March 13, 2020

Visits with Federal Representatives Highlight Water Issues + Detroit to Restore Water Service to Aid in Coronavirus Prevention + Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron and Erie Set Water Level Records in February + POSTPONED–Flint Community Water Lab Grand Opening + Pellston, Michigan Students Help Discover PFAS in Homes

Visits with Federal Representatives Highlight Water Issues   

Last week, Freshwater Future and our partners from communities around the Great Lakes visited Federal Representatives in Washington, D.C. to inform them of concerns and needs to address water safety, toxins in water, and affordability.  

Detroit to Restore Water Service to Aid in Coronavirus Prevention

Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron and Erie Set Water Level Records in February

If one inch of water equates to 800 billion gallons of water, what happens when the Great Lakes rise as high as 17 inches above the shoreline? Water level records are shattered creating higher rates of erosion and higher waves for surfing. 

POSTPONED–Flint Community Water Lab Grand Opening

The Flint Development Center and Freshwater Future have worked years to establish the Mckenzie Patrice Croom, Flint Community Lab, the first of its kind.  The Grand Opening scheduled for March 25th has been postponed due to the coronavirus. To ensure the health and safety of our participants and community members, we will reschedule for a later date. You will not want to miss this celebration.

Pellston, Michigan Students Help Discover PFAS in Homes

Pellston students, after learning about the toxic chemicals called PFAS, worked with Freshwater Future to test the water in their classmates’ homes. The results found high levels in a few residences.  The students are stepping up and becoming young leaders in the community by helping to inform and educate the community about PFAS and tackling the problem.

Ask Your Senator to Take Action on PFAS

In January, the U.S. House of Representatives passed, with bipartisan support, the PFAS Action Act (H.B. 535).  Sign this petition to ask your Senators to move PFAS solutions forward.  This important piece of legislation will:

• Protect drinking water from PFAS by requiring the EPA to create a drinking water standard for PFOA and PFOS within two years.

• Protect the Great Lakes, rivers, and streams from PFAS pollution by listing PFOS and PFOA under the Clean Water Act within two years.

• Protect our air from PFAS by making PFOS and PFOA hazardous air pollutants under the Clean Air Act.

• Require corporate polluters to clean up their PFAS contamination by listing PFAS as hazardous substances under the CERCLA Act or the Superfund Law.

• Protect our communities and workers, especially our firefighters, who come into contact with these harmful products on a regular basis.

If you haven’t already, please sign this petition to ask your Senators to vote in favor of the Senate version of the PFAS Action Act.