Because the
landowners have had a vital part of every decision, the community is WO percent
behind the effort," noted Carl Luebben, chair of the Farm Bureau's Environmental
Committee. To assist the farmers with their pollutant reduction efforts, the local Farm
Bureau recently secured an EPA grant to help implement better practices to manage
manure and pesticides.
Dairy farms dot the landscape alongside
Muddy Creek in Rockingham County, Virginia.
The Safe Drinking Water Act—Protecting Public Health
Tough Federal Standards—EPA has set national enforceable health standards
for 90 contaminants. New standards are set for contaminants of greatest risk,
providing cost-effective, strong public health protection.
Source Water Protection Programs—States are examining all sources of
drinking water sources to identify contaminant threats and determine susceptibility
to contamination, allowing water suppliers, local governments, and citizens to
design source water protection measures.
Public Health Information—Water systems around the country must provide
250 million Americans with annual reports about where their water comes from,
what is in it, and how to protect it. Consumers are also notified when there is a
situation posing an immediate threat to public health.
The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund—This federal-state partnership
provides low-cost financing to water systems to upgrade their facilities and for
source water protection activities to ensure compliance with drinking water
standards.
-------
Watershed Partnerships:
Frameworks for Success
Federal, state, and local agencies are
uniting with locally led partnerships and
using technical tools like the TMDL
cleanup program to address the nation's
remaining challenges. Watershed restora-
tion programs nationwide have demon-
strated that partnerships promoting
voluntary stewardship can protect
America's water resources and restore even
badly degraded conditions by using innova-
tion, creative problem solving and coopera-
tive action.
Watershed partnerships are active in every
state, attacking pollution problems with
newly energized initiatives to clean up
America's waters and restore wildlife habi-
tat. Voluntary stewardship programs help
channel resources and time toward con-
structive restoration projects.
Watershed Partnerships Help Restore Shellfish Beds
Efforts of the multi-partner Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team, one of the 28
National Estuary Programs, have restored more than 10,000 acres of commercial shellfish
beds despite significant population growth and development. The public-private efforts
made by another National Estuary Program, the Sarasota Bay Project, have resulted in a
20 percent increase in seagrass habitat in Sarasota Bay since 1988, as well as the return
of the bay scallop to the northern Bay.
Lititz Run Watershed Restoration
The Lititz Run Watershed Alliance,
composed of 15 to 20 community
residents, has initiated more than 15
individual projects to restore habitat,
create wetlands, plant forest buffers,
and reduce polluted runoff from
farms and urban areas. Faculty and
students from the local high school
were thrilled at one tangible result of
their actions—the sighting of a black
crowned night heron at a wetland
constructed at the regional water
qjality facility.
The Lititz Run Watershed Alliance in Pennsylvania
removed an old dam to restore wildlife habitat and
reduce thermal pollution in the stream.
-------
What You Can Do
Everyone plays an important role in ensur-
ing clean community waters. By forming
watershed partnerships, participating in
local government decisions, conserving
water, or changing our current practices
around the house, we can all make a differ-
ence. Citizens in all 50 states are volunteer-
ing to assess, monitor, and clean up our
waters at record-setting rates. The number
of volunteers participating in monitoring
and cleanup activities in the United States
is now close to half a million.
EPA has resources available to show you
how to get started and stay involved. EPA's
Adapt Your Watershed (http://www.epa.gov/
adopt) database includes several thousand
watershed partnerships and volunteer
monitoring organizations that are working
nationwide to protect and restore local
watersheds. As part of the Adapt Your
Watershed campaign, more than 1,500 Girl
Scouts nationwide have earned a new
Water Drop patch for completing watershed
projects in their local communities (http://
www.epa.gov/adopt/patch).
Since 1994 more than 2,700 volunteers in the United
States and Canada have participated in the Great
American Secchi Dip-In (http://dipin.kent.edu). This
volunteer water monitoring effort, which measures
water clarity using Secchi disks, was conceived by
Dr. Bob Carlson of Kent State University with support
from EPA. Reduced clarity can be caused by sedimen-
tation (soil runoff) or by excessive algae growth due to
overenrichment from sewage, manure, fertilizers, or
atmospheric deposition.
