For Immediate Release
February 12, 2003
Contact: Lori Burkhammer
1(703) 684-2400
FEBRUARY IS NATIONAL WASTEWATER MONTH
WEF and U.S. EPA Seek to Raise Awareness of Important Wastewater Issues
(Alexandria, VA) - The Water Environment Federation (WEF) has joined with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act. Each month during the year-long celebration, the EPA will focus on a particular facet of the Clean Water Act. February will highlight wastewater issues, including the successes achieved over the last 30 years and the important challenges ahead.
Enacted in 1972, the Clean Water Act was a landmark piece of legislation and has spurred the clean up of many of the nation's rivers, lakes, and coastal waters. In the early 1970s, it was estimated that only one-third of the nation's waters were considered "healthy". Today, that figure has increased to approximately two-thirds.
Much of this success is due to the nation's focus on upgrading and improving wastewater treatment systems. Since 1972, the nation has invested approximately $300 billion (in constant dollars) in building and upgrading wastewater systems. The Clean Water Act mandated that all publicly-owned wastewater treatment facilities provide "secondary treatment" of wastewater. Today, nearly every wastewater facility in the nation meets this standard. Because of this immense effort, we have eliminated billions of pounds of pollutants from entering our environment, and we have preserved and improved much of the nation's water resources.
To celebrate these successes during national wastewater month, EPA has developed a set out outreach materials that communities can use to help educate their citizens on a variety of important wastewater issues. Materials include homeowner's guides on proper management of septic systems, an overview of how wastewater systems work, utility bill inserts for homeowners on sanitary sewers or septic systems, an educational poster with classroom activities, information on accessing funding from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, and other useful items. Most of these materials have been designed for use and distribution by communities. They include areas where the community can insert local contact information (name, telephone number, etc.) so citizens will know where to turn for more information.
These materials are available for download and use at www.epa.gov/water/yearofcleanwater. For additional information about water quality and educational resources, please visit www.wef.org.
Founded in 1928, the Water Environment Federation (WEF) is a not-for-profit technical and educational organization with members from varied disciplines who work toward the WEF vision of preservation and enhancement of the global water environment. The WEF network includes water quality professionals from 79 Member Associations in 32 countries.