
The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy’s (EGLE) Office of the Clean Water Public Advocate has launched an online Drinking Water Concern System to track and respond to public concerns about drinking water quality.
The platform, available here, offers services in English, Spanish, and Arabic and also allows users to post images that illustrate their drinking water concerns.
As residents complete the online form, they are provided with tips and resources to address common drinking water questions based on the concern category selected. Later this year, a public-facing dashboard will be available to display water quality concerns received by EGLE based on location.
“Michigan residents need a clear path to submitting their water quality concerns, and this new online system was designed to improve access, align resources, and provide a second level of protection for residents who have drinking water concerns,” says Ninah Sasy, clean water public advocate for EGLE.
Local water departments monitor drinking water under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Residents who receive water from these departments can contact them for questions regarding water quality. EGLE’s new online system is an additional resource available to residents who experience barriers and would like to escalate their water quality concerns.
The Office of the Clean Water Public Advocate was created through Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s Executive Order 2019-06. The office operates as a type 1 agency within EGLE and has a connection to the governor’s office to elevate concerns.
It ensures that drinking water concerns are investigated and that trends are analyzed. Based on trend analysis, recommendations to laws, rules, regulations, and procedures will be made to ensure concerns are addressed. The office also connects resources at the state and local level.
The office acts as an interface between state, local, and private-sector stakeholders and works closely with EGLE’s Drinking Water and Environmental Health Division and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Division of Environmental Health.