Ask Wyandotte to request information about GLWA services
The Issue
There is a 50 year history of surface water violations in the Detroit River immediately around the Wyandotte intake. This area around the intake is referred to as the Critical Assessment Zone (CAZ) and is supposed to be protected from industrial pollution, see WRD-053. The surface water in the Critical Assessment Zone is, by definition, supposed to meet drinking water criteria.
There are 17 documented carcinogens (cancer-causing chemicals) present in the Detroit River within the Critical Assessment Zone of the Wyandotte intake, present in polluted water discharging from BASF Northworks at a rate of 57 gallons per minute, 80,000 gallons per day.
Concerns about the safety of Wyandotte's drinking water have been voiced by numerous experts including United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) staff, State of Michigan Department of Energy, Great Lakes, and Environment (EGLE)/Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) staff, and other water quality experts and scientists.
State-mandated water tests are completed quarterly on the Wyandotte water, both untreated (raw) and finished water. These tests search for chemicals regulated by drinking water standards. The water tests do not test for some other chemicals that are known to be present in the surface water of the Critical Assessment Zone of Wyandotte's intake. This difference in testing has been acknowledged by both the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and EGLE. Wyandotte's raw and finished water tests have been "non-detect" in recent years, meaning the results are clean for the chemicals they are looking for. We must remember that the absence of evidence does not equal safety.
Addressing the potential risks to the Wyandotte drinking water is crucial for advocating for the wellbeing of the Wyandotte community, both residents and visitors. One viable solution for ensuring the safety of Wyandotte is to connect Wyandotte's water system to Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA). GLWA infrastructure is already located within Wyandotte, see this GLWA map.
This connection would provide residents with high-quality drinking water and alleviate longstanding fears of potential chemical exposures due to the active pollution in the Critical Assessment Zone of the Wyandotte intake.
This petition is to urge the Wyandotte City Council to request the feasibility information on connecting to GLWA infrastructure and the cost of services. Wyandotte residents deserve to have all available information in order to make an informed decision on the source of their tap water.
Join us in asking for this information.
See this website for additional information including Frequently Asked Questions about this project.
Follow this link to view/print a flyer. Share with others.
Wyandotte residents only, please consider taking this survey to tell us how these issues have impacted you.
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The Issue
There is a 50 year history of surface water violations in the Detroit River immediately around the Wyandotte intake. This area around the intake is referred to as the Critical Assessment Zone (CAZ) and is supposed to be protected from industrial pollution, see WRD-053. The surface water in the Critical Assessment Zone is, by definition, supposed to meet drinking water criteria.
There are 17 documented carcinogens (cancer-causing chemicals) present in the Detroit River within the Critical Assessment Zone of the Wyandotte intake, present in polluted water discharging from BASF Northworks at a rate of 57 gallons per minute, 80,000 gallons per day.
Concerns about the safety of Wyandotte's drinking water have been voiced by numerous experts including United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) staff, State of Michigan Department of Energy, Great Lakes, and Environment (EGLE)/Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) staff, and other water quality experts and scientists.
State-mandated water tests are completed quarterly on the Wyandotte water, both untreated (raw) and finished water. These tests search for chemicals regulated by drinking water standards. The water tests do not test for some other chemicals that are known to be present in the surface water of the Critical Assessment Zone of Wyandotte's intake. This difference in testing has been acknowledged by both the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and EGLE. Wyandotte's raw and finished water tests have been "non-detect" in recent years, meaning the results are clean for the chemicals they are looking for. We must remember that the absence of evidence does not equal safety.
Addressing the potential risks to the Wyandotte drinking water is crucial for advocating for the wellbeing of the Wyandotte community, both residents and visitors. One viable solution for ensuring the safety of Wyandotte is to connect Wyandotte's water system to Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA). GLWA infrastructure is already located within Wyandotte, see this GLWA map.
This connection would provide residents with high-quality drinking water and alleviate longstanding fears of potential chemical exposures due to the active pollution in the Critical Assessment Zone of the Wyandotte intake.
This petition is to urge the Wyandotte City Council to request the feasibility information on connecting to GLWA infrastructure and the cost of services. Wyandotte residents deserve to have all available information in order to make an informed decision on the source of their tap water.
Join us in asking for this information.
See this website for additional information including Frequently Asked Questions about this project.
Follow this link to view/print a flyer. Share with others.
Wyandotte residents only, please consider taking this survey to tell us how these issues have impacted you.
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Petition created on September 10, 2026