The Road Ahead
This report discusses the enormous value of America's water
resources and presents a sobering summary of the threats they
face. Ensuring clean, safe water is not an easy task, nor is it a
job that any single government agency can do alone. Cleaning
up our waters will require a national mobilization of communi-
ties, business interests, farmers, ranchers, mine operators,
landowners and citizens alike.
As the summer season approaches and we head to our favorite
beach, lake, or river, we are reminded of the importance of
clean water. By taking actions now to protect our precious
water resources, we can help to ensure that our children and
our grandchildren can share the same summertime joys we will
so fondly cherish.
-------
B ibliography
Bellas, John M. 1999. Pfiesteria in the Chesapeake Bay and its Estuaries. Perm State EMS
on the Web. Posted at < "http://www.ems.psu.edu/info/explore/PFIEST.html>. Accessed
May 16, 2000.
California Seafood Council. Home Page, . Accessed
May 12, 2000.
The Coca-Cola Company. 2000. Operations Stewardship. . Accessed May 12,2000.
The Committee for the National Institute for the Environment. 1997. Congressional
Research Service Report for Congress: Pfiesteria: Natural Resource and Human Health
Concern, . AccessedMay 12,2000.
Dahl, T.E. 1995. Status and Trends of Wetlands in the Conterminous United States,
Projected Trends 1985 to 1995. U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service,
Washington, DC. Unpublished report.
Fortune. 2000. The Fortune 1000 List, . Accessed April 14, 2000.
Haile, R.W; Alamillo, ].; Barrett, K.; Cressey, R.; Dermond, ].; Ervin, C.; Glasser,
A; Harawa, N.; Hermon, P; Herper, ].; McGee, C.; Millikan, R.C.; Nides, M.;
Witte, J.S. 1996. An Epidemiobgical Study of Possible Adverse Health Effects of Swimming
in Santa Monica Bay. Santa Monica Bay Restoration Project. Santa Monica, CA.
Heal the Bay. 2000. Swimming in the Bay: Health Risks. Posted at <"http://
www.healthebay.org/swimming.asp> Heal the Bay, Los Angeles, CA. Accessed May 15,
2000.
Heimlich, R. and J. Melanson. 1995. Wetlands Lost, Wetlands Gained. National Wetlands
Newsletter (May-June) 17:3. Environmental Law Institute.
Howard Soil and Water Conservation District. The Bigalk Creek Water Quality Project.
. Accessed April 14,2000.
Levy, D.A., M.S. Bens, GE Craun, R.L. Calderon, B.L. Herwaldt.1998 Morbidity and
Mortality Weekly Report. 47 (SS-5): 1 -34.
Money. 2000. The Best Places to Live 2000. Money. < http://www.money.com/money/
depts/real_estate/bestplaces/>. Accessed April 14,2000.
National Research Council. 2000. Clean Coastal Waters: UnderstandingandReducingthe
Effects of Nutrient Pollution. National Academy Press, Washington, DC.
National Soft Drink Association. 1999. So^t Drink Facts, . Accessed May 5,2000.
National Wildlife Federation. 2000. Pollution Paralysis II: Code Red for Watersheds. Posted
at < "http://www.nwf.Org/nwf/watersheds/paralysis/pp2j:eport.pdf>. NWI; Ann Arbor,
MI. Accessed May 15, 2000.
National Water Research Institute. The Value of Water: Recognizing and Using the Full
Potential of Your Water Supply. National Water Research Institute. Fountain Valley, CA.
The News and Observer on the Web. 1998. State Nets $221 MiRion to Tackle Fish Kffis.
.
Accessed May 15, 2000.
ORCA 1997.1997StateofthelndustryReport. . Accessed April 18,2000.
Rockingham County Farm Bureau. 2000. Personal Communication with Mr. Carl
Luebben, Environmental Committee Chair, Rockingham County, VA. April 14,2000.
Solley, WB., R.R. Pierce, and H.A. Perlman. 1998. Estimated Water Use in the United States
in 1995. U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1200. U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, CO.
Terrene Institute. 1999. Fight for Lake Winnebago. Nonpoint Source News-Notes,
May 1999:57. Terrene Institute, Alexandria, VA.
