Check out our August News to Us for the latest water wins, including articles covering two new laws protecting Michigan’s waters, recent land preservation efforts in Webster Township, and green stormwater infrastructure projects in Ypsilanti parks. Also included in our August News to Us is an article highlighting progress and challenges in combatting Lake Erie’s harmful algal blooms.
Toxic blooms on Lake Erie still a problem 10 years after Toledo issued a ‘do not drink’ order
A decade after the Toledo water crisis, harmful algal blooms (HABs) continue to plague Lake Erie’s western basin and threaten water quality. However, millions of dollars have been invested to safeguard Toledo’s drinking water from the threat of HABs. Water resources managers across the Lake Erie basin continue to struggle to reduce bloom occurrence and nutrient runoff into the Lake. Check out a recent blog from HRWC’s Kelly McCabe about HABs in the Huron River watershed.
Whitmer signs law easing Michigan inland lake level management
In late July, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed into law a bill that eases inland lake level management and helps lakes to maintain their natural levels. The bill, sponsored by Rosemary Bayer (D-West Bloomfield), comes after a 2022 Michigan Court of Appeals decision that ruled legally-mandated lake levels must be strictly maintained. Since that ruling, HRWC has advocated for more natural flow variation to protect aquatic ecosystems and is thrilled to see this bill become law.
Michigan banning “flushable” label from bathroom wipes
Under another newly-passed Michigan law, manufacturers are banned from labeling moist bathroom or diaper wipes as “flushable” and instead must provide a “Do Not Flush” notice on their products. When flushed, these wipes wreck havoc on plumbing and wastewater infrastructure. In Oakland County alone, flushed wipes have cost taxpayers $134,000 in clogged machinery. Not only do these wipes impact public sewer systems but they also can clog private septic systems. For more information on proper septic maintenance, visit our Take Action page.
Webster Township purchases 29 acres of land for preservation
The Webster Township farmland and open space preservation program recently closed on a new conservation easement purchase to protect 29 acres of land within the Huron River watershed. This is one of a few recent land preservation purchases by Webster Township, who also closed on a 19 acre property earlier this summer. The program remains a priority for Webster Township as residents recently voted in the August primary election to renew their millage and sustain the program for another 10 years.
With more severe storms, rain gardens could help Ypsilanti manage water in parks
City of Ypsilanti is exploring rain gardens and other green stormwater infrastructure to improve management of runoff at its parks. Both Recreation Park and Candy Cane Park in Ypsilanti are subject to standing water after rainfall, which poses challenges to recreation and park maintenance. Thanks to recent grant funding, the City is hoping to use native plants and other natural features to manage the rainwater and, in turn, mitigate runoff into the Huron River watershed. Visit our Take Action page on landscaping for more information on the power of rain gardens and native plants in improving water quality.