It’s not a pipe dream to think that every family in Minnesota should have access to clean, affordable drinking water. It’s a tall order, to be sure, but at the Minnesota Environmental Partnership (MEP), we don’t shy away from big challenges – we get to work, and we deliver for Minnesotans.
In the city of Duluth, we helped shine a light on a big – and often invisible – clean water challenge. Far too many homes had aging water pipes made of lead delivering water to their homes, putting residents – especially children – at risk of serious lifelong health problems. So we went into the community and provided free water testing to investigate the issue. Our work helped spur Duluth to take action.
As of today, the city of Duluth has replaced 2500 of these dangerous lead water pipes, with many more to go. That’s a tremendous public health victory, and thanks to the passage of a state law we developed and supported in 2023, there’s a plan to bring that work statewide with the goal of replacing all residential lead service lines by 2033, at no cost to the homeowners.
But that plan doesn’t yet have all the funding it needs to finish the job. Our communities can’t afford to get the lead out of their water without state and federal help. That’s where MEP’s advocacy is so important. We bring the voice of Minnesota’s environmental community to the table, making sure that we stay the course to get the lead out.
And it’s all possible because of our supporters.
Give to the Max Day giving is open, and I’m asking for your support because MEP has much more good work to do to protect our kids’ and our planet’s health. By donating to MEP, you’ll fuel more victories and help make our dream of clean water for all a reality.
Steve Morse
Executive Director
Minnesota Environmental Partnership