The Great Lakes provide drinking water for more than 30 million people—we can’t afford to stop our efforts to protect and restore them.
The Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition is a coalition of local, state, and regional advocates working together to establish Great Lakes restoration and protection as a national conservation priority.
Latest News
Read the latest news from the Coalition, including stories of restoration successes, profiles of ongoing clean water issues, policy updates, and press releases.
Priority Areas
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Protecting Drinking Water
The Great Lakes provide drinking water for more than 30 million people in the region, yet the pipes and other infrastructure delivering and treating our water is in dire need of repair.
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Restoring Habitat
The Great Lakes provide a home for fish, wildlife, migratory birds, and the people of the region. Over the years, development degraded for displaced key habitat for fish and wildlife.
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Fighting Invasive Species
Invasive species have fundamentally altered the Great Lakes ecosystem. Millions of dollars are spent each year to control them and reduce their spread.
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Cleaning Up Toxic Pollution
More than 40 sites around the Great Lakes have been identified as toxic hot spots to be cleaned up. And new pollutants are still being discovered.
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Reducing Polluted Runoff
Each year, polluted runoff from farms flows into the Great Lakes, feeding toxic algae outbreaks which poison drinking water, close beaches, and hurt tourism.
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Climate Change
Climate change is causing more extreme weather and these changes are exacerbating existing threats to the Great Lakes, impacting people, wildlife, and the economy.
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Environmental Injustice
Low-income communities, Black people, People of Color, and Indigenous Peoples are more likely to experience the serious health impacts of water pollution.
