MI Water Stewardship Program

10/03/2026

Join a stream monitoring event near you this fall!

Something we've been asked before: why do we collect stream insects to measure water quality instead of just testing the water?

Fall sampling season is underway, and the Volunteer Stream Monitoring Program groups are out running events right now, so it's a good time to get into some of the reasoning behind MiCorps' methodology.

Testing the stream works, but it only captures the moment you take the sample. An hour later, or after a rainstorm, for example, the readings can change. If something polluted the stream a month ago and washed through, a test today might not pick it up.

The insects represent a longer snapshot. For example, mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies live in a stream for months, and each kind can only survive in certain conditions. The pollution-sensitive ones can start to diminish when water quality drops and don't return until it recovers. So the insects we find reflect what conditions have been like across the whole season, not just the day we sampled.

A single water test in a moving stream tells you about that moment. The insects are closer to an ongoing record of the stream 🙂

Here is the current list of VSMP events happening across the state: https://www.michigan.gov/egle/about/organization/water-resources/glwarm/micorps/monitoring-events

09/16/2026

Your septic system is working 24/7. When was the last time you checked on it?

It’s SepticSmart Week, September 14–18! This week is a great reminder that a little routine care can go a long way toward protecting your septic system, your wallet, and Michigan’s water resources.

If your home relies on a septic system, EGLE recommends these simple SepticSmart habits:

🔍Protect it and inspect it
Have your septic system inspected by a qualified professional about every three years, or according to your local health department’s recommendations. Tanks should be pumped when needed, typically every three to five years.

🚰Think at the sink
Keep fats, grease and solids out of your drains. They can clog pipes and your drainfield.

🚽Don’t overload the commode
Only flush human waste and toilet paper. Items like wipes, dental floss, diapers, feminine hygiene products, cigarette butts, coffee grounds and cat litter can clog or damage your system.

💧Don’t strain your drain
Use water efficiently and spread out water use throughout the day. Fix leaks and consider water-efficient fixtures. Avoid doing several loads of laundry or running the dishwasher all at once.

🚗Shield your field
Keep vehicles, heavy equipment and other heavy loads off your drainfield. The weight can damage buried pipes and interfere with the system’s ability to function properly.

🛠️Pump your tank
Regular pumping helps prevent premature septic system failure and can help protect groundwater from contamination.

🧪Keep it clean
A poorly maintained septic system can contribute to contamination of groundwater, including drinking water wells. If you have a private well, regular well-water testing can help make sure your drinking water is safe.

More than 1.3 million homes and businesses in Michigan rely on septic systems. Taking care of yours is an important part of protecting Michigan’s groundwater, lakes, streams and other waterways.

Learn more and explore EGLE’s SepticSmart resources:
https://www.michigan.gov/egle/about/organization/drinking-water-and-environmental-health/onsite-wastewater-management/septicsmart

Got a minute? Learn about how a home septic system works and why pr...

08/27/2026

Water Vocabulary... These are all possible aesthetic features of water that is safe to drink.

08/07/2026

You can help with a rapid response if you witness a threat to our environment. Report what you see to EGLE 24/7.

Did you know environmental emergencies can be reported 24/7? 🚨

If you see a spill, chemical release, or another incident that could threaten Michigan's air, land, or water, report it right away.

EGLE's Pollution Emergency Alerting System (PEAS) is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Trained staff are ready to respond to potential threats to public health and the environment.

Report an environmental emergency: 800-292-4706

Learn more about what to report and when: https://michigan.gov/egle/contact/environmental-emergencies

07/09/2026

Michigan Educators: Bring Your Watershed to the Classroom!

Looking for new ways to connect students with the environment and their local community?

Join Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council for a FREE Watershed Educator Training on July 28 at the Greenwood Foundation in Wolverine, MI. This engaging professional development workshop will introduce place-based and project-based learning strategies that help students discover the importance of their local watersheds through hands-on activities and outdoor exploration.

Participants will receive classroom-ready resources, connect with fellow educators, enjoy complimentary breakfast and lunch, and learn about mini-grant opportunities to support future watershed projects.

Can't make the training? The Michigan Water Stewardship Program also offers a growing collection of FREE watershed and water quality lesson plans, activities, videos, virtual books, and other educational resources to help bring Michigan's water resources into your classroom.

Whether you're attending the workshop or looking for resources to use this school year, there are plenty of opportunities to inspire the next generation of water stewards!

Learn more and register for the training: https://watershedcouncil.org/event/watershed-educator-training-2026/

Explore free Michigan Water Stewardship Program resources: https://miwaterstewardship.org/

04/30/2026

Protect Our Water This Spring

As the seasons change, small actions at home can make a big difference for our local waterways. Thanks to the Greater Lansing Regional Committee for Stormwater Management (GLRC) for sharing these helpful tips!

