Cities and industries argue the new rules will be very expensive and hard to implement. We have already seen opposition when new fees are proposed to improve runoff quality. It is also obvious that there are many common sense things individuals, local governments, and corporations can do to improve water quality. Volunteer groups can be formed to monitor streams for visible signs of pollution. Individuals can use fewer chemicals and safely dispose of them.
Research needs to be conducted in many areas.
The amount, variety, and level of nonpoint source pollutants generated during storm events need to be measured. The use of urban wetlands to improve water quality needs to be evaluated. The economics of the new EPA rules should be evaluated to determine if they present undue hardships to cities, towns, and industries. If hardships do exist, lower cost alternatives need to be explored.