Sources of pollution

Since the 1970s, the Clean Water Act has required states to regulate point sources by enforcing limits on how much of a pollutant can be discharged into waterways and monitoring the treated wastewater that is discharged. Point sources can only discharge pollutants to waterways if they have permission from the state under a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. Over the last 40 years, NPDES regulations have required municipalities and industries to make expensive wastewater treatment investments, which have resulted in major reductions of industrial and municipal wastes entering waterways.

Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution is the most prevalent type of pollution in northwest Ohio’s waterways. NPS pollution includes fertilizers, pesticides, and animal waste that run off from farm fields and yards when it rains and when snow melts. Nutrients, chemicals, sediments, and oils run off roads and parking lots into storm drains and waterways. Soils that are left exposed to the elements also wash easily into our waterways. NPS pollution is not regulated under the Clean Water Act. Instead, the Clean Water Act provides federal money to develop projects and improve land management practices to address NPS.

Non-point Source Implementation Strategies (NPS-IS) are the local plans that identify the projects needed to address NPS pollution. NPS-IS plans are necessary to receive federal funding for certain types of water quality restoration projects. In northwest Ohio, local governments, conservation groups, landowners, and other partners work together to develop these collaborative plans. NPS-IS plans lay out the needed partnerships and funding to implement land and waterway restoration projects, improved farming practices, and educational programs that will help meet water quality targets.