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Last Modified:  3/20/2006
History of CWA in Kentucky

Celebrating Progress

Looking Ahead

See information about the Clean Water Act and its effects in Kentucky at the following Web sites:

CWA in Kentucky Home Page  
History and Background  
Successes (KPDES / Nonpoint Source / State Revolving Fund)
Trends  
What We Are Doing  
Challenges for the Future  
Calendar of Events  
National Water Monitoring Day     
National Youth Watershed Summit   
World Watershed Summit

History of Clean Water Efforts in Kentucky


In 1974, River Basin Water Quality Management Plans were developed for 10 basins encompassing Kentucky. (Section 303[e]).  These documents are available in libraries, including the Environmental Protection Information Center, 14 Reilly Rd., Frankfort, KY.

State water-quality standards were revised extensively in 1974 to comply with the Clean Water Act (CWA).  Kentucky’s standards have been amended numerous times since, requiring review and approval by the state administrative rulemaking process followed by EPA review and approval.  See Kentucky's water quality standards at http://www.lrc.state.ky.us/kar/401/005/031.htm.

The first Kentucky Water Quality Report to Congress was developed in 1974 (Section(305[b]) and has been produced biennially since.  These reports are now available on the Web.  View them at this Web site. Area-wide and community-specific wastewater facility planning and construction escalated as a result of federal grant funding.

Under the 1972 CWA construction grants program, federal grants were made for several types of projects (such as secondary or more stringent treatment and associated sewers) based on state priority lists. Grants were available for as much as 75 percent of total project costs.

During the years of the construction grants program, 196 community systems in Kentucky received more than $600 million in federal grants, resulting in more than $800 million in wastewater facility construction.

Clean Water Act amendments in 1987 shifted the wastewater construction grants program to state water pollution control revolving fund (SRF) programs. States receive capitalization grants annually to operate the revolving loan funds.

Since 1989, the Kentucky SRF program has made 123 loan commitments to city and county wastewater authorities totaling $323 million. When combined with matching funds, the full value for projects constructed rises to $426 million. This has resulted from $314 million in Clean Water Act funds to date.

See examples of projects funded at this Web site.

The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program is at the heart of the CWA. NPDES permits are the key to enforcing the effluent limitations and water quality standards of the Act.

Every point source discharger must obtain a permit from either EPA or authorized state, and must attain technology-based effluent limits (BPT or BAT for industry, secondary treatment for municipalities, or more stringent technology for water quality-limited receiving waters). Permits must be renewed every five years.

In 1983, Kentucky received full program delegation for administering the program in the state (KPDES permitting program).  See the current KPDES permit inventory.

In Kentucky, nonpoint sources (NPS) of pollution are estimated to be responsible for two-thirds of impaired waters.

More than $ 32.5 million in federal and state matching funds have been distributed among 243 individual projects in Kentucky since 1990.  See examples of NPS success stories.

Back to History of Clean Water Act
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