Drinking Water

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/05/millions-of-people-depend-on-the-great-lakes-water-supply-trump-decimated-the-lab-protecting-it/

ProPublica

Trump Budget Proposal Slashes Federal Funding, Threatens the Great Lakes and Sets Up Showdown With Congress

On: May 6, 2025

In: Agricultural runoff, Combined sewer overflows, Drinking Water, Environmental Justice, great lakes restoration, invasive species, Lead service lines

Don Jodrey, Director of Federal Government Relations

The Trump Administration’s proposed FY 2026 President’s Budget slashes federal non-defense spending and proposes steep cuts to federal programs that protect and restore the Great Lakes and the communities that depend on them.

The White House proposal to cut federal funding threatens Great Lakes residents, putting their health and economic security at risk by defunding water infrastructure programs, important research and observation programs, and efforts to assist communities overburdened from pollution. At the top of the list is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“U.S. EPA”), with a proposed overall cut of 55% that would gut key water infrastructure programs that help pay for safe and clean drinking water, and stop sewage overflows, flooding, and basement backups. Also on the chopping block are the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (-19%), the Interior Department (including the Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, and U.S. Geologic Survey, -31%), and U.S. Department of Agriculture (-18%), all of which play key roles in restoring and protecting the Great Lakes through action on the ground and robust scientific research. Taken together, the White House proposal to gut federal funding not only threatens the Great Lakes but also sets up a showdown with Congress, which must decide whether to protect core funding for the programs it created or go along with the President’s proposed deep-cut budget.

With water infrastructure needs growing, budget drastically cuts funding

Under this budget, U.S. EPA would abdicate a large portion of its federal responsibility and partnership with the states as set forth by Congress in both the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act. And it comes at a time when water infrastructure needs are growing fast. Based on its 2023 Drinking Water Needs Information and Assessment Survey and its 2022 Clean Water Needs Survey, U.S. EPA estimates that Great Lakes states need at least $290.3 billion in water infrastructure investment over the next twenty years. Against this need, the proposed budget would decimate federal funding levels for the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds (“SRFs”) – the primary federal program for funding and financing water infrastructure projects – by nearly 90%. Such cuts threaten to destabilize states and communities struggling to ensure safe drinking water and protections from flooding and sewage. The Great Lakes states would see the following decreases in federal funding for water infrastructure programs:

State	Decrease in federal water infrastructure funding
Illinois	– $94.6 million
Indiana	– $57.5 million
Michigan	– $84.1 million
Minnesota	– $41.2 million
New York	– $204.2 million
Ohio	– $102.9 million
Pennsylvania	– $89.2 million
Wisconsin	– $55.6 million

While the states have built up funding in their state-administered SRFs since Congress established these programs, the states cannot meet the estimated water infrastructure needs on their own. The proposed budget ignores that federal funding plays key roles in state-administered SRFs. States rely heavily on federal funding to provide principal forgiveness or grant funding to disadvantaged communities that struggle to afford standard awards. States also use federal funding to help pay for staffing and technical assistance to communities, and to supplement repayable loan awards. U.S. EPA plays a key role in administering SRF funding, including assessing infrastructure needs on a regular basis to make sure funding goes to the states proportional to the need, and ensuring drinking water, stormwater, and sanitary system operators comply with standards that keep us and our waters safe. The White House’s blithe explanation that it is returning control of these programs to the states ignores the important federal partnership that has been underway since Congress first established these programs decades ago.

Cuts threaten programs that protect Great Lakes from algal blooms, invasive species, and more

The administration’s budget also proposes a $1 billion reduction in EPA’s categorical grants. These programs support state efforts to implement Clean Water Act regulations, reduce lead in drinking water, reduce sources of non-point source pollution that fuels harmful algal blooms, assist small and disadvantaged communities struggling to implement water infrastructure programs, and develop a water workforce. Like the proposed reductions to the SRFs, the proposal to nearly eliminate all categorical grants upends important federalism goals for programs Congress established to deal with specific needs.

As noted above, the budget also includes steep cuts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Interior Department (the Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Geologic Survey and the National Park Service), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These cuts threaten the restoration of the Great Lakes by decreasing our ability to conduct scientific investigations, address runoff pollution and harmful algal blooms that threaten our drinking water, control invasive species to protect our fisheries, and protect national parks in the region.

The cuts in the administration’s proposal would threaten the quality of the drinking water relied on by more than 30 million Americans in the Great Lakes region. The cuts would defer and delay action to stop sewage backups into homes and surface waters, replace failing septic systems, and solve chronic flooding. Access to safe and clean drinking water and freedom from flooding and sewage impacts are basic needs that should be guaranteed to all citizens and communities across the Great Lakes.

Will Congress agree to such steep cuts?

The big question is whether Congress will agree to such steep reductions. The answer is unclear and, in some cases, such as the proposed $3.4 billion proposed cuts to water infrastructure programs, the answer may be a hard no.

Just last week, in a display of bipartisan unity, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, under the leadership of Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), held its first hearing on water infrastructure funding with the goal of finalizing a bipartisan water infrastructure package that would reauthorize both the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds, as well as other water infrastructure grant programs like the Water Infrastructure Financing and Innovation Act program. Sen. Capito, who played a leading role in negotiating the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 (IIJA) with its $50 billion investment in water infrastructure, extolled the federalism virtues of the SRFs and the important role they played in assisting states with meeting their water infrastructure needs and providing water services to underserved communities. Senator Capito, and the other senators attending the hearing including Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA), Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) and Senator Angela Alsobooks (D-MD) all praised the IIJA water infrastructure funding, noting the many projects underway in each of their states addressing important community needs, including upgrading treatment facilities, replacing aging systems, supporting the needs of rural and underserved communities, replacing lead service lines, and dealing with contaminants such as PFAS.

The debate in the reauthorization of water infrastructure programs is not whether there will be the votes to pass the legislation, but how much control to give to states at the expense of federal oversight. These programs are designed to help states meet their obligations – and protect our health – under bedrock federal laws like the Clean Water Act. That is a very important question and one in which the answer has yet to emerge. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will be conducting other hearings on this topic and the House is expected to follow suit later this year.

In the meantime, the appropriations process is well underway, and the House and Senate Appropriations Committees have been working on the FY 2026 budget in anticipation of the start of the fiscal year this October. The Trump Administration’s FY 2026 budget proposal is just that, a proposal, and Congress will be evaluating the steep budget cuts. For our part at the Alliance, we will be meeting with members of the Great Lakes delegations to point out the many problems with the proposed cuts and working hard to ensure that the final budget package passed by the House and Senate protects and restores the Great Lakes.

2025 Great Lakes Federal Policy Priorities

The federal government plays an essential role in protecting clean water.

The post Trump Budget Proposal Slashes Federal Funding, Threatens the Great Lakes and Sets Up Showdown With Congress appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2025/05/trump-budget-proposal-slashes-federal-funding-threatens-the-great-lakes-and-sets-up-showdown-with-congress/

tfazzini

Trump Budget Puts Great Lakes at Risk

On: May 2, 2025

In: Combined sewer overflows, Drinking Water, great lakes restoration

CHICAGO, IL (May 2, 2025) – Efforts to keep the Great Lakes healthy and ensure the drinking water for 40 million people is safe to consume would be deeply harmed by the Trump Administration’s budget proposal announced today.

“We’re disappointed to see the President’s budget rejects core funding to restore safe drinking water, protect our communities from sewage and flooding, and implement federal clean water protections. We look forward to working with Congress to fund these vital Great Lakes programs,” said Joel Brammeier, President and CEO of the Alliance for the Great Lakes.”

###

Contact: Don Carr, Media Director, Alliance for the Great Lakes dcarr@greatlakes.org

2025 Great Lakes Federal Policy Priorities

The federal government plays an essential role in protecting clean water.

The post Trump Budget Puts Great Lakes at Risk appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2025/05/trump-budget-puts-great-lakes-at-risk/

New PFAS bills aren’t the progress Wisconsin needs

On: March 17, 2025

In: Drinking Water

New PFAS bills aren’t the progress Wisconsin needs

There are two things we know for sure about PFAS. The first is that too many people in Wisconsin cannot safely drink their water due to contamination. The second is that corporations knew for decades that their products were toxic, but continued to use them which has led to our waters being contaminated.

Because we carry those two truths with us, we oppose Senator Wimberger’s SB 127 and SB 128, the latest PFAS-related proposals before our state legislature, as we stand with communities dealing with PFAS-contaminated drinking water. These bills would not provide immediate assistance to those who currently can’t use their water, and they give away too much of our power to hold polluters accountable for the damage they cause.

There are three big things the people of Wisconsin need to truly deal with the problem of PFAS.

People need safe drinking water. The bills don’t appropriate the funds the legislature set aside two years ago for PFAS clean up. As more areas test their drinking water and find PFAS, they need a flood of investment to help cities to improve their municipal water filtration systems and rural homeowners with private wells get grants to source clean drinking water. The bulk of this funding should come from responsible parties that caused the problem.

The so-called innocent landowner language in these bills is a solution in search of a problem. The Department of Natural Resources isn’t, and hasn’t, used its power under the Spills Law to go after landowners who weren’t the source of pollution. The real problem is how these bills have too broad of a definition of “innocent” landowners that could extend exemptions to entities like paper mills.

The real solution to PFAS is twofold. First, Wisconsin should follow the example of Minnesota and Maine and ban the use of most PFAS. Second, Wisconsin should adopt a precautionary approach so that chemicals cannot be used in the state until they have been shown to be safe.

Wisconsin needs to get tough on corporations responsible for pollution. Without state leaders focusing on holding chemical corporations accountable for the pollution their products caused, the responsibility and cost of cleaning up their mess falls to taxpayers. These bills would allow those exempt from enforcement to let the DNR clean up properties at our expense. The agency doesn’t have enough staff or funding to do this now, even if the bills would pass.

State leaders should be bending over backwards to make clean drinking water a top priority. The legislature has the power to invest in rural wells and municipal water filtration, bring drinking water standards up to federal levels, and support a full-court press litigation strategy against big polluters.

Be wary of the parts of SB 127 and 128 that would erode the strength of our state’s Spills Law. This is not the time to give away the power of a law that has worked for over 40 years so that legislators can appease the demands of corporate lobbyists.

The post New PFAS bills aren’t the progress Wisconsin needs appeared first on River Alliance of WI.

Blog - River Alliance of WI

https://wisconsinrivers.org/pfas-sb127-sb128/

Allison Werner

Water Advocacy at the Ohio Statehouse: A Call for Clean Water Policies

On: February 26, 2025

In: Agricultural runoff, Drinking Water, Drinking water affordability, Environmental Justice, Lead service lines

L-R Helena Volzer, Senior Source Water Policy Manager, Alliance for the Great Lakes, Kayla Wilkerson, Director of Budget & Finance, Ohio Senate Democratic Caucus, Kaitlyn May, Policy Advisor, Ohio Senate Democratic Caucus, Scott Stockman, Legal Counsel, Ohio Senate Democratic Caucus, Melanie Houston, Managing Director of Water Policy & Chief of Organizational Planning, Ohio Environmental Council

On Thursday, January 30, the Alliance for the Great Lakes, alongside our partners—The Nature Conservancy, Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association, The Junction Coalition, and the Ohio Environmental Council (OEC)—came together at the Ohio Statehouse to address the state’s most pressing water issues. Water Advocacy Day was a powerful opportunity to engage with lawmakers, share policy solutions, and advocate for clean, safe, affordable water for all Ohioans.

