The US Clean Water Act is progressing through Congress and it is hoped that it might reach the full Senate and House for a vote during September. At present, proposed amendments submitted by the EPA are being debated. One of these seeks to extend the deadlines by which industries must meet best available technology (BAT) toxic pollutant removal standards (In the case of coal mining this was to be September, 1982). BAT removal was a step beyond the best practicable treatment (BPT) requirements implemented by 1977. Another proposal calls for changes in the way EPA manages its pretreatment regulations for industrial effluents that are going into publicly owned water treatment works.