December 20, 2017
The Land + Water WORKS Coalition (LWWC) is a partnership between ten local non-profit organizations that aims to educate Detroiters about the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department’s (DWSD) recently recalculated drainage fee rates and how customers can potentially reduce their charges, as well as advances green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) to improve the quality of life in Detroit.
GSI is an alternative approach to wet weather management that uses land and buildings to control stormwater runoff in ways that transform vacant lots into beautiful community gathering spaces, increase the number of places for residents to participate in recreation activities and connect to nature. The coalition is working collaboratively to train Detroit residents across the city with the tools and materials needed to become GSI advocates and implementers.
The LWWC partners with Detroiters to increase the usage of GSI to prevent stormwater runoffs, which causes combined sewage overflow to run into and pollute the Detroit and Rouge Rivers, and ultimately our Great Lakes.
The Land + Water WORKS coalition is comprised of the non-profit organizations listed below and is made possible by the generous support of the Erb Family Foundation.
Detroit Future City
The Greening of Detroit
Michigan Community Resources
Community Development Advocates of Detroit
MOSES
Sierra Club
Friends of the Rouge
Eastside Community Network
Keep Growing Detroit
EcoWorks
Join the Movement!
The LWWC has selected neighborhood leaders from across the city of Detroit to serve as Land + Water WORKS Ambassadors. The LWWC selected 25 individuals and 20 non-profit organizations from across the city to engage and educate residents on the recently recalculated DWSD drainage fee and the GSI solutions that can help improve the quality of life of all Detroiters. Each LWWC Ambassador will receive a stipend to compensate for their time and a toolkit with the materials necessary to complete outreach and engagement activities. Ambassadors will receive comprehensive training, tools to educate residents related to GSI and DSWD’s restructured drainage fee, and a template that outlines replicable GSI applications.
Land + Water WORKS Ambassadors are gaining invaluable knowledge to become agents of change in their neighborhood as we work together to make Detroit a leader in grassroots green stormwater infrastructure innovation.
For more information or questions, email lwwc@detroitfuturecity.com or call Nicole Brown, Detroit Future City’s Sustainable Landscapes Manager, at (313) 499-3333.
