Water Quality and Pollution

Water quality and pollution covers how clean or contaminated the nation's water is and what causes it to be harmed. Common causes include industrial discharge, farm runoff, sewage, stormwater, and aging pipes. The EPA, states, and local utilities set standards and respond to problems.

Readers usually ask whether their water is safe and what federal and state laws protect it. They want to know how standards are set, who is responsible when water is contaminated, and how the public learns about problems. They also ask how water safety in general is overseen.