by Rupal Ramesh Shah for Toledo Streets April issue (132) 2023

 

According to the World Health Organization, 844 million people lack basic drinking water services, which results in various challenges and complications. including diseases. Approximately 800,000 children under five years of age die every year from diarrhea-related illness. Furthermore, contaminated water can also transmit diseases such as cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio.

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In the United States, several organizations are working together to protect and maintain water quality. The Alliance for the Great Lakes is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that works in the Great Lakes region to protect the freshwater lakes of east central North America. The organization focuses on advocacy, local partnerships, engagement, and operations and fundraising. The organization consists of 24 staff members in various states and 19 board members who have a wide range of interests and expertise.

 

According to Jennifer Caddick, vice president of communications and engagement for the organization, their water advocacy branch focuses on policies to reduce agricultural pollution, restore the health of the lakes, and halt the invasion of foreign species.

 

The organization began its work in the 1970s with a focus on Lake Michigan and Northern Indiana, where there were a lot of steel mills, Caddick said. The initial focus was on how to protect the nearby water bodies and Lake Michigan, specifically, because of a need to protect the water dunes and other sensitive species within the lake. Over time as they started to advocate for Lake Michigan, the founders learned that they cannot just protect one lake and must focus on all five of them together. Therefore, the name changed to refl ect the work they currently do with all five lakes.

 

“The Great Lakes contain 20 percent of the world’s surface freshwater. Therefore, we must protect and take care of them,” stated Caddick. Some of the challenges The Alliance for the Great Lakes is trying to overcome is halting the spread of invasive species such as zebra mussels. In large numbers, zebra mussels out-compete fi lter feeders and starve them. They also adhere to hard surfaces and, in fact, that is how they are transported from one location to another, as they attach to ships.

 

The organization has had many successes to celebrate as well, Caddick said.

 

“Our organization has been working at the federal level on national policies. For example, in Washington D.C., we have advocated for funding to pay for lead pipe replacements. That has been something our organization has worked on for a long time and will continue to do so,” she said.

 

Caddick also mentioned that the organization collaborates with local agencies to advocate for issues closer to home.

 

“Parts of Lake Erie have algal blooms, which has affected drinking water in that community. Not only are they toxic, but they are also harmful to our health. State agencies in Ohio and Michigan have worked with the government to advocate for the removal of algal blooms. Some of the local organizations The Alliance for the Great Lakes collaborates with are Junction Coalition and Freshwater Future.

 

“Our organization’s current funding comes from individual donors, foundations and grants. However, we are always looking for more funding so if anyone is compelled to donate, please visit our website for more information,” Caddick mentioned.

 

Freshwater Future is another organization that works to safeguard and protect the Great Lakes region through strengthening policies and serving as a catalyst for community action, explained Alexis Smith, program co-director. The organization works to ensure that water is safe, clean, revered and accessible. Smith’s role in the organization is to assist community partners with technical support and capacity building.

 

“We provide grants and act as a conduit for organizations to continue the great work they are already doing in their communities,” said Smith.

 

Freshwater Future is a binational nonprofi t organization, working in Canada and the U.S. to seek perspectives from diverse communities and individuals, build partnerships and collaborations, and ensure equity in the solutions they advocate for. Throughout the years, they have contributed millions of dollars to local organizations that are working to advocate for the Great Lakes. Some of those organizations include Sterling Water Stewards, Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation and Junction Coalition.

 

Smith started working with the organization four years ago, fi rst as a contractor and then as a full-time employee. During her time, she has seen the organization grow and the work expand, in terms of reach and impact.

 

“We now closely work with activists who are working on water affordability and lead contamination, among other issues. We provide human, financial, and technical support to the organizations so that they can do their work in strength,” she said.

 

Since 2004, Freshwater Future has been recognizing grassroots advocates through a Freshwater Heroes Award. The awards are given to those who are working to protect and restore the health of the lakes, rivers, wetlands and shorelines of the Great Lakes region.

 

“The award has been a great way to continue encouraging and motivating those who are doing great work in our community,” Smith mentioned.

 

For several years, the organization has also been hosting All About Water Convening, a public event in which organizations advocating for water and the environment gather to discuss the challenges at hand. The sessions at the event range from how to engage the government in these issues to how to protect the water and environment better, to how to obtain large-scale funding to solve the water and environmental issues.

 

“It’s been a great way to connect, exchange ideas, and brainstorm together,” Smith said. “We all know that we can get more done if we are together.”

 

When discussing challenges in their work, Smith mentioned that the political climate can be a challenge. Though Freshwater Future is apolitical, at times water issues can become controversial based on various politics. Therefore, the organization always seeks champions at the legislative level who can further create an awareness of the issues on the ground related to water pollution and contamination, scarcity and affordability, and overall sustainability. The organization works hard to make these issues bipartisan and people-centric so that everyone can understand and do their part.

 

Threats to the Great Lakes, just like other water bodies, continue. Invasive species, climate change, pollution, and habitat destruction all contribute to the ongoing challenges. It is obvious that organizations such as The Alliance for the Great Lakes and Freshwater Future are contributing signifi cantly to create an awareness of these issues and to address them. However, more remains to be done.

 

The local issues mentioned above also contribute to a global water crisis, which affects many lives each year. As a society we, the citizens, have a role to play. Whether it’s in advocacy or providing technical support, we must all do our part to also create an awareness of these issues. By protecting the Great Lakes, we are protecting 20 percent of the world’s surface freshwater.