As we approach the 56th anniversary of Earth Day, it’s worth examining lasting impact of the holiday on water quality and industrial responsibility. Incidents like combined sewer overflows and waste leakages from aging infrastructure make headlines today, but not long ago, releasing untreated waste into waterways was standard practice.
That reality began to shift in the late 1960s. A series of environmental crises, including a large oil spill off the coast of Santa Barbara and the Cuyahoga River fire, captured national attention and fueled public demand for change. In 1970, approximately 20 million Americans participated in the first Earth Day. The scale of that moment marked a turning point in environmental awareness to serve as a pivotal call to action.
From Public Outcry to Policy Change
This momentum quickly translated into policy. President Nixon introduced a comprehensive environmental agenda, followed by the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Two years later, the Clean Water Act (CWA) fundamentally reshaped how the United States manages water pollution.The CWA introduced strict permitting requirements for waste point sources and made it unlawful to discharge pollutants into navigable waters without authorization. Through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), the legislation created a framework that continues to regulate industrial and municipal discharges today.
Federal grant money authorized by the CWA accelerated progress and expanded wastewater treatment infrastructure nationwide. As a result, publicly owned treatment works served close to 165 million people in 1996, nearly double that of 1968. By 2019, there were 798,600 permitted municipal and industrial point sources, underscoring the scale and reach of modern water oversight.
How Regulation Reshaped Industry Expectations
These regulatory changes did more than improve water quality; they redefined how industries approach water management. Compliance became a baseline expectation, while efficiency and sustainability emerged as competitive differentiators.Today, water treatment programs often do more than meet permit limits; they address emerging contaminants of concern, reduce environmental impact, and enhance operational performance. This shift requires an integrated approach that combines chemistry, equipment, and digital solutions.
Advancing Water Treatment Through Innovation
Advanced treatment solutions now play a critical role in helping facilities meet these demands. Innovative formulations are designed to minimize or eliminate contaminants of concern while maintaining system reliability. For example, low- and non-phosphorus chemistries support compliance with increasingly stringent nutrient limits without sacrificing performance.At the same time, equipment-based solutions expand what is possible beyond chemistry alone. Technologies, such as adsorption systems, enable the removal of substances like PFAS from process water while membrane systems support higher cycles of concentration by reducing dissolved solids. These approaches help facilities decrease water consumption, limit discharge volumes, and maintain regulatory compliance.
Enabling Water Reuse and Zero Liquid Discharge
Water reuse and recycling strategies are also becoming central to modern operations. Integrated systems that combine treatment technologies with process optimization can significantly reduce freshwater demand. In some cases, facilities have achieved zero liquid discharge (ZLD), eliminating wastewater discharge entirely. This can enable operations in regions where discharge limitations would otherwise restrict development.
The Expanding Role of Corporate Sustainability
Beyond regulatory requirements, corporate sustainability goals are accelerating this transformation. Organizations are expanding their focus to include water use alongside carbon emissions, driven by increasing pressure from stakeholders, communities, and regulators. Water scarcity, supply variability, and cost volatility are elevating water stewardship as a strategic priority.As a leader in these efforts, the food and beverage sector illustrates this shift. Among the sector’s top twenty water users by volume, the number of water-related sustainability targets for 2030 is 50% higher compared to 2025 goals. The majority of targets aim to reduce consumption, freshwater withdrawal, and waste discharge, but others promote water reuse and recycling, conservation, and water positivity. This signals a rapid advancement toward measurable, outcome-driven water strategies.
Carrying Earth Day’s Legacy Forward
The momentum of Earth Day continues to build each year. In 2020, its 50th anniversary saw the participation of over 1 billion people in related actions worldwide. Earth Day’s legacy is especially reflected in the growing sustainability demands and changing treatment needs of water users across sectors in order to protect natural water resources.Meeting these evolving demands requires more than compliance. It requires innovation, integration, and partnership. By combining technical expertise with advanced treatment solutions, Kurita helps organizations optimize water use, reduce risk, and build more sustainable operations for the future.
About the author:
T.J. is a senior professional with Kurita based out of their North American headquarters in Minneapolis. After earning a degree in chemical engineering from the University of Minnesota, he began his career in engineering and then technical sales of water treatment equipment. As a market development leader, T.J. supports Kurita's entire business by providing a technical perspective on market opportunities and product applications across all industries and product lines. T.J. actively volunteers with the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and previously served on their Board Executive committee as Chair of the Manufacturers/Associates Council. He will return to AWWA's Board of Directors as President-Elect in June 2026 and serve for one year as President beginning June 2027.