Join Us Monday, October 20th at Patagonia Mag Mile in Chicago!
Come out to Patagonia’s store at 48 E. Walton Street in Chicago for a free special in-store event and to meet Freshwater Future Board Members, Bettina Marshall and Jaclyn Wagner! Starting at 6:30 pm, this event features merchandise giveaways, catered food, a bartender, and a fish fly-tying demonstration to celebrate the store’s new book, Pheasant Tail Simplicity. RSVP here to attend and to learn more about Freshwater Future’s work, our Board, and how clean water is essential for treasured pastimes like fly-fishing!
Your Self-Care is a Priority – Join for October’s Online Mindfulness Session
It’s important to find moments of quiet to combat the stress of the news, grassroots advocacy, and daily life. We hope you join us next Thursday, October 23rd from 11:30 am – 12:15 pm ET for our monthly Mindfulness & Meditation Webinar to re-energize your efforts in water work and beyond. The 45-minute session is led by Jonathan Relucio, a mindfulness expert with 20+ years of experience. You’ll learn simple techniques to recharge, refocus, and reduce stress. This FREE event is open to everyone—community leaders, family, friends, co-workers, and volunteers. Register today and share this event!
October Only! Donate $50 or more and receive a FREE bag of coffee from Superior Coffee Roasting Co.!
Thanks to the generosity of Superior Roasting Coffee Co., you will receive a FREE 12 oz. bag of coffee of your choice (redeemable with a code) for donating $50 or more to Freshwater Future. Your donation today can make a real difference in helping to protect our amazing Great Lakes, inland lakes, rivers, wetlands, and drinking water. This offer ends on October 31st, 2025. Donate now to receive your free bag of coffee.
Take Actions: Together, Our Voices Make a Difference
NEW! No Federal Funds for For-Profit Wastewater Systems
Public wastewater systems remove pollutants from water to protect public health. Keeping them running well requires a significant amount of money. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund provides loans or grants for publicly-owned wastewater systems. These funds help offset the costs of upgrades for customers, keeping water rates affordable. Now, for-profit wastewater systems want to access this federally funded program. If Congress approves this change, it means less money would be available for public wastewater and stormwater projects, leading to even higher water rates for customers. Please send a message today demanding NO federal water funds for for-profit corporations.
Keep Up the Pressure: Continue Contacting U.S. Lawmakers to Protect Our Water
The U.S. House of Representatives is planning to vote on a package of anti-clean water bills, also known as the PERMIT Act, sometime this year. Here are a couple of examples of what makes this bill harmful:
- Lets polluters Off the Hook–The bill protects polluters from being held responsible if they know about harmful pollutants in their wastewater but do not report them.
- Takes Away State and Tribal Power–This bill strips states’ and tribes’ power to review big federal projects like pipelines or dams, leaving decisions to federal agencies and giving less voice to people living in impacted communities.
Send a personalized message to your elected U.S. Representative and ask them to vote NO.
New NASA Nuclear Power Program in Cleveland Threatens Clean Water
In response to Russia and China’s goal to put a nuclear reactor on the moon, the U.S. government has chosen NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Brook Park, Ohio to lead a similar American effort. Now, for-profit nuclear companies are looking to partner with the federal program and make money from establishing nuclear power in space. The industry hopes this new Fission Surface Power Program will boost plans to colonize the moon and the planet Mars. Nuclear power generation comes with negative impacts such as large volumes of freshwater for cooling and warm water discharges, high-level radioactive waste for which we have not a single storage option, and potential toxic leaks. Are the shores of Lake Erie an appropriate place for such a race to new radioactive technologies?
Advocates Push Ontario to Take Action on Lead Pipes
A new report by the Canadian Environmental Law Association (CELA) assesses the current issues with lead pipe replacement in Canada, with a focus on Ontario. Most Ontario communities do not require a full replacement of the lead pipes connected to a home. When this happens, partial replacements can occur, and this can increase lead particles in the drinking water. No amount of lead is safe. Freshwater Future agrees with the report’s recommendation that full lead pipe replacements should be mandatory to protect human health. The U.S. EPA will require full pipe replacements starting in 2027, and many states and communities have already taken this step. Until lead pipes are removed from your community and home, use these resources to protect your family.
