Nonpoint-source water pollution: Nine experts discuss nonpoint-source water pollution problems and the prospects for implementing programs to abate those problems

Excerpt

▪ JSWC: We often hear that we have dealt effectively with point-source pollutants and that now, if we are going to make further headway in managing water quality, we must deal with nonpoint sources. Is this a fair assumption?

▪ BOWER: There are some basins in which point sources represent the major sources of discharges of some substances, such that reductions from nonpoint sources wouldn't make a bit of difference in ambient water quality. In other areas, nonpoint sources, particularly from rural lands, constitute the prime dischargers, at least of jertain kinds of polluting materials.

Overall, as far as point sources are concerned, the record is reasonably clear. The private sector has done fairly veil in a lot of places; municipal governments have not lone nearly as well; the federal government has done poorly.

▪ OUTEN: I generally agree. Nonpoint-source pollution las to rise in public visibility and legitimacy to the level that point-source pollution has had for the last decade and a half. But a good bit remains to be done on point sources.

I would be concerned if those remaining point sources that need to be dealt with would now point to nonpoint …