Clean Water
Clean Water
Access to clean, safe, reliable water is a fundamental human right. Clean water is essential to our health, our communities, and all living things. Yet across the country, drinking water sources and waterways are increasingly threatened by pollution, weakened protections, and climate impacts.
Clean water is essential to our health and all living things
Sierra Club is working to address the widespread pollution of our waterways and drinking water across the country. We are focused on upholding and strengthening bedrock environmental protections like the Clean Water Act while empowering communities to protect their water.
We lead outings into nature where people can connect to their local waterways’ histories, current issues, and opportunities for deeper involvement.
Wetlands protect against flooding by acting as natural sponges that absorb and store large amounts of water, releasing it slowly over time. Streams filter pollutants and excess nutrients from the water, improving its quality for downstream ecosystems and for human use.
5M
117M
in US have unprotected drinking water
The Supreme Court’s ruling in Sackett v. EPA in 2023 gutted clean water protections
The Sackett decision has endangered the drinking water sources of at least 117 million Americans by stripping protections from 80 percent of the nation’s wetlands and 5 million miles of rain-dependent and seasonal streams that feed into rivers, lakes, and estuaries.
Victory!
States are stepping up after the Supreme Court puts wetlands at risk. Colorado became the first state in the nation to enact legislation addressing the regulatory rollback of federal wetland protections post-Sackett decision and will likely serve as a model for other states looking to take similar action.
What We Are Doing
Strengthening Water Protections
In May 2023, the Supreme Court’s ruling in Sackett v. EPA gutted clean water protections for millions of Americans. In response to this decision, the Sierra Club and Clean Water for All Coalition are focused on re-establishing strong protections for all waters at the federal level. This includes driving comments during EPA comment periods and pressuring Congress to protect and strengthen the Clean Water Act.
We are also working to bolster state-level policies to protect waterways that are losing federal protections and to make sure that communities and families can continue to benefit from the resources these waters provide – such as clean drinking water, supporting ecosystems and wildlife, outdoor recreation, and protecting against flooding impacts.
What You Can Do
Tell Congress: Restore Critical Water Protections!
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