Saturday, March 22 is World Water Day, a global day established by the United Nations to celebrate water, reflect on the progress we’ve made, and acknowledge the challenges ahead. This year’s theme, glacier preservation, is a powerful reminder of how climate change is reshaping our world and threatening freshwater supplies. Here in Michigan, where the Great Lakes define our identity, FLOW has been working to protect water for all, ensuring that it remains clean, safe, abundant, and affordable.
For the past five years, FLOW has partnered with the Michigan Legislature to officially recognize World Water Day, reinforcing our collective responsibility to protect our water resources. While glaciers may seem far removed from Michigan, their loss directly impacts water levels, ecosystems, and communities. Closer to home, we see water threatened every day—from factory farm pollution contaminating private wells with dangerous nitrates to failing septic systems leaking bacteria into our lakes and rivers. These are real issues affecting real people, and they demand action.
At FLOW, we’re tackling these problems head-on. We’re advocating for a dedicated funding source for well water testing, pushing for statewide and local septic system standards, and working on the Michigan Public Water Trust Fund Act—a bold initiative to secure long-term water infrastructure funding. We’re also fighting for stronger regulations on corporate water withdrawals to ensure that Michigan’s water remains a public resource, not a private commodity.
World Water Day is a time to recognize the work being done,
but it’s also a call to action.
Around the world, billions of people lack access to clean water, and here in Michigan, we must stay vigilant. The fight for clean water is far from over, and it’s up to all of us to push for policies that protect both people and ecosystems. We can never take our water for granted.
This World Water Day, let’s recommit to safeguarding our most precious resource. Whether through advocacy, education, or community action, we all have a role to play. Together, we can ensure that Michigan’s—and the world’s—waters remain clean, abundant, and protected for generations to come.
Healthy septic systems make healthy waters
Failing septic systems can harm public health, water quality, property values, and cause long-term expenses. Additionally, if your neighbor cannot replace or fix their failing septic system, it could negatively impact your property.
