The Mississippi River Basin and the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin supply freshwater and drain wastewater for millions of people.
Two of the largest watersheds in the U.S., they span state and political boundaries.
Water
Some want Michigan to regulate septic tanks to protect water quality
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Being a state with direct access to a lot of freshwater creates opportunities for housing, jobs and tourism.
However, the quality of Michigan’s water is threatened due to poorly maintained septic tanks, according to environmental advocates pushing for legislation to require periodic inspections of septic systems statewide.
Water
Some in Michigan hoping to change minds about drinking water and fluoridation
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It takes two to three hours for Kevin Villalta to filter and distill a gallon of tap water, and he says the process is as expensive as it is time-consuming.
But it’s worth it, said the Lansing environmental engineer, who works for the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.
Water
Smart buoys help brace Great Lakes for environmental challenges
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Lake Erie is the first of the Great Lakes getting connected to the internet with a series of offshore “smart” buoys.
And it’s not just for sending texts on the water.
Water
Water consumption drops in Great Lake cities, study finds
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Residents of major Great Lakes cities, including Lansing, are using less water, a trend that has economic, societal and environmental implications, a new study found.
And the relationship between per capita water use and socioeconomic factors such as income and race may prove significant as policymakers address inequities in the distribution and affordability of water
Water
Blame the geese – E. coli closes beaches
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As lakes and rivers cool with the arrival of fall, avid swimmers may be at risk for illnesses due to contact with contaminated water.
That’s because of a health threat from Escherichia coli – familiarly known as E. coli.
Water
Great Lakes champs are part of the ecosystem they protect
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By Jada Vasser
A new book about the Great Lakes is written to reflect that their problems, solutions and champions are interrelated, much like the ecosystem it portrays. “This whole thing of bringing stakeholders together, creating a vision, co-producing knowledge, co-innovating solutions is in the book,” author John Hartig said. “You don’t get that anywhere else.”
Hartig’s “Great Lakes Champions: Grassroots Efforts to Clean Up Polluted Watersheds,” highlights 14 people who created programs and solutions to help communities that depend on the Great Lakes. These leaders took on the goal of restoring the Great Lakes through service and guidance. They all are hardworking and determined and share the same love for the Great Lakes, Hartig said.
Nearshore
Shocking news for Michigan fish
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Walleye and pike surveys start in early spring, followed by muskie surveys. In May, the DNR starts surveying general fish communities like panfish and bass, and from July to September it surveys streams.
Water
Detroiters can get another 1,125 gallons of water under discount program
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Detroit water rates have gone up 407% over the last 20 years, and 120% in just the last 10 years.
Water
Toxic hotspot builds nontoxic community engagement
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There were no controls over what was being dumped into the river. It was a free for all.
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EPA wins settlement in Elkhart, Indiana, pollution suit
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The contamination has affected the drinking water quality for local residents using wells