Protecting our water through international cooperation

Originally established in 1972 by the governments of Canada and the United States, the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) set a precedent for protection of internationally shared waters. Over the past 36 years, the Agreement has driven important public health and water quality improvements for the residents of the Great Lakes, such as phosphorus reductions and cuts in toxic pollution. Today, experts point to the Agreement as critical in calling for the “zero discharge” and “virtual elimination” of toxic pollutants that harm our families, fish, and wildlife