During the event, Helena Volzer, the Alliance for the Great Lakes’ Senior Source Water Policy Manager, led an insightful presentation on the critical impacts of agricultural pollution. She highlighted how excessive nutrients—especially nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizers and manure—continue to fuel harmful algal blooms across the Great Lakes, posing serious risks to public health, aquatic ecosystems, and local economies. The financial burden of this pollution is often passed down to communities, increasing drinking water costs and placing an unfair strain on low-income households.

“Agricultural pollution isn’t just an environmental issue—it’s a public health and economic issue,” Volzer emphasized. “If we don’t act now, Ohioans will continue to bear the rising water treatment costs while ecosystems suffer.”

Ohio ranks second in the nation for the number of lead service lines, and many older homes still contain lead-based plumbing. Efforts are underway to eliminate lead from drinking water systems, but progress remains slow. Combined with the challenges of harmful algal blooms and agricultural runoff, stronger policies and funding solutions are urgently needed.

Throughout the day, advocates and policy leaders met with state representatives, senators, and aides to push for solutions to prioritize clean water. These discussions emphasized the importance of critical funding for conservation programs such as the H2Ohio program, Ohio’s flagship program to address water quality issues including agricultural runoff, household sewage treatment and wastewater infrastructure, wetland creation, and lead service line replacement. The Alliance and its partners urged lawmakers to strengthen policies that hold polluters accountable, increase investment in clean water infrastructure, and ensure water affordability remains a top priority.

The fight for clean water continues, and Water Advocacy Day was a crucial step in the right direction. Every Ohioan deserves safe, lead-free, and affordable drinking water.

The post Water Advocacy at the Ohio Statehouse: A Call for Clean Water Policies appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2025/02/water-advocacy-at-the-ohio-statehouse-a-call-for-clean-water-policies/

Veteran Great Lakes advocate cautions on prioritizing economic development over protecting the environment

On: February 18, 2025

In: artificial intelligence, Drinking Water, epa, Feature Homepage, groundwater, Groundwater Contamination, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, Michigan, News, PFAS, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts

Rolling back clean water protection, gutting agencies and defunding science, research and monitoring is a non-starter for the Great Lakes region, says Ann Arbor environmental advocate Laura Rubin.

She was reacting to the new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Lee Zeldin’s recently released economy-oriented plan for the agency under President Donald Trump.

Gary Wilson, Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2025/02/veteran-great-lakes-advocate-cautions-prioritizing-economic-development-over-protecting-environment/

How Washington Can Support the Great Lakes in 2025

On: January 29, 2025

In: Agricultural runoff, Combined sewer overflows, Drinking Water, great lakes restoration, Green stormwater infrastructure, invasive carp, Plastic pollution in the Great Lakes

Significant progress continues to be made in protecting and restoring the Great Lakes, but much more needs to be done. The federal government plays a major role in this work by funding projects, administering programs, and enforcing rules. With a permanent presence in Washington, D.C., the Alliance for the Great Lakes advocates to federal decision makers to ensure the region’s voices are heard. We update and release our federal priorities each year.

Although increased federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act allowed states and the federal government to address drinking and wastewater infrastructure backlogs, removal of lead water service lines, and the cleanup of toxic legacy pollution, we still have too many Great Lakers experiencing polluted water too often. Invasive species continue to threaten the lakes, nutrient runoff from agriculture causes toxic algae blooms, and plastic pollutes our shorelines and contaminates our drinking water.

In our 2025 federal policy priorities, we’ve identified opportunities for the 119th Congress and the Trump Administration to address these challenges in collaboration with states and local communities. Many of these priorities are familiar systemic problems that take time to resolve. But as we’ve shown through efforts like stopping invasive carp, working on a big challenge for a decade or more is often what it takes to finally get the right solution.

For the upcoming year, Congress and the Trump Administration must work together to pass an annual federal budget to provide states with sufficient federal resources to fix our ailing water infrastructure; enact a Farm Bill that will reduce the flow of nutrient pollution into the lakes; maintain progress on key federal projects intended to stop invasive species, including the Brandon Road Interbasin Project; and provide funding for, and reauthorize, the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to continue support for on-the-ground restoration projects benefiting many communities throughout the Great Lakes region. Water pollution, and the resulting health and economic burdens, fall unequally on people in cities and towns across the Great Lakes. Federal decision makers should shape policy to ensure that all Great Lakers have access to safe, clean, and affordable water.

Read on for full details of our 2025 Great Lakes federal policy priorities, or download the fact sheet to learn more.

Ensure clean water protects the health of people and natural resources

Clean water is a basic need for all. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed by Congress late in 2021 was an important down payment to fix the nation’s failing and outdated water infrastructure. The funding jump-started efforts to replace dangerous lead pipes, fix leaky pipes, and stop sewage overflows from entering our lakes and people’s homes.

However, the funding is only a start and recent surveys indicate that water infrastructure needs have grown in the last several years. EPA’s 7th national Drinking Water Needs Information Survey and Assessment, completed in 2023, and the Clean Watershed Needs Survey completed in 2024, estimate that the Great Lakes region will need at least $290.3 billion over the next twenty years to fix our water infrastructure problems. This is an increase from the last national surveys and indicates that federal funding is not keeping up with needs. As a result, we need to keep the pressure on Congress to provide additional funds for water infrastructure programs and to strengthen them to ensure that money reaches communities with the highest needs. One of the most important ways the federal government provides this infrastructure funding to states and municipalities is through State Revolving Funds.

In addition, in 2024 the EPA released its first-ever Water Affordability Needs Assessment, which found that 12.1 to 19.2 million households lack access to affordable water service. This is a major public health risk that compels urgent federal action. One of the recommendations in the report is for Congress to pass legislation establishing a national water affordability program. We agree and plan to work with our partners and Congress to advocate for the establishment of a national water affordability program.

In 2025, we urge Congress to:

Increase annual funding to at least $9.3 billion for the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds
Set aside at least 20 percent of the Clean Water State Revolving Fund as grants for green infrastructure projects such as green roofs, permeable pavement, and additional green spaces
Pass a federal ban on residential water shutoffs
Establish a federal program to provide financial assistance for water and sewer bills

In 2025, we urge the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to:

Require that states accepting federal funds increase funding and technical assistance for communities bearing the greatest burden of pollution so that they are equipped to apply for and receive funding through State Revolving Funds to replace toxic lead water pipes, repair malfunctioning sewers, and stop community flooding

Download the water infrastructure fact sheet.

Fund and reauthorize the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) is one of the most important tools in the region’s toolbox to protect and restore the lakes. The program has provided funding with near-universal bipartisan and public support for on-the-ground restoration projects, from wetland restoration to cleaning up toxic hot spots. The GLRI also provides major economic benefits. For every dollar spent by the program, an additional three dollars of value is added to the regional economy. In 2024, EPA relied on up-to-date science and extensive input from across the Great Lakes to issue the five-year Action Plan IV for the program to address the most critical threats to the region. The GLRI is also supporting significant progress to address the removal of toxic legacy pollution at Areas of Concern, a number of highly degraded areas that require extensive remediation throughout the Great Lakes.

In 2025, we urge Congress to:

Fund the GLRI with at least $475 million for FY 2026
Reauthorize the GLRI program at $500 million per year for five years from FY 2027-2031

In 2025, we urge the Environmental Protection Agency to:

Propose the authorized level of GLRI funding at $475 million for FY 2026
Make progress on finishing cleanup of most Areas of Concern by 2030, and implement Action Plan IV to address community needs for Great Lakes restoration

Download the Great Lakes restoration fact sheet.

Pass a Farm Bill that prioritizes clean water

Agriculture is the largest unaddressed source of nonpoint pollution in the Great Lakes region. Nonpoint pollution is pollution that doesn’t come from a single identifiable source such as a pipe, but instead originates from many places over a wide area. This runoff from agricultural lands puts the Great Lakes at risk. It pollutes drinking water by causing toxic algal blooms, threatens wildlife, harms the tourism economy, and prevents people from enjoying recreation on the Great Lakes. Ultimately these problems demand that the agriculture industry demonstrate it can operate safely without fouling our water.

Every five years, Congress develops a “Farm Bill,” a major package of legislation that sets the agenda and funding for national farm and food policy. Congress passed one-year extensions of the Farm Bill in 2023 and 2024, so in 2025 Congress can pass a Farm Bill that ensures farms produce clean water, not pollution, along with their crops.

In 2025, we urge Congress to pass a Farm Bill that:

Increases funding for U.S. Department of Agriculture conservation programs
Includes provisions to ensure accountability for farm conservation programs aimed at stopping runoff pollution from agricultural lands

Download the agriculture fact sheet.

Pass legislation to stop plastic pollution

Researchers estimate that 22 million pounds of plastic pollution enter the Great Lakes each year. Plastic pollution isn’t just an unsightly problem in our waterways. It’s estimated that humans ingest a credit card-sized amount of plastic each week, with unknown long-term consequences for our health.

For many years, efforts to stop plastic pollution put the responsibility on individuals, such as recycling. But only a fraction of plastic produced each year is recycled, leaving the remainder to end up in landfills or as litter that lands in our waterways. The alternative is to require plastic producers to be responsible for their products through their lifecycle, which is called extended producer responsibility. Congress has an opportunity to be a leader on this issue.

In 2025, we urge Congress to pass legislation that:

Makes plastic producers responsible for reduction of plastic waste
Reduces the federal government’s use of single-use plastics including polystyrene foam
Funds additional research on the public health impact of plastics

Download the plastic pollution fact sheet.

Protect the Great Lakes from aquatic invasive species

Invasive species have caused irreparable harm to the Great Lakes ecosystem and cost the region billions of dollars at least since the mid-20th century. Preventing them from ever entering is the best way to protect the Great Lakes. Invasive bighead and silver carp are still a major risk. Established populations of invasive carp are only 50 miles from Chicago and Lake Michigan. But it’s not too late to prevent them from reaching the lakes. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is implementing additional carp prevention measures at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam near Joliet, Illinois. The facility is fully authorized by Congress, supported by the Great Lakes states, and is a critical choke point in the waterways leading to Lake Michigan. Congress and federal agencies must continue to support this project, which has broken ground and is under construction.

In 2025, we urge Congress to:

Provide federal funding to initiate the design and engineering phase for the second increment of construction (the first increment is underway) at the Brandon Road Interbasin Project, which is intended to stop invasive carp from entering the Great Lakes

In 2025, we urge the Army Corps of Engineers to:

Continue implementing the first phase of construction at the Brandon Road Interbasin Project
Initiate planning, design, and engineering for the second increment of construction so that it can be completed in time for the second increment to follow seamlessly when the first increment is complete

Download the invasive species fact sheet.

Join Us February 20

Join the webinar to learn more about these critical issues. You’ll hear from members of our team who presented our federal priorities to members of Congress in meetings at the Capitol.

The post How Washington Can Support the Great Lakes in 2025 appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2025/01/how-washington-can-support-the-great-lakes-in-2025/

Spotlight on complexity of bottled water issues, as BlueTriton exits Ontario

On: December 6, 2024

In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Collaboration, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, great lakes news collaborative, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, News, Ontario, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts

Spotlight on complexity of bottled water issues, as BlueTriton exits Ontario

Activist group, Water Watchers, had reason to celebrate last month when water bottler BlueTriton announced it will cease operations in Puslinch, Ontario in January, 2025. The group’s website beamed “We Won” and said the exit was a “historic win for water justice.”

