drinking water

Michigan lawmakers introduce anti 'water theft bills'

By Cheyna Roth • Dec 9, 2019

New bills in the state House would put Michigan’s water — including groundwater — in a public trust. That means that the waters would have to be reserved for the public’s use, and the state would have to protect the water for that purpose. 

State Court of Appeals sides with Osceola Township in dispute with Nestle

By Ben Thorp • Dec 4, 2019
Flicker

Bottled water from Nestle Waters does not meet the definition of an “essential service,” according to a decision Tuesday from the Michigan Court of Appeals. 

Attorney General Dana Nessel says legal action on Line 5 could be close

By • May 30, 2019
Ballard Marine Construction

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel says she’s ready to go to court to force Enbridge to shut down a pipeline, Line 5, that moves oil and gas on a route that runs through the Straits of Mackinac. That’s if the energy company and the state don’t reach a deal by the end of June.

But Nessel says it also sets a deadline for negotiations on the future of the pipeline.

Advocacy group asks Coast Guard to show Line 5 anchor strike findings

By Taylor Wizner • Apr 3, 2019
Gregory Varnum

Michigan Attorney General calls Mackinac Straits pipeline law 'unconstitutional'

By • Mar 29, 2019

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel says a law passed last year to build an oil pipeline tunnel beneath the Mackinac Straits is unconstitutional.

One of the first things Gov. Gretchen Whitmer did when she took office in January was to ask for an attorney general’s opinion on the law, which former Gov. Rick Snyder pushed through in the waning days of the legislature.

Slight presence of PFAS in Gaylord considered safe

By • Oct 9, 2018
Michigan PFAS Action Response Team

A low level of pollutants has been detected in the City of Gaylord's municipal drinking water. State environmental officials tested the municipal water for PFAS at three sites in the city. A small amount of the chemicals was detected at one site, but nothing was found at the other two sites.

Bottled water handed out in Blair after PFAs contamination found

By • Sep 7, 2018
State of Michigan

People in Blair Township are now dealing with PFAs contamination. On Friday, twelve households started getting bottled water at the township hall. That’s after contamination was found in wells this week. 

PFAs are found in things like fire-fighting foam and are linked to cancer.

We've Got Issues: Landfill puts water at risk, say fed up residents

By • Jan 15, 2018
Morgan Springer

For decades, residents living near the Wexford County Landfill have been dealing with contaminated drinking water. The landfill was built in the 1970s and was mismanaged at times. Now, a new proposal at the site is creating new concern for residents.

Because of Flint, Battle Creek now tests water at homes with lead pipes

By • Nov 15, 2017

One of the things Flint’s water operators got in trouble for was falsifying records; for saying the city was testing homes at the highest risk of having elevated lead levels when it was not. But records obtained by Michigan Radio show Flint is not the only city in the state that tested the wrong homes over the years and potentially underestimated lead in water.

The biggest culprit for high lead in tap water is the lead water pipes that connect a house to the water main. That’s why cities are supposed to test those homes.

Toxicologist says cuts to EPA mean Flint won’t be the only community with unsafe water

By • Aug 1, 2017

Perhaps no state in the country is more aware of water safety than Michigan. Seeing the Flint water disaster play out since 2014 has given us all a harsh lesson in not taking safe water for granted. 

Yet President Trump's proposed budget takes an ax to the budget of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), one of the agencies most responsible for protecting our water.

Study: some highly fluorinated chemicals are harder to filter from water

By editor • Jun 6, 2017

Researchers have found some kinds of chemicals are harder to filter from water.

These compounds belong to a family called highly fluorinated chemicals. They’re used to make carpets, clothes and cookware stain and water repellant.

They’ve also been used in firefighting foam at military bases and airports. Those chemicals from firefighting foam have contaminated drinking water around the country, including drinking water wells near the former Wurtsmith Air Force Base near Oscoda.

We have a lot of old water infrastructure, so what do we do about it?

By Rebecca Williams • Mar 2, 2017

President Trump called for a trillion dollar investment in infrastructure this week in his address to Congress.

The Great Lakes Commission has ideas for where some of the money should go. The Commission is an interstate compact agency that represents Great Lakes states. The agency released recommendations today for rebuilding our water infrastructure.

Waukesha full speed ahead as mayors fight Great Lakes water diversion

By • Jan 23, 2017
Susan Bence

A Wisconsin town is getting a lot of attention these days, on the issue of drinking water. Waukesha lies outside the Great Lakes basin, but it has received permission to take water from Lake Michigan. Officials are still debating the political and financial impact, and a group of mayors is challenging the town’s action.

Do you have lead in your pipes and faucets? Here's how you can find out

By • Jul 14, 2016

There are several potential sources of lead in your home plumbing that can get into your drinking water.

  • The service line connecting the water main to your house could be made out of lead
  • The solder in your plumbing could have lead in it
  • And older brass faucets and valves can contain lead

So how do you figure out what you have in your house?

This question has been nagging at me for some time. At our house, we drink the water straight from the tap.