Drinking Water Week - Help Us Spread the Word!

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It's Drinking Water Week! This Drinking Water Week, take the opportunity to learn about your local drinking water. Understanding our water is the first step to conserving and protecting it, and there are steps you can take in your home to help protect your drinking water quality and health! Michigan recognizes national Drinking Water Week from May 3 – 9, 2026. Drinking Water Week was established by the American Water Works Association (AWWA) over 40 years ago, and it provides an opportunity for both water professionals and the communities they serve to recognize the vital role water plays in our daily lives. EGLE’s Office of the Clean Water Public Advocate (OCWPA) collaborates with other state divisions and agencies to use this week to educate the public about their drinking water and promote public resources.

Information and resources at Michigan.gov/DrinkingWaterWeek can help you learn where your drinking water comes from, how to find out about your water quality, who to contact with questions and concerns, and actions you can take to support healthy drinking water in your home. Help others learn about drinking water by sharing any content on your preferred social media platform (graphics available at the bottom of the webpage)! Use the hashtag #DrinkingWaterWeek

Knowing your water supply is the first step to learning more about your drinking water. Depending on your water supply, your local health department or water supplier is likely your best resource for answering questions about your water. How your water is supplied also determines how your water is regulated – when your water is tested and for which contaminants.

During Drinking Water Week, Michigan also proclaims Thursday, May 7 as Private Residential Well Awareness Day to bring attention to the 2.6 million Michiganders who depend on private residential wells for their drinking water and the responsibilities of well owners to properly maintain and test their wells. These wells are only required to be tested and inspected when installed, but routine maintenance, inspections, and testing is important for protecting your drinking water and your health. Most contaminants in water have no taste, color, or smell. The only way you might know if you have a problem is to test your drinking water using a certified laboratory. Check with your local health department to learn if there are any drinking water concerns in your area and what testing is recommended, and checking your wellhead and surrounding area is quick and easy.

Spotlight on EGLE Classroom

Visit EGLE’s Environmental Lending Station to borrow, free of charge, EnviroScape models and other resources, like “Awesome Aquifer” models, for hands-on demonstrations with your students. These items can allow students to see how contamination impacts groundwater, surface water, watersheds, and the Great Lakes. Watch the following demonstrations to understand how they can be used:

• Drinking Water and Wastewater EnviroScape model demonstration. This interactive model helps show how water makes its way from surface water and groundwater to the water treatment plant, and ultimately to homes, and now includes a Pharmaceutical, Chemicals, and Water Quality Kit expansion to increase awareness of water and land contamination.
• Groundwater model demonstration. This model can show how contamination can impact drinking water.

Visit Michigan.gov/EGLEClassroom for more resources!

Upcoming Events

Coming up the first week of June, Michigan celebrates Great Lakes and Fresh Water Week. Each year, Michigan proclaims this week to raise awareness of the Great Lakes and Michigan’s inland waterways and groundwater. It’s a time to reflect on the importance of protecting these water bodies and their immeasurable role in sustaining and supporting the people and nature of Michigan. By raising awareness, we will inspire people to protect and champion the Great Lakes and fresh water. Our call to action is for residents around the state to learn about, enjoy, appreciate, and take action to safeguard this vital resource for current and future generations. How will you sustain and protect Michigan’s Great Lakes and fresh water? Share your photos, actions, and stories on social media with the hashtag #MiGreatLakesWeek.

Engage more with EGLE to learn about public participation opportunities, understand different types of regulatory actions, and engage through partnerships and collaboration.

Questions? Concerns?

Send an email to EGLE-CleanWater@Michigan.gov