Power plants use more water than all other industries combined, primarily for cooling systems but also for controlling pollution from smokestacks and disposing of toxic coal ash. As a result, coal-fired power plants are also some of the biggest sources of water pollution in the country, responsible for dumping millions of tons of toxic chemicals into waterways, raising water temperatures, and killing billions of fish.
NRDC is pushing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to issue two sets of stronger standards that will limit the amount of toxic pollutants discharged from power plants and reduce their water use, which will then better protect aquatic habitat and curb water pollution.