A thorough analysis of public policy and the Clean Water Act'seffect on water quality in the U.S. Using water quality data and historical records from the past 60years, this book presents the measured impact of the 1972 CleanWater Act on domestic waterways-ecologically, politically, andeconomically. Municipal Wastewater Treatment supports thehypothesis that the Act's regulation of wastewater treatmentprocesses at publicly owned treatment works (POTW) and industrialfacilities has achieved significant success. The authors' caseis presented in: * Background information on the history of water pollutioncontrol and water quality management * Chapters addressing long-term trends in biochemical oxygendemand loadings from municipal wastewater plants and the"worst-case" dissolved oxygen levels in waterways downstream ofpoint sources before and after the Clean Water Act * Nine case study assessments of long-term trends of pollutantloading water quality and environmental resources associated withPOTW discharges Using long-term trends in dissolved oxygen as the key indicatorof water quality improvements, this book provides a detailedretrospective analysis of the effectiveness of the water pollutioncontrol policies and regulations of the 1972 Clean Water Act. Thesuccesses of the Act that have been achieved over the past 30 yearsare placed in the historical context of the "Great SanitaryAwakening" of the 19th century and changes in public policies forwater supply and water pollution control that have evolved duringthe 20th century to protect public health and the intrinsic valueof aquatic resources. Case study sites include the ConnecticutRiver, Hudson-Raritan Estuary, Delaware Estuary, Potomac Estuary,Upper Chattahoochee River, Ohio River, Upper Mississippi River, andWillamette River. Complete with end-of-chapter summaries and conclusions,Municipal Wastewater Treatment: Evaluating Improvements in NationalWater Quality is an essential book for engineers, scientists,regulators, and consultants involved in water quality managementand wastewater treatment, as well as students of environmentalengineering, environmental science, and public policy.