To get a better understanding of the issues surrounding bottled water in Ontario, Canada, Great Lakes Now contacted Arlene Slocombe, executive director of Water Watchers and McMaster University Professor, Dawn Martin-Hill and founder of the Indigenous Studies Program at McMaster University.

Gary Wilson, Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/12/spotlight-on-complexity-of-bottled-water-issues-as-bluetriton-exits-ontario/

Safe Drinking Water Act at 50: what Wisconsin can do to protect water

On: December 5, 2024

In: Drinking Water

Safe Drinking Water Act at 50: what Wisconsin can do to protect water

December 16 is the 50th anniversary of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. A broad coalition of local and statewide environmental and public health advocacy groups came together this week to ask legislators for meaningful action to protect the drinking water of Wisconsinites.

Together, we gathered the facts, made our case, and asked for three avenues of policy change for our drinking water, from investing in public water infrastructure, to removing barriers from groundwater standards and future-oriented pollution prevention steps.

These actionable steps are things we can do at the state level. It’s our responsibility to ensure clean drinking water is available to all Wisconsinites: urban or rural, rich or poor. Without clean water, our economy, our lives and our future are at risk.

Wisconsin legislators:

No matter who we are or where we live, all of us want to live in communities where we can turn on the tap and know the water coming out of it is safe to drink – both for us, and the people we love.

Fifty years ago, Republican President Gerald Ford signed the Safe Drinking Water Act into law, which promised to protect our drinking water. Fast forward to today, and it is clear: Wisconsin has not used the Safe Drinking Water Act to fully protect our communities.

Across the state, tens of thousands of Wisconsinites are still forced to protect themselves and their families from harmful contaminants by relying on five-gallon water jugs for everyday tasks like brushing their teeth, washing dishes, mixing baby formula, and preparing meals. PFAS, lead, and nitrate contamination are of particular concern due to their impact on our health across a wide range of Wisconsin communities.

PFAS are dangerous, man-made chemicals tied to increased cholesterol levels, thyroid disease, certain cancers, and pregnancy complications. To date, ninety-one public water systems need financial resources to protect their drinking water from PFAS, and there is more we need to do to deliver support to the one-third of Wisconsinites who rely on private groundwater wells for their drinking water.
No level of lead in drinking water is safe. Elevated blood lead levels in children are associated with hearing loss, lower IQs, developmental delays, behavioral challenges, and emotional impacts like anxiety and depression. In some Wisconsin communities, as many as one in four children under six years old are considered lead poisoned. Wisconsin still has 150,000 lead service lines scattered across more than 70 communities.
Manure and fertilizer from industrial agribusiness contain dangerous pathogens, bacteria, and chemicals that when managed improperly can contaminate our water and contribute to a host of serious health impacts. One common contaminant from manure and fertilizer is nitrate, which is linked to serious negative health effects including cancer, birth defects, and even infant death. An estimated 42,000 private wells exceed the health standard for nitrate.

Across our state, local community leaders are working hard to address these challenges and provide safe drinking water to their neighbors, but they need help from our state leaders.

Proactively tackling these issues with statewide investments would better-protect public health, and it would also save us up to $2.04 billion annually by helping families avoid the healthcare expenses associated with PFAS, lead, and nitrate contamination.

Without statewide investments, water utilities will either need to delay needed upgrades that leave families vulnerable to contamination, or substantially raise water rates to cover costs. This could make it even harder for Wisconsin families to pay their utility bills, a particularly concerning prospect when those same families are the ones facing contamination-related health costs.

Using the $4 billion surplus, we urge you to make a substantive investment in our drinking water infrastructure. Specifically, we recommend the following:

1. Support $953 Million for Our Public Water Infrastructure. The Safe Drinking Water Loan Program and the Clean Water Fund Program provide affordable financial assistance to municipalities for drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure projects that protect public health and ensure compliance with state and federal standards. These are low-interest, revolving loan programs with some allowances for principal forgiveness based on community need and wealth. While they are receiving a boost in funding from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, it is not nearly enough. EPA estimates Wisconsin will need $11.75 billion in water infrastructure investments over the next 20 years. However, given the local government levy limit and municipal debt limit constraints, communities are hesitant to take on additional debt. Investing grant money into our revolving loan programs will save us money in the long-term by preventing negative health impacts, and supporting more green stormwater infrastructure projects which mitigate costly flooding and improve water quality. We urge you to match the funding coming into these programs from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law by supporting at least $953 million in water infrastructure grant funding for the 2025-27 biennium.

2. Support Policy Changes That Protect Private Well Owners. Approximately one-third of Wisconsinites rely on groundwater from private wells for their drinking water. The Safe Drinking Water Act has no jurisdiction over groundwater standards and therefore provides no protection or financial support for these Wisconsinites. Additionally, Wisconsin’s mechanism for setting health-based standards is broken, constrained by 2017 Wisconsin Act 57. This legislation prevents Wisconsin decision makers from finalizing public health-based standards based on their health and economic benefits. These barriers are evidenced by the Department of Natural Resources inability to finalize nearly 50 standards. We urge you to remove 2017 Wisconsin Act 57 as a barrier to protecting our communities.

3. Support Preventative Action. We cannot afford to continue poisoning our water, cleaning it up, and repeating that cycle. Preventing these contaminants from getting into our environment better protects the people we love, and saves us money on our utility bills. We urge you to support phasing out the use of PFAS in non-essential consumer products as several states have already done, allowing local rental inspection programs that ensure apartments are free from lead, and funding pay-for-performance programs that reward hard-working farmers who effectively prevent nitrate contamination.

We owe it to every Wisconsinite to address the unfulfilled promises of the Safe Drinking Water Act and to deliver long overdue relief to communities impacted by contaminants like PFAS, lead, and nitrate. We welcome any opportunity to work with you to help make it happen.

Thank you,
Signed:

Peter Burress, Government Affairs Manager
Wisconsin Conservation Voters

Laura Olah, Executive Director
Citizens for Safe Water Around Badger

Dean Hoegger, President & Executive Director
Clean Water Action Council of NE Wisconsin

Shyquetta Mcelroy, Executive Director
COLE Lead Safe and Healthy Homes Project

Sharon Adams, Interim Executive Director
Community Water Services

Mike Bahrke, Executive Director
Door County Environmental Council

Janet Pritchard,
Director of Water Infrastructure Policy
Environmental Policy Innovation Center

Mandi McAlister, Co-Executive Director
Fair Future Movement

Alexander Malchow,Wisconsin Policy Coordinator
Faith in Place

Christine Reid, Secretary
Friends of the Forestville Dam, Inc

Charles Carlin, Director of Strategic Initiatives
Gathering Waters: Wisconsin’s Alliance for Land Trusts

Jenelle Ludwig-Krause, Executive Director
GROWW

Debra Cronmiller, Executive Director
League of Women Voters of Wisconsin

Diane Sixel, President
Learning Disabilities Association of Wisconsin

Cindy Crane, Director
Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin

Tony Wilkin Gibart, Executive Director
Midwest Environmental Advocates

Cheryl Nenn, Riverkeeper
Milwaukee Riverkeeper

Joe Fitzgerald, Policy and Advocacy Manager
Milwaukee Water Commons

Eric Rempala, Director/Content Editor
Oneida County Clean Waters Action

Allison Werner, Executive Director
River Alliance of Wisconsin

Kathy Allen, Chair
Sierra Club – Coulee Region Group

Jenny Abel, Chair
Sierra Club Great Waters Group

Elizabeth Ward, Chapter Director
Sierra Club of Wisconsin

Cindy Boyle, Secretary
S0H20

Mike Kuhr, Advocacy Chair
Wisconsin Council of Trout Unlimited

Cristina Carvajal, Executive Director
Wisconsin EcoLatinos

Beth Neary, MD, Co-President
Wisconsin Environmental Health Network

Meleesa Johnson, Executive Director
Wisconsin’s Green Fire, Inc

Michael Engleson, Executive Director
Wisconsin Lakes

Cody Kamrowski, Executive Director
Wisconsin Wildlife Federation

David Liners, Organizer
WISDOM

The post Safe Drinking Water Act at 50: what Wisconsin can do to protect water appeared first on River Alliance of WI.

Blog - River Alliance of WI

https://wisconsinrivers.org/sdwa-anniversary-letter/

Allison Werner

Students at Michigan State and Wisconsin win EPA funding for environmental health innovations

On: November 5, 2024

In: Drinking Water, infrastructure, Latest News, Lead, Michigan, News, PFAS, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Research, Data and Technology, Science, Technology, Research, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, Wisconsin

Students at Michigan State and Wisconsin win EPA funding for environmental health innovations

This article was republished here with permission from Great Lakes Echo.

By Isabella Figueroa, Great Lakes Echo

Student researchers from Michigan State University and the University of Wisconsin are among the winners of an Environmental Protection Agency contest for innovations in sustainability.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/11/students-at-michigan-state-and-wisconsin-win-epa-funding-for-environmental-health-innovations/

Great Lakes Echo

2024 Election: State and Local Voters Consider Tax Increases for Water Protection

On: October 28, 2024

In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Collaboration, Drinking Water, Latest News, Minnesota, New York, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, U.S. and Canadian Federal Governments, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts

2024 Election: State and Local Voters Consider Tax Increases for Water Protection

By Brett Walton, Circle of Blue

The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan; Circle of Blue; Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television; Michigan Public, Michigan’s NPR News Leader; and The Narwhal who work together to bring audiences news and information about the impact of climate change, pollution, and aging infrastructure on the Great Lakes and drinking water.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/10/election-state-and-local-voters-consider-tax-increases-for-water-protection/

In: Climate change in the Great Lakes, Drinking Water, Drinking water affordability, Environmental Justice, Lead service lines, Plastic pollution in the Great Lakes

Healing Our Waters Conference Recap: Community Voices Leading the Charge for Water Justice

On: October 11, 2024

This year’s Healing Our Waters (HOW) Conference in Chicago brought together advocates, community leaders, and passionate individuals to address major issues facing the Great Lakes, including the pressing issue of water justice. The event focused on solutions, driven by people committed to ensuring that clean water and proper sanitation are accessible to everyone—especially those living in underserved communities. Many members of the Alliance for the Great Lakes team attended the conference, led panels, and participated in planning. Over the two days, one message was clear: this is a fight for fairness, and the people on the ground are leading the charge.

Spotlight on Chicago’s Fight for Water Justice

Meleah Geertsma, Director of Clean Water and Equity at the Alliance for the Great Lakes, facilitated a thoughtful discussion on how community advocates in Chicago have been battling against unfair land use and zoning policies that have harmed neighborhoods for decades. These advocates are using a civil rights legal framework to fight for water justice, focusing especially on issues like flooding and inadequate sanitation systems. They’re not doing it alone—there’s a collaborative effort with city government to make lasting changes.

Meleah began by asking the audience key questions, like how familiar they were with environmental justice cases such as Sackett, a recent environmental law case that weakened the Clean Water Act, and Zanesville, which relied on civil rights law to address denial of water service for a community in Ohio. The responses varied, revealing that while some cases are well-known, especially environmental law decisions, there’s still a need for greater awareness and education about how civil rights law can be an effective tool in the fight for environmental justice.

