Originally published by Waterkeeper Alliance on November 17, 2025
Waterkeeper Alliance is sounding the alarm about the newly announced draft rule from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of the Army to revise the definition of the “waters of the United States” (WOTUS), which further undermines landmark clean water protections, threatening water quality across the United States.
By narrowing the scope of waters protected under the Clean Water Act, this reinterpretation removes federal safeguards from many rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands, and other vital waterways. Without oversight, these waters face increased risks from pollution, threatening clean drinking water, recreation, fisheries, and aquatic life.
The Clean Water Act has already been severely weakened following the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Sackett v. EPA, in which the Court dramatically revoked protections for thousands of bodies of water across the country.
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