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Clean Water Rule

The Clean Water Rule protects streams and wetlands that we depend on for our health, communities, and economy.

Clean Water Rule

Streams and wetlands matterStreams and wetlands form the foundation of our nation’s water resources. Clean water upstream means cleaner water flowing into rivers, lakes, bays, and coastal waters. Learn more about why streams and wetlands matter.
What the rule doesThe rule ensures that waters protected under the Clean Water Act are more precisely defined, more predictably determined, and easier for businesses and industry to understand.  Learn more about what the rule does.
What the rule does not doThe rule does not protect any new types of waters, regulate most ditches, apply to groundwater, create any new permitting requirements for agriculture, or address land use or private property rights. Learn more about what the rule does not do.

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infographic

Populations that get Drinking Water from Protected Streams

drinking water map