Left to Right: Gaby Wagener-Sobrero, Rob Weinstock, Olga Bautista and Meleah Geertsma

Insights from the Panel

The panel brought together three leaders who have been on the frontlines of the fight for water justice:

Olga Bautista, Executive Director of the Southeast Environmental Task Force, shared how years of hard work resulted in a groundbreaking agreement between the City of Chicago and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. She emphasized that viewing water justice through a civil rights lens has been essential in getting local government to take long-overdue action.

Rob Weinstock, Director of the Environmental Advocacy Center at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, highlighted the importance of legal support for communities. He explained that his team’s mission is to equip these communities with the legal tools they need to keep pushing for the changes they deserve.

Gaby Wagener-Sobrero, Environmental Justice Manager for the Chicago Department of Environment, spoke about the shift happening within the city government. She explained that they are now prioritizing communities that have been neglected for too long, working closely with local advocates to address water justice concerns.

More than 40 people attended the panel. The presence of a representative from the City of Chicago, working alongside community and legal experts demonstrated the growing collaboration between the government and the people who are most affected by these issues.

Celebrating Success and Looking Forward

Angela Larsen, Director of Planning and a member of the conference host committee, played a key role in shaping several discussions throughout the event. Her focus was on celebrating the successes of community-driven efforts and ensuring that future strategies are built around the voices of those most impacted by water issues. Angela made it clear: if we want real change, community vision must be at the heart of every decision.

Tom Zimnicki, the Alliance’s Agriculture & Restoration Policy Director presented on his team’s work monitoring water quality and implementing conservation practices in the Lake Erie watershed. The goal of the project is to reduce harmful algal blooms that make the lake’s water toxic to fish, wildlife, pets, and people. They’re deploying sensors in key watersheds in the Western Basin of Lake Erie to track nutrient runoff, primarily from agricultural land uses, which enters streams and tributaries to Lake Erie and fuels the algal blooms.

Hands-On Learning at Oak Street Beach

Beyond the panels, attendees were able to take part in hands-on learning during a field trip to Oak Street Beach. Hosted by the Alliance for the Great Lakes, Shedd Aquarium, and Save the Dunes, the field trip involved a beach cleanup as part of the “Great Lakes Litter Data” initiative. More than 26 participants joined in, removing over 2,000 pieces of litter—including plastic, foam, and cigarette butts. It was not only a chance to help clean the lakefront but also an opportunity to learn more about plastic pollution and the impact of community science.

The Power of Community Advocacy

From insightful panel discussions to hands-on activities, the HOW Conference was a demonstration of the power of community advocacy. It showed how real change happens when communities, legal experts, and government officials come together with a shared vision. This conference may be over, but the fight for water justice is far from finished as we work to ensure equitable access to clean water across the Great Lakes.

The post Healing Our Waters Conference Recap: Community Voices Leading the Charge for Water Justice appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2024/10/healing-our-water-conference-recap-community-voices-leading-the-charge-for-water-justice/

A decade after Flint, feds require nationwide lead pipe removal

On: October 8, 2024

In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Collaboration, Drinking Water, flint, infrastructure, Latest News, Michigan, News, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts

A decade after Flint, feds require nationwide lead pipe removal

By Kelly House, Bridge Michigan

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/10/a-decade-after-flint-feds-require-nationwide-lead-pipe-removal/

Bridge Michigan

Joliet, Illinois, Plans to Source Its Future Drinking Water From Lake Michigan. Will Other Cities Follow?

On: October 1, 2024

In: Chicago, Climate change, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, Illinois, Lake Michigan, Latest News, News, Science, Technology, Research, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, Wisconsin

Joliet, Illinois, Plans to Source Its Future Drinking Water From Lake Michigan. Will Other Cities Follow?

By Nina Elkadi, Inside Climate News

This article originally appeared on Inside Climate News, a nonprofit, non-partisan news organization that covers climate, energy and the environment. Sign up for their newsletter here.

The aquifer from which Joliet, Illinois, sources its drinking water is likely going to run too dry to support the city by 2030—a problem more and more communities are facing as the climate changes and groundwater declines.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/10/joliet-illinois-lake-michigan-drinking-water/

Inside Climate News

Groundwater: Who’s in charge?

On: September 25, 2024

In: Authors, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Collaboration, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, Gary Wilson, great lakes news collaborative, Groundwater Contamination, Latest News, News, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts

In the early 2000s a movement to address the plight of the heavily polluted and long neglected Great Lakes started to gain traction.

The goal was to bring the gravitas of the federal government to the issue and in 2004 President George W. Bush signed an executive order declaring the lakes a “national treasure.” An interagency task force was established to bring together the disparate efforts of various federal programs who had been working independently on Great Lakes issues.

Gary Wilson, Great Lakes Now

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/09/groundwater-whos-in-charge/

Retirements by water and wastewater plant operators are leading to workforce shortages

On: September 23, 2024

In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Collaboration, Drinking Water, Latest News, Michigan, News, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts

Retirements by water and wastewater plant operators are leading to workforce shortages

By Lester Graham, Michigan Public

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/09/retirements-by-water-and-wastewater-plant-operators-are-leading-to-workforce-shortages/

Michigan Public

Wisconsin Supreme Court to hear case with broad implications for PFAS cleanup

On: September 17, 2024

In: Advocacy, Drinking Water, Equity and Environmental Justice, Latest News, News, PFAS, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, Wisconsin

Wisconsin Supreme Court to hear case with broad implications for PFAS cleanup

By Danielle Kaeding, Wisconsin Public Radio

This article was republished here with permission from Wisconsin Public Radio.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court will hear a case that could have sweeping effects on state environmental regulators’ authority to force businesses to clean up PFAS pollution under the state’s spills law.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/09/wisconsin-supreme-court-to-hear-case-with-broad-implications-for-pfas-cleanup/

Wisconsin Public Radio

U.S. Movement to Limit CAFO Pollution Emboldened by Michigan Court Ruling

On: August 27, 2024

In: Agriculture, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Collaboration, Drinking Water, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, News, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts

U.S. Movement to Limit CAFO Pollution Emboldened by Michigan Court Ruling

By Keith Schneider, Circle of Blue

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/08/u-s-movement-to-limit-cafo-pollution-emboldened-by-michigan-court-ruling/

Former state toxicologist says nitrate drinking water standards are too lax

On: July 30, 2024

In: Drinking Water, Latest News, News, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, Wisconsin

Former state toxicologist says nitrate drinking water standards are too lax

By Henry Redman, Wisconsin Examiner

A former Wisconsin state toxicologist who was involved in creating the state’s nitrate standards for drinking water in the 1980s alleges the science that has informed those standards for decades is deeply flawed and the standards should be stricter.

Dave Belluck, who worked as a toxicologist for multiple states and the federal government, says that “the science is the science” and regulating agencies, including the U.S.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/07/former-state-toxicologist-says-nitrate-drinking-water-standards-are-too-lax/

Wisconsin Examiner

Michigan Bottlers Still Get Free Water, Despite Governor’s Tough Talk

On: June 6, 2024

In: Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, flint, Latest News, Michigan, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts

Michigan Bottlers Still Get Free Water, Despite Governor’s Tough Talk

By Anna Clark, photography by Sarahbeth Maney

This story was originally published by ProPublica.

ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox.

When Gretchen Whitmer campaigned for Michigan governor in 2018, she took aim at Michigan’s bottled water industry — and the state policy that gave it unfettered access to free water.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/06/michigan-bottlers-still-get-free-water-despite-governors-tough-talk/

ProPublica

River Alliance urges Governor Evers to veto PFAS bill

On: February 26, 2024

In: Drinking Water, PFAS, water policy

River Alliance urges Governor Evers to veto PFAS bill

River Alliance of Wisconsin urges Governor Evers to veto Senate Bill 312.

“PFAS is an urgent issue that needs to be addressed in a serious way,” said River Alliance of Wisconsin Executive Director Allison Werner. “Instead we’ve watched the state legislature play partisan games to score political points with special interest groups like Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce. Senate Bill 312 is not the progress we need on PFAS.”

To be clear, Senate Bill 312 does not include an appropriation of funds. Without an appropriation, the bill does not spend the $125 million dollars that the Joint Finance Committee added to the state budget. It would take additional action by the legislature to approve the costs of the programs in SB 312. In addition, PFAS are widespread and expensive to clean up. $125 million is nowhere near enough to meet the current needs of homeowners and municipalities with polluted drinking wells.

If approved, SB 312 would make it harder for the state to hold those responsible for pollution accountable, and severely limit the amount of cleanup that can be done. SB 312 would also limit grant programs only to PFAS substances for which there are standards. As we have seen with the Department of Natural Resources’ past attempts to create groundwater standards for PFAS, this legislature has little interest in such standards being created, thus also limiting any potential impact of SB 312.

For those reasons, the Governor should veto SB 312.

For real progress on PFAS, the Joint Finance Committee should approve the DNR’s request from last December that would allow them to do more testing, get clean drinking water to those who need it, and begin cleanups. The state legislature can and should also let the DNR move ahead with improving groundwater standards on PFAS in drinking water.

“When we play a partisan game with our water, all Wisconsinites lose in the protection of our health and our environment,” said Werner.

This message is made possible by generous donors who believe people have the power to protect and restore water. Support our work with your contribution today.

The post River Alliance urges Governor Evers to veto PFAS bill appeared first on River Alliance of WI.

Blog - River Alliance of WI

https://wisconsinrivers.org/veto-sb-312/

Allison Werner

Top 5 Great Lakes Federal Policy Priorities for 2024

On: February 20, 2024

In: Agricultural runoff, Drinking Water, great lakes restoration, invasive species, Plastic pollution in the Great Lakes

Significant progress continues to be made in protecting and restoring the Great Lakes, but much more needs to be done. Although increased federal funding from the Infrastructure Investment Act these last two years has allowed states and the federal government to address some key issues, including water infrastructure and the cleanup of toxic legacy pollution, we still have too many Great Lakers experiencing polluted water. Invasive species continue to threaten the lakes, nutrient runoff continues to negatively affect our water quality, and plastic pollutes our beaches and drinking water.

In our 2024 federal policy priorities, we’ve identified the top five opportunities for Congress and federal agencies to address these challenges. Many of these priorities are familiar and are carried over from last year when Congress made little progress on substantive legislation. For the upcoming year, Congress and the administration must address key issues. These include passing an annual federal budget to provide states with sufficient federal resources to fix our ailing water infrastructure; enacting a Farm Bill that will reduce the flow of nutrient pollution into the lakes; maintaining progress on key federal projects intended to stop invasive species; and providing funding and reauthorization for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative to continue support for on-the-ground restoration projects.

Equity and justice are embedded throughout these policy priorities and must be considered at every step of the federal decision-making process to ensure that all Great Lakers have access to safe, clean, affordable water. Repairing the long-term harm from environmental injustices isn’t a one-off action and federal decision-makers must prioritize disadvantaged communities where the burden of pollution and the lack of essential services often hit the hardest. Congress and the administration must ensure that community voices are at the table – and listened to – from the beginning of all decision-making.

Read on for full details of our 2024 Great Lakes federal policy priorities, or download the fact sheet to learn more.

Increase water infrastructure funding, prioritize funding for communities most in need

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed by Congress late in 2021 was an important down payment to fix the nation’s failing and outdated water infrastructure. The funding will jump-start efforts to replace dangerous lead pipes, fix leaky pipes, and stop sewage overflows.

However, the funding is only a start. EPA’s 7^th national Drinking Water Needs Information Survey and Assessment, completed just last year, estimates that the Great Lakes region will need at least $225.2 billion over the next twenty years to fix our water infrastructure problems. This is an increase from the last national survey and indicates that federal funding is not keeping up with needs. Currently, the infrastructure bill will provide Great Lakes states with an additional $1.8 billion per year for the next five years. It is clearly not enough. We need to keep the pressure on Congress to provide additional funds for water infrastructure programs. Additionally, funding programs must be structured to ensure that money reaches communities with the highest need, such as those with many lead pipes.

In 2024, we urge Congress to:

Increase annual funding to at least $9.3 billion for the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds
Increase by $1 billion annual funding levels for lead service line replacement and emerging contaminants
Set aside at least 20 percent of the Clean Water State Revolving Fund as grants for green infrastructure projects such as green roofs, permeable pavement, and additional green spaces
Pass a federal ban on residential water shutoffs
Establish a federal program to provide financial assistance for water and sewer bills

In 2024 we urge the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to:

Require that states accepting federal funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 are increasing funding and technical assistance for disadvantaged communities so that they are equipped to advance through the SRF selection process
Issue a final Lead and Copper Rule requiring cities to meet ambitious timelines for lead service line replacement

Download the water infrastructure fact sheet.

Pass a Farm Bill that prioritizes clean water

Agriculture is the largest unaddressed source of nonpoint pollution in the Great Lakes region. Runoff from agricultural lands puts the Great Lakes at risk. It pollutes drinking water, threatens wildlife, harms the regional economy, and prevents people from enjoying recreation on the Great Lakes.

Every five years, Congress develops a “Farm Bill,” a major package of legislation that sets the agenda and funding for national farm and food policy. Congress passed a one-year extension of the Farm Bill in 2023, so in 2024 Congress can pass a Farm Bill that ensures farms produce clean water, not pollution, along with their crops.

In 2024, we urge Congress to pass a Farm Bill that:

Increases funding for U.S. Department of Agriculture conservation programs
Includes provisions to ensure accountability for farm conservation programs aimed at stopping runoff pollution from agricultural lands
Reduces funding for concentrated animal feeding operations

Download the agriculture fact sheet.

Pass legislation to stop plastic pollution

For many years, efforts to stop plastic pollution put the responsibility on the end-user, such as recycling. But only a fraction of plastic produced each year is recycled, leaving the remainder to end up in landfills or as litter that lands in our waterways. The alternative is to require plastic producers to be responsible for their products through their lifecycle, which is called extended producer responsibility. Congress has an opportunity to be a leader on this issue.

In 2024, we urge Congress to pass legislation that:

Makes plastic waste producers responsible for its reduction
Reduces the federal government’s use of single-use plastics, including polystyrene foam
Funds additional research on the public health impact of plastics

Download the plastic pollution fact sheet.

Protect the Great Lakes from aquatic invasive species

Invasive species have caused irreparable harm to the Great Lakes ecosystem and cost the region billions of dollars since the late 1980s. Preventing them from ever entering is the best way to protect the Great Lakes. The battle against invasive species is focused on two fronts – stopping invasive carp from entering the Great Lakes and cleaning up ship ballast tanks.

Established populations of invasive carp are only 50 miles from Chicago and Lake Michigan. But it’s not too late to prevent them from reaching the lakes. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has proposed constructing additional carp prevention measures at the Brandon Road Lock and Dam near Joliet, Illinois. The facility is a critical choke point in the waterways leading to Lake Michigan. Congress and federal agencies must continue to support this project.

The St. Lawrence Seaway opened the Great Lakes to direct ocean-going shipping. Unfortunately, ships brought invasive species along for the ride in their ballast tanks. Although regulations to clean up ship ballast tanks have reduced introductions, loopholes remain for “lakers,” ships operating solely in the Great Lakes. The U.S. EPA can close that loophole.

In 2024, we urge Congress to:

Include language in the next Water Resources Development Act to authorize 100 percent federal funding for the annual operations and maintenance of the Brandon Road Interbasin Project, which is being implemented to stop invasive carp from entering the Great Lakes

In 2024, we urge federal agencies to take the following actions:

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers should execute a Project Partnership Agreement with the State of Illinois for the Brandon Road Interbasin Project so that the project may proceed to phase 1 construction this fall and continue public participation for the project’s implementation
The U.S. EPA should issue final rules requiring all vessels operating on the Great Lakes, including lakers, to clean up their ballast tanks

Download the invasive species fact sheet.

Fund, update, and reauthorize the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) is one of the most important tools in the region’s toolbox to protect and restore the lakes. The program provides funding for on-the-ground restoration projects, from wetland restoration to cleaning up toxic hotspots. In addition to environmental benefits, GLRI funding garners an additional 3-to-1 return in economic benefits.

While we need continued investment in Great Lakes restoration, the strategy guiding the GLRI was developed almost 20 years ago and needs an update. Federal agencies should revise the Great Lakes restoration strategy to address the next generation of threats to the lakes, including climate change and long-standing environmental injustices. In addition, the program’s authorization will expire in 2026, so action will be needed by Congress in the near future to reauthorize and extend the GLRI program.

In 2024, we urge Congress to:

Fund the GLRI with at least $450 million in FY 2024
Reauthorize the GLRI program at $500 million per year for five years from FY 2027-2031

In 2024, we urge the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to take the following action:

U.S. EPA should issue the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan IV to address environmental injustice, climate resilience, and the next generation of risks to the Great Lakes

Download the Great Lakes restoration fact sheet.

Tell Congress: Protect the Great Lakes in 2024

Too many Great Lakers experience polluted water – whether it’s lead-tainted tap water or algal blooms fouling waterways. Invasive species threaten our lakes. Plastic pollutes our beaches and drinking water.

Take Action

The post Top 5 Great Lakes Federal Policy Priorities for 2024 appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2024/02/top-5-great-lakes-federal-policy-priorities-for-2024/

DC Update: Are Great Lakes Priorities Advancing After a Year of Divided Government?

On: January 24, 2024

In: Agricultural runoff, Drinking Water, Environmental Justice, great lakes restoration, invasive species, Plastic pollution in the Great Lakes

Don Jodrey, Director of Federal Government Relations

This blog is part of a series of updates from Don Jodrey, the Alliance’s Director of Federal Government Relations, with his view on Great Lakes policy from Washington, DC.

At the beginning of 2023, we announced an ambitious Great Lakes federal policy agenda. We noted that it was the start of a new Congress and an era of divided government. We predicted that there were likely to be major policy disagreements between the Republican House, the Democratic Senate, and the Biden administration that might result in a stalemate or lack of progress on some issues, particularly where legislation is required.

We were correct in anticipating major policy disagreements, but we did not envision how dysfunctional the year would be in this Congress where a very small group of conservative House members have managed to delay action on some of Congress’ most basic tasks, including preventing the Congress from passing an annual budget for the federal government.

Major funding disagreements for water infrastructure

As we approach the year mark after we released our federal priorities last year, we note that Congress has enacted another short-term continuing resolution until early March for the fiscal year which started last October. And although the House and Senate leadership have agreed upon a top-line number for domestic spending, it is unclear when final spending levels will be resolved between the House and Senate among the 12 bills that fund the government. There are major disagreements between the House and Senate over the level of funding for water infrastructure with the House proposing more than $1.7 billion in cuts from levels supported by the Senate. This would reduce the funding available to communities to address drinking water and wastewater issues.

Farm Bill discussions continue

Another legislative casualty this year was the Farm Bill. The House and Senate were unable to advance a new five-year Farm Bill. Instead, they agreed to a one-year extension of the current program. We continue to encourage Great Lakes members to support increased funding for conservation programs, as well as provisions to ensure accountability for conservation programs that address harmful agricultural runoff pollution, particularly in Lake Erie. We are pleased that Representatives Marcy Kaptur from Ohio and Mike Gallagher from Wisconsin have introduced the Healthy Farms Healthy Watersheds Act to reduce nutrient runoff and thereby reduce harmful algal blooms. The legislation would help farmers reduce phosphorus pollution by better targeting farm bill conservation dollars where they would have the most impact.

Plastics legislation is introduced

Discussions continue in Congress on efforts to control plastic pollution. Several key pieces of legislation have been introduced in the House and Senate. First, Illinois Senator Dick Durbin reintroduced “The Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act” to address the problems posed by plastic pellets in our waters, including the Great Lakes. The bill would prohibit the discharge of plastic pellets and other pre-production plastics into the Great Lakes and waterways across the country. Plastic pellets, like other microplastics, pose a danger to human health, fish, wildlife, and ecosystems. In addition, Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley has reintroduced the “Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act” which provides a comprehensive approach to plastic pollution reduction by creating a national policy and requirements for extended producer responsibility which would require corporations to take responsibility for post-consumer management of plastic products and packaging. Other legislative efforts include bills that would impose an excise tax on the production of virgin plastic, as well as legislation that would ban the use of polystyrene foam. It is unlikely that any of these efforts will become law in this Congress, but we will continue to support them and educate members on the harmful environmental impacts caused by plastic pollution.

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative continues to receive strong bipartisan support

One program that continues to have robust bipartisan support is the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The House proposes to fund this program at the current funding level and the Senate proposes a $5 million increase. The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative’s goals are: fish that are safe to eat, water that is safe for recreation, a safe source of drinking water, clean up Areas of Concern, eliminate harmful algal blooms, prevent the introduction of new invasive species and control existing invasive species, and protect and restore habitat to sustain native species.

States step up to fund invasive carp protections

Following up on last year’s Congressional authorization to change the Brandon Road project’s construction cost share to 90 percent federal and 10 percent state, the Brandon Road project received funding boosts this year from the States of Illinois and Michigan. The combined $115 million will cover the entire state share of the estimated construction costs for the project. The next step is for the State of Illinois and the U.S Army Corps of Engineers to sign a project partnership agreement so that construction can begin in 2024. This project is critical to keeping invasive carp out of the Great Lakes.

Environmental Protection Agency takes action

This past year the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) took several actions that affect the Great Lakes. First, the agency issued its 7th national Drinking Water Needs Assessment survey that assesses the health of the nation’s drinking water infrastructure. For the first time, the assessment included information on the number of lead service lines in each state. Unfortunately, Great Lakes states water infrastructure needs have increased since the last national drinking water needs assessment was completed. Collectively, EPA estimates that the Great Lakes region needs at least $225.3 billion over the next twenty years to fix failing water infrastructure.

EPA also proposed a supplemental rule to regulate ballast water in the Great Lakes. This is necessary to prevent the spread of harmful aquatic invasive species. Although EPA proposes to exempt existing Lakers (ships that do not leave the Great Lakes) from installing ballast water treatment systems, EPA does propose requiring that new Lakers, or those constructed after 2026, install ballast water treatment. We provided extensive comments to EPA recommending that all Lakers be required to install ballast water treatment systems. The agency’s final rule is expected later this year.

Lastly, EPA is updating the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Strategy by developing its next action plan, which will cover the next five years of funding for this program. We have recommended that EPA address environmental justice and climate change along with its environmental restoration priorities. A draft plan will be released for public comment later this year.

Looking ahead, your voice matters

Although not all our priorities advanced this past year, your voice makes a difference. Contact federal decision-makers about the Great Lakes issues that you care about. Great Lakes members of Congress need to hear from you about prioritizing funding to ensure every community has safe drinking water. They need to hear what federal legislation or existing programs would help address environmental concerns in your community, like harmful algal blooms or reducing plastic pollution. Let your members of Congress and other federal decision-makers know how important clean and healthy Great Lakes are to you.

Protect the Great Lakes & Our Communities

Too many Great Lakers experience polluted water – whether it is lead-tainted water coming from taps in homes or algal blooms fouling beaches. Visit our Action Center and learn how you can take action.

Take Action

The post DC Update: Are Great Lakes Priorities Advancing After a Year of Divided Government? appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2024/01/dc-update-are-great-lakes-priorities-advancing-after-a-year-of-divided-government/

Water Infrastructure: Getting Great Lakes Water to the People

On: January 22, 2024

In: Drinking Water, Drinking water affordability, Lead service lines

For our Diving Deep for Solutions series, we commissioned author and journalist Kari Lydersen to examine big issues facing the lakes today and how our expert team at the Alliance for the Great Lakes is growing to meet the moment.

Residents of our Great Lakes states are surrounded by freshwater, yet for many, access to clean, safe, and affordable water is impacted by historic disinvestment or lack of local resources to improve infrastructure, notes Jenna Voss, Alliance for the Great Lakes Program Manager for Clean Water & Equity.

Indeed, many people across the Great Lakes region can’t depend on this spectacular water resource because failing or antiquated pipes and pumps contaminate water on their way to taps and flood basements and discharge sewage into rivers and lakes during heavy rains. These challenges will only get worse with climate change, as heavier rains overwhelm water systems and hotter temperatures increase the risk of toxins and pathogens contaminating drinking water.

Lead that contaminates drinking water from pipes poses a serious health risk in many communities, and drinking water can also be contaminated with “emerging contaminants” – toxic chemicals that are not widely regulated or monitored. These include chemicals from pharmaceuticals and pesticides that contaminate water through run-off or wastewater, and PFAS – thousands of “forever chemicals” from industrial processes and products.

Even as drinking water may be unsafe, it is also unaffordable for many, forcing them to choose between paying water bills and other costs.

The Alliance is proud to collaborate with coalition partners to lead the push for vastly increased investment and equity in water infrastructure and affordability. The $50 billion in federal dollars available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021 offers hope for real change, but ongoing policy reform and community engagement is needed to make sure water infrastructure investments are made in effective and equitable ways, including addressing high water bills.

“Protecting and enhancing the Great Lakes ecosystem – including human health and access to safe, affordable water – should be a priority. Public health is central to creating a vibrant and thriving Great Lakes community,” said Voss. “Long-term water affordability needs to be prioritized in state and federal policy and requires dedicated investment, much like our investments in supporting watershed health.”

New investment, new opportunities

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes important revisions to and added funding for State Revolving Funds (SRFs) for clean water and drinking water. These programs offer low-interest loans and grants. The law allocates new supplementary funding of $11.7 billion each over five years to the Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, plus $5 billion for addressing emerging contaminants and $15 billion for lead service line replacement. The new funding comes on top of existing annual base funding appropriated by Congress.

The federal SRF programs are designed to support projects that help communities meet the requirements and goals of the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act, respectively. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) has long been a way to address combined sewer overflows when rainwater overwhelms wastewater systems and forces the release of untreated sewage into rivers and lakes. The Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) addresses the risk from lead pipes and other water distribution challenges.

Voss noted that just last year, the EPA, for the first time, examined lead service lines in its Water Infrastructure Needs Survey and Assessment.

“The inclusion of lead service lines in the survey was really important,” said Voss. “Hopefully, having more data to tell us where SRF funding is most needed will enhance states’ abilities to make a dent in the crisis.”

Under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, almost half the payments for lead service line replacement in disadvantaged communities must be forgivable loans – essentially grants – and almost half the total drinking water funds must be spent on disadvantaged communities.

The law also says a quarter of loans allocated to fight emerging contaminants like PFAS through drinking water infrastructure will be forgivable. Finally, the law reduced the

amount states had to pay to match the federal loans through 2023 – from 20% to 10% — taking some burden off states in the initial years of BIL funding.

Loans and grants for clean water infrastructure are available to municipalities, non-profits, and private entities, like homeowners’ associations and watershed groups. Almost half of the loans are also forgivable if municipalities meet affordability criteria or advance energy efficiency and sustainability targets.

Voss noted that while the dollars are primarily federal, states have broad authority in deciding how they are spent. Each state is required to submit an Intended Use Plan (IUP) to the federal government outlining how the state plans to spend the federal funds for water and infrastructure during that fiscal year, and the public has the chance to comment on these plans. Ultimately, these plans have a massive influence on clean water outcomes in the Great Lakes.

To equip NGOs and community organizations with the tools and understanding to navigate these layers of water infrastructure policy and to help guide states through this process with a focus on equity and climate resilience, the Alliance launched the SRF State Advocates Forum in 2021, in partnership with the Environmental Policy Innovation Center, PolicyLink, and River Network. The forum has helped more than 50 organizations engage with state SRF administrators and submit comment letters on state Intended Use Plans.

“The SRF program could be quite powerful in addressing lead service lines and water affordability problems because it has longevity,” said Voss. “Multi-year funding is needed to make sure there is long-term investment in communities, not just upfront capital where the community is later left with the bill.”

Building Healthy Communities with Systemic Change

Detroit has been a poster city for the water infrastructure crisis, with environmental justice implications, as Black residents are disproportionately affected by lack of access to quality drinking water and by basement flooding, even while faced with unaffordable water bills and denial of flooding compensation claims.

As in neighboring Flint and other cities around the country, many metro Detroit residents deal with drinking water that can be dangerously contaminated with lead and other toxins, even as it is unaffordable for some families.

Monica Lewis-Patrick, President and CEO of the community organization We the People of Detroit, emphasized that the city of Detroit not only needs to overhaul its water infrastructure but needs to do it in a way that prioritizes existing residents without contributing to inequality and displacement.

“In my mind there’s two things,” she said. “One is making sure the infrastructure is being invested in so it’s going to be to the benefit of the residents who are in the city now,” not only aimed at attracting new and wealthier residents.

Second, the jobs and economic stimulus created by the overhaul need to benefit residents who have suffered for too long from inadequate investment. In support of building long-term climate resilience, Mayor Duggan’s administration released the Detroit Climate Strategy in November 2023.

Healthy Water, Healthy People

The particular emphasis on clean water during the pandemic spotlighted the epidemic of water shutoffs in Detroit and other low-income communities across the Great Lakes. In Detroit, shut-offs were linked to higher rates of COVID-19 and disproportionately affected elderly and Black people.

Lewis-Patrick decried the “racialized narrative” that “Black people just woke up one day and didn’t pay their bills,” citing water rates that have more than doubled in recent decades, far outpacing wage growth, with inadequate supports for those living on fixed incomes.

Lewis-Patrick pointed to a study by Dr. Nadia Gaber featuring Detroit and showing the psychosocial impacts of not having secure access to clean water.

“Even outside of the highly concentrated Black and brown communities of the urban core, poor white folks are affected too,” she said. “Every human being deserves clean, affordable water.”

In the work of protecting and restoring the Great Lakes, it’s critical that no one is left behind. For many in the region, water flowing from the tap and running through our water systems is the primary way people connect to the Great Lakes.

“A healthy Great Lakes region is one where every person can wake up knowing our shared water will be there for them and their family,” said Joel Brammeier, Alliance president & CEO. “Water connects us all. That’s why we’re working to make sure everyone who lives here can rely on the lakes every day.”

The post Water Infrastructure: Getting Great Lakes Water to the People appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2024/01/water-infrastructure-getting-great-lakes-water-to-the-people/

Program to provide cash for pregnant women in Flint, Michigan, and families with newborns

On: January 11, 2024

In: AP, Drinking Water, Equity and Environmental Justice, flint, Latest News, Michigan, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts

Program to provide cash for pregnant women in Flint, Michigan, and families with newborns

FLINT, Mich. (AP) — A program aimed at helping remove families and infants in Flint, Michigan, from deep poverty will give $1,500 to women during mid-pregnancy and $500 each month throughout the first year after the birth.

Enrollment opened Wednesday for Rx Kids, lauded by officials as the first of its kind in the United States.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2024/01/ap-program-to-provide-cash-for-pregnant-women-in-flint-michigan-and-families-with-newborns/

The Associated Press

Great Lakes Now sits down with director of Flint water crisis film “Lead and Copper”

On: December 22, 2023

In: Books, Authors, Art and Music, Drinking Water, Equity and Environmental Justice, Feature Homepage, Feature Lead, flint, History and Culture, infrastructure, Interview, Latest News, Lead, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts

Great Lakes Now sits down with director of Flint water crisis film “Lead and Copper”

William Hart, director of a documentary about the Flint water crisis called “Lead and Copper,” joined Great Lakes Now’s Anna Sysling for a discussion about the film.

The small team began producing the film in 2016, and with the 10-year anniversary of the beginning of the crisis coming up in April 2024, Hart said they wanted to get it out and ready to screen around that time.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/12/great-lakes-now-sits-down-with-director-of-flint-water-crisis-film-lead-and-copper/

GLN Editor

PFAS experts gather to address growing chemical crisis

On: December 19, 2023

In: Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, Great Lakes, Kathy Johnson, Latest News, Michigan, News, PFAS, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Protect, Summit, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts

PFAS experts gather to address growing chemical crisis

In light of the ongoing PFAS crisis, stricter groundwater regulations were part of a Michigan statewide effort to protect resident’s health and improve water quality. This was before 3M corporation sued the state to invalidate these new rules. 3M prevailed in the lower courts and the state is currently awaiting a decision for an appeal filed with the Michigan Supreme Court.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/12/pfas-experts-gather-address-growing-crisis/

In: Climate change in the Great Lakes, Drinking Water, Drinking water affordability, Environmental Justice, Lead service lines, Plastic pollution in the Great Lakes

Reflections from COP28: A Journey of Global Impact and Local Stewardship

On: December 15, 2023

Note: This blog was written by Vice President of Policy and Strategic Engagement Crystal M.C. Davis.

Attending the COP28 UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai was an incredible experience, one that I was fortunate to be a part of thanks to the Black Environmental Leaders Association (BEL). As a founding member and board member, it was amazing to see how the organization’s support brought our mission to a global stage, showing just how far our collective efforts in environmental advocacy can reach.

Celebrating the Role of Black Environmental Leaders

Our delegation’s presence at COP28 was a testament to the organization’s commitment to environmental advocacy and its impact on a global scale. I was privileged to represent not only the Alliance for the Great Lakes but also the voices and perspectives that BEL leaders bring to the forefront of environmental justice.

Global and Local Interplay: Understanding Our Collective Impact

At COP28, the interconnectedness of local and global environmental efforts became increasingly clear. The insights I gained there have deepened my understanding of how our regional work across states and cities aligns with national and global environmental initiatives. It’s evident now more than ever that our individual efforts have profound global implications. This revelation was a recurring theme throughout the conference, emphasizing the significant impact of water stewardship and innovation on a global scale. COP28 was not just about global dialogues; it was about finding local relevance in these discussions. The insights gained from the conference will be instrumental in shaping our approach to water and climate issues in the Great Lakes region. The shared knowledge and strategies from the global stage will help us develop more effective local solutions.

