Great Rivers Environmental Law Center encourages more than just awareness during Drinking Water Awareness Week.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 10, 2024 
Contact: Natalie Johnson, Executive Director | njohnson@greatriverslaw.org | (314) 231-4181 x 1009

St. Louis, MO – Governor Parson’s designation of May 5 – 11 as Drinking Water Awareness Week in Missouri serves as a poignant reminder of the critical importance of water—a resource too often taken for granted.

While education campaigns during this week play a crucial role in raising awareness about water stewardship, it’s essential to acknowledge the existing challenges to water quality that persist in Missouri. 

Great Rivers Environmental Law Center (GRELC), a legal environmental nonprofit serving Missouri and Southern Illinois, has been dedicated to environmental and public health protection through legal resources for over two decades. More recently, the organization has experienced a significant uptick in calls for support from community members and organizations regarding local drinking water issues. 

“Many individuals in Missouri still lack trust in their tap water at home, work, and school. We know because we’ve received requests for support from these concerned citizens. It’s alarming that these issues are occurring right in our own backyard,”
– Natalie Johnson, Executive Director of GRELC. 

GRELC has been actively investigating drinking water concerns in both Portageville and, more recently, Salem, MO. Efforts have also been directed towards examining groundwater contamination in Washington, MO, connected to a superfund site. Additionally, GRELC has received mounting concerns about potential groundwater contamination in areas near the hundreds of confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs). 

One of GRELC’s most impactful endeavors culminated in the passage of the Get Lead Out of Drinking Water Act on July 1, 2022. This legislation established standards for lead concentrations in school drinking water, mandating that publicly funded schools conduct thorough inventory, sampling, remediation, and monitoring at all potable water outlets. Additionally, Missouri Legislation earmarked $27 million to assist schools in reducing lead concentrations, thereby ensuring safer environments for students. Schools face an August deadline to complete all testing and promptly make results, along with any remediation plans, available to the public.  

GRELC stands out as Missouri’s only nonprofit of its kind, often stepping in to offer legal support when all other avenues have failed. When addressing Missouri’s drinking water issues, they emphasize the necessity for action beyond mere awareness. 

“While we applaud the recognition of Drinking Water Awareness Week, we must not lose sight of the work that remains. It is imperative that our communities continue to advocate for infrastructure upgrades, robust regulatory frameworks, and collaborative partnerships to ensure equitable access to clean water. In the meantime, we invite anyone in Missouri and Southern Illinois who is experiencing concerns about their drinking water to give us a call,” emphasized Johnson. 

Great Rivers Environmental Law Center is a non-profit 501(c)3 environmental law center providing free and low cost services to protect the environment and public health. We work to promote the public health by encouraging cleaner energy, improved environmental performance by businesses, and more efficient transportation and land use, thereby achieving cleaner air and water, and improving the quality of life in the region.