Michigan has hundreds of thousands of lead water lines. The term-limited governor is proposing new fees to fix them.
Michigan Environment Watch
Michigan Environment Watch examines how public policy, industry, and other factors interact with the state’s trove of natural resources.
Great Lakes News Collaborative
Bridge Michigan, Circle of Blue, Great Lakes Now at Detroit Public Television, The Narwhal and Michigan Public work together to report on the most pressing threats to the Great Lakes region’s water. This independent journalism is supported by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. You can find all of the collaborative’s stories here.
Shockwave
The Great Lakes region is in the midst of a seismic energy shakeup, from skyrocketing data center demand and a nuclear energy boom, to expanding renewables and electrification. In 2026, the Great Lakes News Collaborative will explore how shifting supply and demand affect the region and its waters. Read the series here.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Even after Flint, lead-free water lines may be a pipe dream in Michigan
Gov. Rick Snyder is pushing for the nation’s strictest rules for limiting lead in water supplies. But doing so is expensive, and fellow Republicans are skeptical.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Reforms going nowhere to require Michigan schools to test water for lead
After Flint, lawmakers set aside millions to test water used by children. But the money is unspent, and bills to require testing have gone nowhere.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Read Gov. Rick Snyder’s proposal to remove lead water pipes in Michigan
Flint awakened residents to the danger of lead mains. Explore the term-limited governor’s proposal to fix the problem.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Here’s where Michigan 2018 governor candidates stand on lead pipes
Bridge Magazine asked eight candidates — four Republicans and four Democrats — about what their visions for clean drinking water following the Flint crisis.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Gov. Rick Snyder pitches plan to clean up Michigan’s polluted sites
Michigan has thousands of polluted sites, and funding to clean them up is nearly gone. Its outgoing governor wants to raise the money by boosting trash disposal fees.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Michigan has 7,300 toxic sites. Money for cleanups is almost gone.
Funding shortage threatens to halt toxic cleanups in Michigan, including a 6-mile long plume of pollution that’s tainted 13 trillions of groundwater beneath Antrim County. (with map)
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Map: Find PFAS chemical threats to Michigan drinking water near your town
A group of industrial chemicals increasingly is found in Michigan’s environment. See where regulators have flagged them so far.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Cost to Michigan of trusting Enbridge on Line 5: $255 per hour
After Enbridge admitted breaching public trust, Michigan is paying a pair of experts big money to monitor the company’s studies of its controversial pipeline across the Straits of Mackinac.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Michigan environment roundup: toxic blood, salt bombs and solar power
This week’s can’t-miss journalism about Michigan’s natural resources.