Water utilities across Michigan are ramping up lead service line replacement work this year to comply with the Michigan Lead and Copper Rule requirement to begin replacing lead service lines at an average of 5% per year starting in 2021.

The American Water Works Association prepared a standard for replacing and flushing lead service lines to identify best practices and guide water utilities through the process.

libby cole 1/26/22 libby cole 1/26/22

Water Service Affordability in Michigan: A Statewide Assessment

Water infrastructure is essential for meeting and managing basic human needs. Public health begins and ends with clean and available water. But the cost of water services has been increasing over the years, making it more difficult for low-income residents to afford their water bills.

libby cole 12/16/21 libby cole 12/16/21

Lessons from the first year of compliance sampling under Michigan's revised Lead and Copper Rule and national Lead and Copper Rule implications

Michigan revised its Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) in 2018 to include a new sampling protocol intended to better measure the amount of lead in water from lead service lines. Water utilities completed their first round of sampling using this new protocol in 2019. To help determine the impact of new sampling protocols, my team and I conducted an analysis of the first year of sampling results which was recently published in an open access article in the journal Water Science.

libby cole 11/30/21 libby cole 11/30/21

Best Practices for Installation of Drinking Water Filter Stations in Schools and Child Care Facilities

Drinking water filter stations can provide a reliable source of safe, sustainable drinking water in schools and child care facilities. Filter stations with filter cartridges certified to NSF/ANSI standard 53 for lead reduction are an effective way to ensure lead that is lurking in building plumbing is removed before children take a drink. Hands-free bottle filling stations reduce the number of little hands touching water dispensers, and they reduce the spread of germs.

libby cole 11/10/21 libby cole 11/10/21

Two Thumbs Up for Drinking Water Filter Stations in Schools and Child Care Facilities

As a drinking water professional and mother of two children who are growing up in Michigan public schools, I strongly support Senate Bills 184 and 185 to provide filtered drinking water stations in schools and child care facilities.