What is the main purpose of the Clean Water Act?

The primary purpose of the Clean Water Act is to protect the beneficial uses of surface waters. This legislation is focused on maintaining and restoring the integrity of the nation's waters by preventing point and nonpoint source pollution, thus ensuring that water bodies are suitable for various uses such as recreation, habitat for wildlife, and drinking water supply. By emphasizing the protection of beneficial uses, the act allows for a broader interpretation of what constitutes a healthy aquatic ecosystem, encompassing not only the physical and chemical quality of the water but also the overall biological health and ecological processes.

While the Clean Water Act does set standards and regulates discharges of pollutants into waterways, its overarching goal is not merely to ban pollutants outright but to establish a framework for managing water quality effectively. Therefore, the emphasis on protecting beneficial uses aligns with the act's intent to support a variety of activities and ecosystem services that clean waters provide.