WASHINGTON, Oct. 18, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18: CLEAN WATER

Profile America — Thursday, October 18th.  A key piece of environmental legislation became law on this date 40 years ago.  Known as the Water Pollution Control Act, the bill was vetoed by President Richard Nixon because of its $25 billion price tag.  This veto was overridden by Congress.  The law was later amended and is now known as the Clean Water Act.  The goal is controlling the discharge of toxic waste into the nation's waterways.  In its first 20 years, the Clean Water Act is estimated to have prevented more than 200,000 premature deaths.  Preliminary figures show another 160,000 saved from 1990 to 2010.  Each year, there are some 3,400 toxic chemical releases across the U.S.  You can find more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

Sources:  Chase's Calendar of Events 2012, p. 512
               Environmental Protection Agency, 40 Years of Achievements, 1970-2010
               Statistical Abstract of the United States 2012, t. 383

Profile America is produced by the Center for New Media and Promotions of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button). 

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau