Freshwater Future Weekly: July 29, 2022

This week: Meet One of Our Spring Project Grant Recipients: Junction Creek Stewardship Committee + Join us for a Q&A Webinar on Freshwater Future’s grant programs + Ask Your Water Utility to Participate in LIHWAP + Wisconsin Sues 18 Companies Over PFAS Contamination

Meet One of Our Spring Project Grant Recipients: Junction Creek Stewardship Committee

Junction Creek Stewardship Committee based in Sudbury, Ontario received funding this spring to protect Junction Creek, a tributary of Lake Huron by addressing targeted point source contaminants. Greater Sudbury is the highest populated municipality in Northern Ontario and one of the largest mining communities in Canada. Data collected on the discharges will be used to influence provincial and municipal policies to help protect Junction Creek. View the full list of 2022 grantees on our website.  

Q&A Webinar on Freshwater Future’s Grant Programs

Join us for a Q&A Webinar on Freshwater Future’s grant programs, August 24 at Noon, ET.  Register for the webinar here.  Currently, we have more dollars available to support this program, making it a great time to apply!. Visit our website grant portal to learn more or contact Laurie Breighner at laurie@freshwaterfuture.org, or 231-348-8200, ext. 1

Ask Your Water Utility to Participate in LIHWAP

The pandemic left many people with financial burdens and difficulties paying water bills. A new federal program, the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP) provides direct funding to water utilities to help residents in arrears and maintain water service. Unfortunately, not all local water utilities have signed-up to participate in the program. Ask your local government, public water utility, or private water utility to be a LIHWAP partner. Water is a basic human right and this opportunity benefits all stakeholders.  

Wisconsin Sues 18 Companies Over PFAS Contamination

Wisconsin’s Attorney General filed a lawsuit this week against 18 companies with the aim to recover costs related to contamination from the family of chemicals called PFAS. Claiming that companies knew, or should have known, the products could cause harm to public health, water, and the environment as part of their intended use.  Several Wisconsin cities are dealing with PFAS pollution, including Peshtigo and Marinette where fire-fighting foams that contain these chemicals are manufactured.

No Lead is Safe in Drinking Water