Terrene Institute. 1999. Lakeside Residents Pay for Activities that Pollute. Nonpoint
Source-News Notes. July 1999:58. Terrene Institute, Alexandria, VA.
USDA. 1994. Summary Report 1992 National Resources Inventory. U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Washington, DC.
USDA. 1997. 1997 Census of Agriculture: United States Summary and State Data.
AC97-A-51. Volume 1, Geographic Area Series Part 51. U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Washington, DC.
U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Department of
Commerce, Bureau of the Census. 1996.1996 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and
Wildlife-Associated Recreation. U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service,
Washington, DC.
USEPA. 1996. Liquid Assets: A Summertime Perspective on the Importance of Clean Water to
the Nation's Economy. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 800-R-96-002. Washing-
ton, DC.
USEPA. 1996. Nonpoint Source Pollution: The Nation's Largest Water Quality Problem.
. AccessedMay 12,2000.
USEPA. 1997. Water on Tap: A Consumer's Guide to the Nation's DrinkingWater. . Accessed April 14,2000
USEPA. 1998.305(b) Report to Congress. Posted at <"http://www.epa.gov/OW/
resources/9698/chap2.html> AccessedMay 15, 2000.
USEPA. 1999. EPA's BEACH Watch Program: 1999 Update. U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency. EPA-823-F-99-004. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office
of Water, Washington, DC.
USEPA. 1999. The Lititz Run Watershed Initiative: A Community Restoring it's
Water Quality, .
Accessed April 10, 2000
USEPA. 1999. Update: National Listing of Fish and Wildlife Advisories. EPA-823-F-99-
005. Office of Water, Washington, DC.
USEPA. 2000. Clean Water Action Plan: The Second Year Report: Progress Through
Partnerships. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Washington, DC.
USEPA. 2000. Clean Water Act: A Brief History, . Accessed May 12,2000.
USEPA. 2000. A Method for Quantifying the Economic and Environmental Impacts of Travel,
Tourism and Recreation. Draft. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Policy,
Economics, and Innovation. Washington, D.C.
USEPA. 2000. National Water Quality Inventory: 1998 Report to Congress. U.S. Environ-
mental Protection Agency. EPA-841-R-00-001, Office of Water, Washington, DC.
USEPA. 2000. Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Program: Testimony of Carol Browner,
Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency before the Committee on Agriculture,
Nutrition, and Forestry United States Senate. < http://www.epa.gov/owow/tmdl/
22300.html>. Accessed May 12, 2000.
USEPA. 2000. Wet Weather: What are Urban Wet Weather Flows Under the NPDES
Program? . Accessed May 16, 2000.
World Water and Water & Wastewater International. World of Water 2000: The
Past, Present and Future. World Water and Water & Wastewater International.
Tulsa, OK.
Photographic Acknowledgements
The EPA would like to recognize and thank the following sources for contributing photographs to this report.
Pam Packer, University of Wisconsin
Cooperative Extension
Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources
Joanne Burkeholder, North Carolina State
University Aquatic Botany Laboratory
Steve Delaney, EPA Photographer
Washington, D.C.
-------
This report should be cited as:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 2000. Liquid Assets 2000: America's Water Resources at a Turning Point.
EPA-840-B-00-001. Office of Water (4101), United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC
To obtain a copy of this document free of charge, contact:
National Service Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP)
Phone: (513) 489-8190 or (800) 490-9198
Fax: (513) 489-8695
This document is available on the Internet for browsing or download at:
http://www.epa.gov/ow
More information about upcoming actions to address polluted waters can be
found on the TMDL Web site at http://www.epa.gov/owow/tmdl/. In addi-
tion, the maps in the Adas of America's Polluted Waters (EPA, 2000), graphi-
cally depict waters that do not meet state water quality standards and show
the extent of water pollution nationwide.
My Precious Water, I Kiss You
Parkpoom Poompana, age 1 5 • Fort Myers, Florida • 1996 River of Words Grand Prize Winner
© River of Words
-------
Where to go for more information
Using the Watershed Information Network at http://www.cleanwater.gov/win, you can
check out local water conditions, find out about watershed training opportunities, identify
voluntary monitoring and watershed programs to get involved in, connect to federal and
state agencies, or follow the progress of the Clean Water Action Plan or other initiatives.
------- |