The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is responsible for setting and enforcing water
quality standards across the United States. These standards are designed to protect the health and well-
being of people, as well as the aquatic life and other organisms that depend on clean water. The EPA’s
water quality standards were established under the Clean Water Act, which was passed by Congress in
1972. The Act requires states and territories to develop and adopt water quality standards for all of their
surface waters, including lakes, rivers, streams, and wetlands. The EPA is responsible for reviewing and
approving these standards, as well as setting standards for pollutants that are not covered by state or
territorial standards.
The EPA’s water quality standards are divided into two categories: primary standards and secondary
standards. Primary standards are established to protect human health, and they set limits for pollutants
that are known to be or are suspected to be harmful to human health. Secondary standards are
established to protect the environment and aquatic life, and they set limits for pollutants that may cause
aesthetic or other non-health-related problems.
The EPA’s water quality standards are based on the latest scientific research and are designed with the
intent of protecting human health and the environment. Standards are set for a wide range of pollutants,
including bacteria, pesticides, heavy metals, and other toxic substances. The EPA also sets standards for
dissolved oxygen, pH, and other physical and chemical characteristics of water. The reason for setting
standards for these characteristics in water is to prevent unnatural contamination or occurrences of over
nutrients causing algae blooms. In addition to setting and enforcing water quality standards, the EPA also
works with states and territories to develop and implement programs to monitor and assess the quality
of their surface waters. This helps to ensure that water quality standards are being met and that any
problems are identified and addressed in a timely manner. The EPA also has the authority to take
enforcement action against violators of the Clean Water Act and the water quality standards established
under it. This includes issuing fines and penalties, as well as taking steps to ensure that the violator takes
the necessary steps to come into compliance. The US EPA is responsible for setting and enforcing water
quality standards in the country, under the Clean Water Act. These standards are designed to protect
human health and the environment and are based on the best current scientific data.