PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Flynn, Patrick
AU  - Marcus, Michelle
TI  - A Watershed Moment
AID  - 10.3368/jhr.0622-12369R2
DP  - 2025 Nov 01
TA  - Journal of Human Resources
PG  - 1915--1936
VI  - 60
IP  - 6
4099  - http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/60/6/1915.short
4100  - http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/60/6/1915.full
AB  - The Clean Water Act (CWA) significantly improved surface water quality, but at a cost exceeding the estimated benefits. We quantify the effect of the CWA on a direct measure of health. Using a difference-in-differences framework, we compare birth weight upstream and downstream from wastewater treatment facilities before and after CWA grant receipt. Pollution only decreased downstream from facilities required to upgrade their treatment technology, and we leverage this additional variation with a triple difference. Clean Water Act grants increased average birth weight by 8 grams.