Water Stewardship: An Economic Imperative

The conference illuminated an essential truth: water stewardship and innovation are not only environmental responsibilities but also make sound economic sense. This alignment of environmental, racial, health, and economic justice was a key focus, with several sessions exploring the financial aspects of climate action. The discussions at COP28 reinforced the notion that environmental conservation is intrinsically linked to broader economic strategies.

The Alliance for the Great Lakes: Bridging Justice and Environmental Action

At the Alliance for the Great Lakes, we’ve recognized the intertwined nature of environmental, racial, health, and economic justice. COP28 served to reaffirm this understanding, highlighting how environmental initiatives, especially those focused on water, are crucial in building a just and sustainable economic future. Our commitment to these principles was echoed in the global discourse at the conference, reinforcing the value and urgency of our work.

Forward with Renewed Vision

Reflecting on the experiences and lessons from COP28, I am filled with a renewed sense of purpose and clarity. As we move forward, the Alliance for the Great Lakes is more equipped than ever to play a pivotal role in fostering environmental justice and economic sustainability, both regionally and globally.

Together, we are making strides toward a future where environmental stewardship and economic progress go hand in hand.

The post Reflections from COP28: A Journey of Global Impact and Local Stewardship appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2023/12/reflections-from-cop28-a-journey-of-global-impact-and-local-stewardship/

Groundwater on the rocks: WRI-funded research will map naturally occurring contaminants in public wells across Wisconsin

On: November 1, 2023

In: Drinking Water, Geogenic contaminants, groundwater, Matt Ginder-Vogel, Midwest Cambrian Ordovician Aquifer System, radium

Pumped from the vast layers of bedrock beneath our feet, groundwater is the source of drinking water for two-thirds of people living in Wisconsin. According to geochemist Matt Ginder-Vogel, what’s in that water is largely influenced by what’s in the rock.

Matt Ginder-Vogel is researching geogenic contaminants in public wells across Wisconsin. Photo credit: UW–Madison Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering

“Groundwater is not a lake underneath the ground. It’s water that’s in tiny pore spaces in the rock,” said Ginder-Vogel, an associate professor in the UW–Madison Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. “So, it really interacts with the rocks around it.”

Under the right conditions, this interaction can cause naturally occurring or “geogenic” contaminants—like radium, arsenic, uranium and manganese—to leach from bedrock into groundwater.

Just where geogenic contamination is occurring in the state and how are the questions Ginder-Vogel and his team of graduate students are hoping to answer in new research funded by the University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute.

Savannah Finley and Juliet Ramey-Lariviere are both graduate students working on the project. They’re digging through drinking water quality data from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to identify municipal wells with high levels of contaminants. The goal is to provide a snapshot of geogenic contamination across the state so that folks know what’s in their water.

“We want to give a health progress report of our overall aquifer and say—here’s what we have. Here are the contaminants that we’re looking at,” said Finley.

Juliet Ramey-Lariviere. Submitted photo.

Savannah Finley. Submitted photo.

She and Ramey-Lariviere are working on a map that will show contaminant hotspots and the underlying bedrock in those locations to determine if there is a relationship between the two.

“The hope is, once we have this data, to lay it all out on top of one another and look at the different bedrock formations and hopefully try to tie in the bedrock formation with the different contaminants that we’re seeing,” said Finley.

The team is focused on public wells in the Midwestern Cambrian Ordovician Aquifer System, a horseshoe-shaped region that roughly occupies the southern two-thirds of Wisconsin. Once wells are identified, they’ll collect both water and rock samples and begin experiments in the lab, which will reveal the amount of contamination leaching from the samples and how fast it’s occurring.

“We’ll be taking rock sections and grinding them up and looking to see what comes off the rocks,” said Ginder-Vogel. “You expose them to water and see what partitions into the water. Then you can manipulate the conditions of water to release other contaminants.”

The team will then use these findings to create a model that identifies hotspots around the state prone to geogenic contamination. Ginder-Vogel hopes the model will raise awareness of the problem even if water utilities aren’t currently experiencing issues. Concentrations of naturally occurring contaminants can change over time. Take, for example, the city of Waukesha.

“[Waukesha] didn’t always have troubles with radium. But when they started pumping more groundwater—and the Chicago suburbs were also pumping more groundwater and were changing the flow path of the water—[Waukesha] started to have more and more trouble with radium,” said Ginder-Vogel.

A map of Wisconsin showing wells tested for radium and those that exceed drinking water standards. Wells that exceed standards are concentrated in the eastern half of the state. — A map of Wisconsin showing wells tested for radium and those with drinking water that exceeds the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) standard set by the EPA. Wells exceeding MCL are concentrated in eastern Wisconsin. Image credit: Savannah Finley and Juliet Ramey-Lariviere

“Once you’ve seen that, you can’t help but ask, is it happening with other things, other naturally occurring contaminants like arsenic?”

Ginder-Vogel said increased water use is what’s driving the changing concentrations. Pumping more water pulls groundwater through the aquifer in different ways and allows water to interact with bedrock it hadn’t before, picking up new contaminants.

“People who think about groundwater often think about it being this unchanging pool beneath the ground, but with all the water that we use and the way we move water around right now, there’s the possibility for lots of change,” he said.

Unfortunately for water utilities dealing with high levels of geogenic contaminants, the solution isn’t an easy or cheap one. Geogenic contaminants don’t biodegrade or go away. “They’re metals,” said Ginder-Vogel. “You can’t destroy them and remediate them. You can only move them from one place to another.”

One solution is to install treatment systems that remove contaminants from drinking water. It’s an expensive option, however, and small municipalities may not have the resources to support such an endeavor. Water utilities may also choose to rebuild a well in such a way that it avoids rock formations with high amounts of contaminants.

Ginder-Vogel’s hope is that the team’s research helps municipalities develop a plan before geogenic contamination becomes a problem. While they can’t change the bedrock, they can be strategic about how they pump water.

Said Ginder-Vogel, “We’re trying to be smart about our water resources.”

The post Groundwater on the rocks: WRI-funded research will map naturally occurring contaminants in public wells across Wisconsin first appeared on WRI.

News Release | WRI

https://www.wri.wisc.edu/news/groundwater-on-the-rocks-wri-funded-research-will-map-naturally-occurring-contaminants-in-public-wells-across-wisconsin/

Jenna Mertz

Charting the Future of the Great Lakes: Insights from the HOW Conference and Governors’ Summit

On: November 1, 2023

In: Agricultural runoff, Drinking Water, Environmental Justice, great lakes restoration, invasive species, Plastic pollution in the Great Lakes

Note: This blog was co-written by President & CEO Joel Brammeier and Vice President of Policy and Strategic Engagement Crystal M.C. Davis.

For four days in Cleveland on the shores of Lake Erie last week, many of the Great Lakes region’s leading advocates and decision-makers gathered for discussions on the future of our waters. We were privileged to be part of those gatherings at the Healing Our Waters (HOW) – Great Lakes Coalition’s annual conference, followed by the biennial Summit of Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers.

Building a Path to Protect the Great Lakes

Forums like these occasionally yield big breakthroughs. The 2015 Summit was where Ohio, Michigan and Ontario agreed to reduce nutrient pollution to Lake Erie by 40%. More often, they are a place for people like us to build consensus with our colleagues on the next major phases of our long-term work to protect the Great Lakes.

With the HOW Conference and the Governors and Premiers Summit held back-to-back in one place, there were great opportunities to confab among the hundreds of elected officials, senior agency staff, philanthropists, and private sector and nonprofit leaders from across the region.

Crystal and other community leaders engaged in a powerful roundtable discussion hosted by the Cleveland NAACP, joined by Governor Whitmer.

Crystal was honored to join in a small roundtable discussion with Governor Whitmer led by the Cleveland NAACP, bringing her voice to elevate the Alliance’s water policy priorities. Additionally, we had the opportunity to speak directly with Ohio Governor Mike DeWine about his state’s H2Ohio water funding program, the Ohio Lake Erie Commission, and other pressing water policy matters.

Three Key Takeaways

Three things stood out to us among the countless speeches, panels, and meetings.

First, attendees learned that to be successful at protecting the Great Lakes, we must pay attention to how they intersect with so many other needs in our communities.

The HOW coalition asked Crystal to organize the opening plenary for the conference. The audience applauded a diverse panel from the financial, health, environmental and economic development sectors that outlined the complex relationship between water policy and needs for economic, racial, and educational justice in Cleveland and communities across our region. The Alliance also organized the ‘Green N Tha Ghetto’ field trip to the renowned Rid-All Farm in Cleveland. This trip highlighted a black-owned urban farm’s groundbreaking aquaponics and thriving crops, and a farm that stands as a testament to the rich intersection of Great Lakes water, cultivation of community, and economic development.

Second, the composition of some of the rooms is changing to better reflect all the voices of the region. Truly inclusive representation of Great Lakes communities is critical for these high-level gatherings to be worth their weight. We saw and heard many younger faces and voices that were new to us – always a positive sign. And the Great Lakes movement is catching up to the fact that leaders from Black, Indigenous, Latino and more communities of color have been pivotal in advocating for our water for many years. When organizations like HOW and the Alliance truly value and practice authentic engagement, this fosters long-lasting and sustainable relationships, paving the way for more Great Lakes success.

Joel at Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers Summit

Finally, we saw attention not just to what needs to happen but how the work gets done. The governors and premiers summit was the launch pad for a new commitment to planting 250 million trees across the Great Lakes region over the next decade. A laudable goal for sure, and one that can play a part in meeting our climate and clean water challenges. What we found most illuminating about the launch were the reflections from leaders from the Cleveland Trees Coalition and National Indian Carbon Coalition. Trees can help heal urban heat islands in Cleveland or support wild rice habitat on tribal lands in Minnesota. Tree planting is good, but it can become great when it starts with and is sustained by community leadership to address community-identified needs.

The Power of Great Lakes Gathering

Joel chatting with other Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers Summit attendees.

The power of these gatherings hit home for Joel on Saturday at the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers luncheon. A video testimonial from the two surviving founders of the organization, former Michigan Governor Jim Blanchard and former Ohio Governor Dick Celeste, described the economic conditions of the Great Lakes region in the early 1980s – severe recession, high unemployment, and deep uncertainty facing residents and leaders across the lakes. The governors chose this moment to convene for the first time to build on one asset that was recession-proof: our shared freshwater foundations. Their choice to come together in a time of uncertainty so many decades ago reminds us that protecting the Great Lakes takes time and that choices we make today can have incredible staying power.

We are proud to be part of bringing a greater diversity of voices to these critical Great Lakes conversations than ever before, ensuring the next generation of Great Lakes protection meets the needs of everyone who relies on the lakes every day.

Protect the Great Lakes & Our Communities

Take Action

The post Charting the Future of the Great Lakes: Insights from the HOW Conference and Governors’ Summit appeared first on Alliance for the Great Lakes.

https://greatlakes.org/2023/11/charting-the-future-of-the-great-lakes-insights-from-the-how-conference-and-governors-summit/

Michigan toddlers to receive universal lead testing under new legislation

On: September 22, 2023

In: Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, Latest News, Michigan, News

Michigan toddlers to receive universal lead testing under new legislation

This article was republished here with permission from Planet Detroit.

