Our Aging Infrastructure Challenges
Aging infrastructure is a major problem for water conservation efforts across the nation. Here in Michigan, where we rely on the Great Lakes for our drinking water, the issue is even more critical. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated that the cost of repairing and upgrading the Great Lakes’ regional drinking water and wastewater infrastructure is nearly $180 billion over a 20-year period.
The large cost of these infrastructure improvements means that Federalfunding is critical. Unfortunately, that funding is currently under threat.According to the Healing our Waters (HOW) Coalition, the Federal 2026 budget may contain the following cuts:
$2.46 billion to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) programs that help communities fix and update their drinking water and wastewater infrastructure.
$1.006 billion to programs that help states take action to meet community clean water goals.
$100 million to EPA initiatives that address pollution concerns in communities facing disproportionate environmental harm.
We know from past Federal investments that these funds help protect and restore the Great Lakes and deliver results across the region. HOW reports that restoration funding creates a three-to-one return on investment. The result is a boost to tourism, housing options, and home values. These investments also work to address the impacts of climate change on people and communities, including by reducing flooding and other threats.
We are seeing the impacts of climate change every day here in Southeast Michigan, particularly when it rains. We know it is critical now more than ever to invest in drinking and wastewater infrastructure to keep communities thriving. Just as importantly, it is essential to address stormwater runoff, a problem that plagues all of Southeast Michigan and is our biggest challenge here in the Clinton River watershed.
Approximately 55% of our watershed consists of impervious surfaces such as roofs, sidewalks, parking lots, roads, and turf grass precipitation. When rainfall and snowmelt pass over these surfaces, it becomes stormwater runoff. This runoff picks up pollutants such as oils, metals, salts, pet waste, fertilizer, grass clippings, and other materials. The runoff ultimately ends up in storm drains and storm sewer systems. Clearly, we need investments in infrastructure in order to manage these challenges.
Congress holds the authority to provide funding to critical priorities like drinking water and wastewater infrastructure here in the Great Lakes region. I have been active in educating members of Congress about the importance of these investments within the bounds of CRWC's tax-exempt status and you can too.
Let your Senators and Representative know that you want programs and funding for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure to remain intact - our drinking water and way of life here in the Great Lakes region depend on it.
You may reach your elected officials by emailing them (you can find their email addresses here) or by calling them via the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.
You can also help address our infrastructure problem by supporting CRWC’s work through volunteering, donating, or becoming a member.
The support of community members like you enables us to achieve our mission to protect, enhance, and celebrate the Clinton River, its watershed, and Lake St. Clair. Together, we can strengthen our watershed’s infrastructure and preserve its health for future generations.