✔️ Clean – Clear leaves and debris from catch basins, drains, gutters, and downspouts to help prevent flooding.
🚗 Wash Wisely – Use a commercial car wash where wastewater is treated. Washing at home can send soap, oil, and grease straight into storm drains.
♻️ Recycle – Safely dispose of leftover household chemicals at your county’s hazardous waste collection events, and consider switching to environmentally friendly Safer Choice products.
🏡 Inspect – Check your septic system every three years and pump as needed. Make sure sump pumps are working and consider installing a water alarm.
🌼 Apply Safely – Use fertilizers sparingly or choose eco-friendly options. Excess nutrients can lead to harmful algae blooms in our lakes and streams.
🐾 Scoop – Always pick up pet waste. It contains bacteria that can harm both people and aquatic life.

Together, these small steps add up to cleaner water and a healthier community.

Learn more at: www.mywatersheds.org

03/19/2026

A quick 10-minute check could save gallons of water (and money). This Fix a Leak Week, take a moment to find and fix household leaks.

Find other helpful resources for water conservation in your home at https://miwaterstewardship.org/in-your-home/

💧🤫 Drip… drip… drip… Some leaks—like toilet leaks—are sneaky, silent, and costly. 💸
Even a small drip can waste gallons of water without you noticing.

This , take 10 minutes to check your home:

💧 Inspect faucets, pipes, and toilets

💧 Test your toilet with food coloring—see color in the bowl? That’s a leak!

💧 Fix leaks by tightening connections or swapping worn parts

At-home checklist: https://tinyurl.com/yvwd4c2u

More tips and resources: Michigan.gov/FixALeakWeek

03/17/2026

New data centers are rapidly expanding across the Great Lakes region, and many communities are being asked to make decisions about them with limited information. To help residents better understand the potential impacts, the Alliance for the Great Lakes has released a new resource: “A Regional Playbook for Managing Data Center Impacts in the Great Lakes.”

This guide is designed for residents, community groups, and local leaders who want clear, accessible information about how data centers use water and energy, and what that could mean for local communities and the Great Lakes.

For Michigan residents in particular, the playbook provides practical tools to help communities engage in local decision-making, including:
▪A Community Checklist for Evaluating Data Center Impacts
▪A Checklist of Community and Environmental Benefits
▪Questions to Ask at Public Meetings

These resources can help communities assess issues such as increased water and energy demand, potential wastewater pollution, impacts on local infrastructure, and rising utility costs. The playbook also highlights challenges around transparency, as many data center developers use non-disclosure agreements that can limit public access to key information about water and energy use.

The playbook does not take a position on whether a specific data center project is “good” or “bad.” Instead, it helps communities ask informed questions and advocate for development that protects water resources, ecosystems, and community well-being.

Learn more and download the playbook:
https://greatlakes.org/resources/data-center-playbook/

Join the upcoming webinar on March 24 from 1-2 pm to hear from experts and ask questions about the guide:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qT4qwZd5T7WE7xmd-nl3lw #/registration

This is an important conversation for communities across Michigan and the Great Lakes region as data center development continues to grow. Informed residents play a critical role in ensuring these projects protect our shared water resources.

Water-intensive data center development is rapidly growing across the Great Lakes region. To help make sense of the impacts, we released this guide for residents, concerned citizens, grassroots organizations, and […]

03/16/2026

Hands-on learning is one of the best ways to help students understand and care for Michigan’s incredible freshwater resources. These new grant opportunities through EGLE help to empower the next generation of Great Lakes stewards.

Learn more: https://www.michigan.gov/egle/newsroom/press-releases/2026/03/02/new-funds-will-support-students-and-school-freshwater-projects-in-michigan

💧 New state grants are now open to help Michigan schools expand freshwater literacy and hands-on STEM learning! 🌊🔬

Through the From Students to Stewards initiative, schools can apply for funding to support:

• Student-led water stewardship projects

• Field trips to rivers, lakes, and Great Lakes shorelines

• Freshwater field experiences using place-based, problem-based, and project-based learning

These real-world opportunities help students connect classroom lessons to Michigan’s water resources while building skills for future STEM careers.

Information webinar — March 18: https://tinyurl.com/mwmst3v7

Program details and application: https://tinyurl.com/mr2u6a65

03/12/2026

💧 Calling all innovators, students, and water advocates!💧

Applications are now open for the AquaHacking Binational 2026 Challenge, a free, 7-month innovation program bringing together students, researchers, and young professionals from the U.S. and Canada to develop solutions to critical water challenges in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence region.

Participants work in teams to turn bold ideas into real-world water solutions. Along the way, teams receive mentorship, training, and technical support to help develop technologies and approaches that improve water quality, strengthen community resilience, and support a sustainable blue economy.

Finalist teams will pitch their ideas for a chance to win seed funding and launch their solutions through leading startup incubators.

The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence provide drinking water for more than 110 million people and support a regional economy worth over $9 trillion, making innovation and collaboration essential to protecting this shared freshwater resource.

🗓 Registration deadline: April 6, 2026
🔗 Learn more and apply: https://aquaaction.org/en/our-programs/aquahacking-challenge/aquahacking-binational-2026

Whether you are an engineer, designer, scientist, storyteller, or community problem-solver, this program is open to anyone ready to help shape the future of freshwater.

🌊 It’s official! We just launched our 2026 AquaHacking Binational Great Lakes and St. Lawrence program! This is the BIGGEST AquaHacking program we have ev...