Freshwater Future Weekly: December 16, 2022
This Week: Give the Gift of Clean Water; New York Governor Vetoes Utility Transparency Bill; Is Your Community’s Water System in Need of Upgrades? Don’t Miss Out on Federal Funds
Give the Gift of Clean Water!
You can ensure a brighter future and help make lasting change for water across the Great Lakes region through your year-end gift today at this link. No gift is too big or too small!
Your donation will go towards all of our efforts, examples include:
$25 – Provides educational materials and toolkits to keep people safe from lead.
$50 – Supports Freshwater Future’s online alert system to notify residents when we learn of local drinking water problems.
$100 – Creates a petition using our collective voice to urge local, state, or federal officials to take action.
$250 – Supports an online seminar providing community leaders with tips and tools to expand their voice and capacity to make real change.
$500 – Trains a community group to use Freshwater Future’s Flood Focus App to identify local solutions on flooding and climate Impacts.
$1,000 – Supports the growth of a local Water Council to help residents work together on real solutions to access clean, safe, and affordable water.
New York Governor Vetoes Utility Transparency Bill
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of New York residents behind on their utility bills skyrocketed. Last month, Governor Kathy Hochul vetoed a bill that would have required the state to collect and report on the number of New Yorkers struggling to pay for utilities, including those behind on their water bill. The Governor cited the “fiscal impact” of the bill on the state. Freshwater Future believes every state should be collecting information about water shut offs and unaffordability of water as rates rise.
Is Your Community’s Water System in Need of Upgrades? Don’t Miss Out on Federal Funds
Make your voice heard and tell your local government to keep water safe, accessible, and affordable by applying for the increased amount of federal funds available for water system upgrades! Eligible projects include lead service line replacement, improvements to address pollutants, and more. Below are the grant deadlines and links to more information for each of the Great Lakes states.
2023 Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Application Due Dates and Grant Opportunities
Illinois: March 31; Grants
Indiana: April 1 for early submission points; May 1 Final deadline; Grants
Michigan: June 1; Grants
Minnesota: Early April; Grants
New York: Mid-June; Grant 1, Grant 2
Ohio: Early March, Grant 1, Grant 2
Pennsylvania: February 1; May 3; TBD; TBD; Grants 1, Grants 2
Wisconsin: September 30 if needing financial assistance