The EPA announced on Friday, Aug. 20, 2010, it is inviting the public to comment on the agency's draft strategy for water control.

Key points:

• The agency wants all of the waters of the U.S. to be fishable and swimmable.
• Responding to the shift from point to non-point source pollution from agriculture, stormwater runoff, habitat, hydrology and landscape modifications, municipal wastewater and vapor intrusion
• Building on existing water programs, increasing enforcement
• Identifying healthy water systems and building protections for them
• Systematic assessment

The strategy, Coming Together for Clean Water: EPA's Strategy for Achieving Clean Water, will be used as a guidepost for the agency's water priorities for the duration of this administration. It is the result of the agency's Coming Together for Clean Water forum in April, as well as comments received through its online discussion forum.

Public comments on the draft strategy should be submitted by Sept. 17. The EPA will review all comments and post a final strategy later in the year.

Read the draft strategy here.

SOURCE: EPA press release