Water Hub

This #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth, we’re proud to celebrate #ColorOfWater member Carolan Sonderegger, Policy Director at FLOW (For Love of Water) and a member of the Kchi Wiikwedoong Anishinaabek. This piece that she wrote on manoomin (wild rice)— a sacred plant central to Anishinaabek culture, foodways, and ceremony— is a beautiful reflection on foodways and history as we approach the holidays. Manoomin is more than a food—it’s a symbol of resilience, biodiversity, and the enduring relationship between Indigenous peoples and their lands. Thanks to Tribal advocacy, Michigan designated manoomin as its first native state grain, marking a historic milestone in its preservation. ?? Read her full piece here: https://lnkd.in/eJZuKJge ??Find her profile: https://lnkd.in/eMKRyeTZ ??Find more water experts of color: https://colorofwater.info

California’s San Joaquin Valley is sinking at record rates. With infrastructure repairs costing millions and agricultural practices under scrutiny, a new Stanford University study offers a roadmap for solutions—strategic recharge and reduced pumping. Ian James reports for Los Angeles Times: https://lnkd.in/epBHjA-v

"One of the crimes I think, in America, is we use drinking water to water our lawns and flush our toilet." With the Northeast experiencing its driest fall on record, experts are calling for bold action to protect our waters, emphasizing strategies like groundwater replenishment, water reuse systems, and conservation incentives. Brittany Peterson on rethinking water management for The Associated Press: https://lnkd.in/eNCqrq59

??ICYMI: Phillips 66 faces felony charges for dumping 790K+ gallons of oil-laden #Wastewater into Los Angeles sewers, violating the #CleanWaterAct. If convicted, the refinery could face fines of up to $2.4 million and probation conditions. Tony Briscoe for Los Angeles Times: https://lnkd.in/eda53RY3

Labor and environmental justice movements share a common goal: equity for people & the planet. In her op-ed, Dr. Pradnya Garud highlights how collective action between the two movements has historically driven transformative change. From unionized EV battery plants to "blue-green" coalitions, centering workers in climate justice is the key to a livable, equitable future. Read more in Environmental Health News: https://lnkd.in/gam6Yz_d

The Bureau of Reclamation released four interventions to help #CORiver Basin states navigate water shortages: 1?? Federal authorities absent new agreements 2?? A hybrid approach based on federal authorities 3?? "Cooperative conservation” that would include incentivizing water conservation 4?? A hybrid of proposals submitted by states and Tribes “If this issue goes to the courts, the health of the river is going to suffer, because everybody’s attention is going to be directed towards that litigation,” said Jennifer Pitt, director of the National Audubon Society Colorado River program. https://lnkd.in/gnEq8KDz

Yesterday, I had the honor of testifying before the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the #SafeDrinkingWaterAct. As we recognize 50 years of significant progress in our nation’s commitment to safe drinking water, we should be proud of our accomplishments. The SDWA has improved water quality by establishing a national framework for testing, treating, and investing in our drinking water– saving lives, and preventing diseases for countless Americans. But we have more to do. As we look to the future, I believe we should be focused on five key priorities: First, we must further invest in water infrastructure, which requires regular maintenance, repairs, and replacement. We must also modernize water management through the rapid adoption of digital tools and technologies. We need to strengthen the water utility sector through equitable consolidation. We have to help communities navigate shifts between extreme weather patterns. And finally, across all that we do we must support disadvantaged and underserved communities. One in three Americans struggle to pay water bills. What good is clean water if you can’t afford to drink it? With bipartisan action from Congress, with the courage of dedicated public servants at the EPA, with the confidence of our people, we can create the safer, healthier, and more just society that all Americans deserve.

So many pearls of wisdom from Bayou City Waterkeeper's Ayanna Jolivet Mccloud in her recent interview with Burnaway Magazine?? "I see that my being an artist in this space is a way to reframe policy as a creative act. Policy has been used against my people, my family and so much of our communities. How can we have a voice in building policy and writing it? It needs to be dismantled and understood as a creative act... Houston is a water city, we are the Bayou City. Let’s reclaim that, forget the energy city. We know that we are the petrochemical capital and we’re fighting that. What does it mean to reconnect to our waterways and to reclaim that while we’re fighting these injustices?" https://lnkd.in/ee2EgBqV Get to know her and other water experts of color on our #ColorOfWater website: colorofwater.info

Water equity champ, Radhika Fox (former US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Water Assistant Administrator and PolicyLink alum) gave testimony in today’s Senate Environment & Public Works Committee Hearing on the 50th Anniversary of the Safe Drinking Water Act. “The SDWA was a game-changer…[And] the issue of clean, safe water, it knows no political boundaries. This committee has been a shining example of taking bipartisan action to ensure that every American has access to clean, safe water. I certainly hope that the next administration and Congress continue the work.” We couldn’t agree more on the importance of this groundbreaking federal legislation that works to ensure all Americans have clean water. No individual, no family in the United States should be without our most precious, life-sustaining resource.

Today, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee honored the #SafeDrinkingWaterAct’s (SDWA) 50th anniversary. The SDWA’s passage was a transformative moment for water and health in the U.S. As Radhika Fox shared, this law "saved lives and created jobs." Fox, water warrior and former EPA Assistant Administrator, shared how deeper investments in water infrastructure ensure #SafeAffordableWater for all. We have a lot of work to do in the next 50 years. As Radhika reminded us, we may not get all the money we need or every safeguard right but, "When we bet on water, America wins" Watch the full #SDWA50 hearing here: https://lnkd.in/ed6gfpkr