What practices and consequences led to passage of the Clean Water Act of 1972?
What will be an ideal response?
"The Federal Water Pollution Control Act of 1948 was the first federal foray into water pollution, providing technical assistance to state and local governments but otherwise leaving things up to the states and local municipalities. In the 1950s, as industrial production expanded and synthetic organics came into widespread use in the developed countries, many streams and rivers essentially became open chemical sewers as well as sewers for human waste. These waters not only were devoid of life, but also were themselves hazardous. Finally, in 1969, the Cuyahoga River, which flows through Cleveland, Ohio, was carrying so much flammable material
that it actually caught on fire and destroyed seven bridges before the fire burned itself out. Worsening pollution (from both chemicals and sewage) and increasing recognition of the adverse health effects finally created a degree of public outrage that pushed Congress to pass the Clean Water Act of 1972."
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