Clean water sustains our communities, economies, ecosystems, and health.
In the early 1970s, NRDC helped win passage of the Clean Water Act, our nation's bedrock water-pollution law. Since then, we have continued to fight for a clean, safe, and sufficient water supply. We push the federal government to strengthen protections for drinking-water sources, and we find ways for cities to keep pollution out of rivers, lakes, and coastal waters—both for our benefit and the benefit of fish and wildlife. Our work also helps homes, buildings, farms, and power plants use water as efficiently as possible, so that there's plenty for all of us and for future generations.
Our Priorities
About 40 percent of U.S. rivers and lakes are too polluted for fishing.
Hundreds of freshwater fish in North America are currently at risk of extinction.
Up to 75 percent of America's water is used for irrigating crops.
Green infrastructure could keep the sewage systems in 750 cities from overflowing into waterways during storms.
Climate change is bringing more frequent and severe storms and floods across the globe.
In 2015, 18 million people were served by water systems with lead violations.