By Nina Ignaczak, Planet Detroit

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is expected to sign bills requiring doctors to test children for lead exposure at one and two years old following the Michigan Legislature’s Tuesday approval of the two-bill package.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/09/michigan-toddlers-to-receive-universal-lead-testing-under-new-legislation/

Planet Detroit

PFAS News Roundup: Impact of PFAS on farming, proposed cuts to the EPA

On: September 12, 2023

In: Authors, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, Illinois, Kathy Johnson, Latest News, Michigan, News, Ohio, Pennsylvania, PFAS, PFAS News Roundup, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, Wisconsin

PFAS News Roundup: Impact of PFAS on farming, proposed cuts to the EPA

Keep up with PFAS-related developments in the Great Lakes area with Great Lakes Now’s biweekly headline roundup.

Click on the headline to read the full story:

Illinois
Farmer Claiming PFAS Pollution From Mine Sent to Arbitration — Bloomberg Law News

An Illinois appellate court on Friday ordered a dispute between a farmer and a mining company over alleged water pollution from firefighting foam used to extinguish a fire at a mining operation be settled in arbitration, reversing a lower court decision.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/09/pfas-news-roundup-impact-pfas-farming-proposed-cuts-epa/

Government watchdog: EPA slow to raise alarm in Benton Harbor water crisis

On: September 8, 2023

In: benton harbor, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Collaboration, Drinking Water, epa, Groundwater Contamination, Latest News, Lead, Michigan, News, water contamination, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts

Government watchdog: EPA slow to raise alarm in Benton Harbor water crisis

By Kelly House, Bridge Michigan

The Great Lakes News Collaborative includes Bridge Michigan; Circle of Blue; Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television; and Michigan Radio, Michigan’s NPR News Leader; who work together to bring audiences news and information about the impact of climate change, pollution, and aging infrastructure on the Great Lakes and drinking water.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/09/government-watchdog-epa-slow-alarm-benton-harbor-water-crisis/

Bridge Michigan

Chicago Suburbs, Running Out of Water, Will Tap Lake Michigan

On: September 6, 2023

In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Chicago, Collaboration, Drinking Water, groundwater, Illinois, infrastructure, Lake Michigan, Latest News, News

Chicago Suburbs, Running Out of Water, Will Tap Lake Michigan

By Brett Walton, Circle of Blue

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/09/chicago-suburbs-water-tap-lake-michigan/

PFAS News Roundup: PFAS likely present in all major water supplies, Court rules against restrictions on PFAS in Michigan

On: August 29, 2023

In: Authors, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, Indiana, Kathy Johnson, Latest News, Michigan, Minnesota, News, Ohio, PFAS, PFAS News Roundup, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, Wisconsin

PFAS News Roundup: PFAS likely present in all major water supplies, Court rules against restrictions on PFAS in Michigan

PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of widespread man-made chemicals that don’t break down in the environment or the human body and have been flagged as a major contaminant in sources of water across the country.

Keep up with PFAS-related developments in the Great Lakes area.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/08/pfas-news-roundup-pfas-likely-present-water-supplies-court-rules-against-restrictions-michigan/

Amendment to Clean Water Act improves Great Lakes through critical observation, collaboration

On: August 7, 2023

In: clean water act, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, Groundwater Contamination, History and Culture, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, News, PFAS, Policy, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, pollution, Protect, Recreation and Tourism, Refresh, The Provinces, The States, U.S. and Canadian Federal Governments, Water quality, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts

Amendment to Clean Water Act improves Great Lakes through critical observation, collaboration

From fishing to enjoying a summer day at the beach, the Great Lakes provide enjoyment, comfort and a sense of home to the region. But these bodies of water were not always secure, as the lakes and connecting rivers were considered dangerous due to high pollution spots.

The Great Lakes region has seen some of the most historic river fires.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/08/amendment-to-clean-water-act-improves-great-lakes-through-critical-observation-collaboration/

Jada Vasser

Regulators fail for 43 years to stop BASF from ‘staggering’ daily toxic waste spill into Detroit River

On: August 4, 2023

In: BASF, Collaboration, Detroit, detroit river, Drinking Water, Latest News, Michigan, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, toxic waste, water pollution, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts

Regulators fail for 43 years to stop BASF from ‘staggering’ daily toxic waste spill into Detroit River

This article was republished here with permission from Planet Detroit.

By Tom Perkins, Planet Detroit

For 43 years, state regulators and the Environmental Protection Agency have ordered chemical manufacturer BASF to stop discharging up to 72,000 gallons of toxic waste-contaminated groundwater daily from its Wyandotte plant into the Detroit River.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/08/regulators-fail-43-years-stop-basf-staggering-daily-toxic-waste-spill-detroit-river/

Planet Detroit

PFAS News Roundup: Legislation introduced in Michigan, Ways to reduce your exposure

On: August 3, 2023

In: Authors, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, Indiana, Kathy Johnson, Latest News, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, News, PFAS, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, Wisconsin

PFAS News Roundup: Legislation introduced in Michigan, Ways to reduce your exposure

Keep up with PFAS-related developments in the Great Lakes area.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/08/pfas-news-roundup-legislation-introduced-in-michigan-reduce-exposure/

US House budget proposal cuts funds for water system upgrades and polluted communities

On: July 20, 2023

In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Collaboration, Drinking Water, Latest News, Michigan, News, Public Health, U.S. congress, water pollution, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts

US House budget proposal cuts funds for water system upgrades and polluted communities

By Lester Graham, Michigan Radio

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/07/us-house-budget-proposal-cuts-funds-water-system-upgrades-polluted-communities/

Michigan Radio

PFAS News Roundup: First-to-market PFAS annihilator in Michigan, $42.4 million in claims against Wisconsin city

On: July 20, 2023

In: Authors, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, Kathy Johnson, Latest News, Michigan, Minnesota, News, Ohio, PFAS, PFAS News Roundup, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, Wisconsin

PFAS News Roundup: First-to-market PFAS annihilator in Michigan, $42.4 million in claims against Wisconsin city

Keep up with PFAS-related developments in the Great Lakes area.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/07/pfas-news-roundup-firs-market-pfas-annihilator-michigan-42-4-million-claims-wisconsin-city/

Study says drinking water from nearly half of US faucets contains potentially harmful chemicals

On: July 7, 2023

In: AP, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, forever chemicals, Latest News, News, PFAS, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts

Study says drinking water from nearly half of US faucets contains potentially harmful chemicals

By John Flesher, AP News

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Drinking water from nearly half of U.S. faucets likely contains “forever chemicals” that may cause cancer and other health problems, according to a government study released Wednesday.

The synthetic compounds known collectively as PFAS are contaminating drinking water to varying extents in large cities and small towns — and in private wells and public systems, the U.S.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/07/ap-study-drinking-water-nearly-half-us-faucets-contains-potentially-harmful-chemicals/

The Associated Press

Nessel: $10B PFAS settlement with 3M doesn’t resolve Michigan’s claims

On: June 27, 2023

In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Collaboration, Drinking Water, Latest News, lawsuit, Michigan, News, PFAS, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Water quality, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts

Nessel: $10B PFAS settlement with 3M doesn’t resolve Michigan’s claims

By Kelly House Bridge Michigan

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/06/nessel-10b-pfas-settlement-with-3m-doesnt-resolve-michigans-claims/

Bridge Michigan

Forest to MI Faucet: Using trees to keep water sources pristine

On: April 26, 2023

In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Collaboration, Drinking Water, Forests, Latest News, Michigan, News, Water quality, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts

Forest to MI Faucet: Using trees to keep water sources pristine

By Lester Graham, Michigan Radio

In: Agriculture, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Climate, Climate change, Collaboration, Drinking Water, Energy, Clean Energy, Ethanol and Fracking, Feature Homepage, Global Warming, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, Latest News, News, Science, Technology, Research, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/04/forest-to-mi-faucet-using-trees-to-keep-water-sources-pristine/

Michigan Radio

U.S. Counts on “Climate-Smart” Farms to Slow Global Warming

On: April 20, 2023

U.S. Counts on “Climate-Smart” Farms to Slow Global Warming

By Keith Schneider, Circle of Blue

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/04/climate-smart-farms-slow-global-warming/

A deep dive into disposing waste from East Palestine’s derailment

On: April 14, 2023

In: Authors, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, cleanup, Drinking Water, Feature Homepage, Groundwater Contamination, Industry, Energy, Economic Development, James Proffitt, Latest News, Michigan, New York, News, Ohio, Research, Data and Technology, Science, Technology, Research, Waste, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts, wells

A deep dive into disposing waste from East Palestine’s derailment

Some residents in Vickery, including Ohio State Rep. Gary Click, were upset to learn that hazardous wastewater from a Feb. 3 Norfolk Southern derailment was being sent to their area for disposal. But the reality is that Vickery Environmental (VE), a Class 1 deep well injection site about five miles from Sandusky Bay, has been receiving and disposing liquid waste for nearly a half century.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/04/deep-dive-disposing-waste-east-palestine-derailment/

James Proffitt

Weathering the floods: Detroit neighborhood faces uncertain future due to climate change

On: April 7, 2023

In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Climate change, Detroit, Drinking Water, Equity and Environmental Justice, Feature Detroit, Feature Homepage, flooding, great lakes news collaborative, Latest News, Michigan, Municipalities, News, One Detroit, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Science, Technology, Research, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts

Weathering the floods: Detroit neighborhood faces uncertain future due to climate change

Across Detroit the effects of climate change are evident. In the Jefferson-Chalmers neighborhood on the city’s lower east side, overflowing stormwater drains, contaminated waterways and flooded basements are just a few examples of how the city’s aging infrastructure struggles to keep up with our changing climate.

The city’s combined sewer system is the crux of the problem.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/04/detroit-neighborhood-faces-uncertain-future-due-to-climate-change/

One Detroit

Great Lakes Take Global Stage

On: April 5, 2023

In: Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Partnership, Climate change, Collaboration, Drinking Water, Fish, Birds and Animals, government, Great Lakes, infrastructure, Latest News, Municipalities, News, PFAS, Policy, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Protect, Science, Technology, Research, U.S. and Canadian Federal Governments, water, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts

By Brett Walton, Circle of Blue

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/04/great-lakes-take-global-stage/

EPA to limit toxic ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water

On: March 14, 2023

In: Drinking Water, environmental protection agency, Feature Homepage, forever chemicals, Forever Chemicals Featured, Latest News, News, PFAS, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts

EPA to limit toxic ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water

By Michael Phillis and Matthew Daly, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday proposed the first federal limits on harmful “forever chemicals” in drinking water, a long-awaited protection the agency said will save thousands of lives and prevent serious illnesses, including cancer.

The plan would limit toxic PFAS chemicals to the lowest level that tests can detect.

https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/03/ap-epa-limit-toxic-forever-chemicals-drinking-water/

The Associated Press

Detroiters can get another 1,125 gallons of water under discount program

On: March 3, 2023

In: Advocacy, Detroit, Drinking Water, Equity and Environmental Justice, Feature Detroit, Feature Homepage, infrastructure, Michigan, Municipalities, News, Politics, Policy, Environmental Justice, water, water affordability, Water Quality and Restoration Efforts

Detroiters can get another 1,125 gallons of water under discount program

This article was republished here with permission from Great Lakes Echo.

By Vladislava Sukhanovskaya, Great Lakes Echo

The city of Detroit and a nonprofit agency recently added 1,125 gallons of water per person per month to a program that prevents water shut-offs in low-income households.