Clean Water Action

🚨 Our drinking water should come first.

Oil and gas production creates massive amounts of toxic wastewater. Now, EPA is considering weakening Clean Water Act protections that limit where this wastewater can be discharged.

“Produced water” can contain PFAS, heavy metals, radioactive materials, and more than 1,100 identified chemicals. Studies have found contaminants downstream, including near drinking water supplies.

💧 EPA should be strengthening, not weakening, protections. Our new paper, “Putting Drinking Water First,” explains why we need:

🛑 Stronger wastewater protections
🔎 Transparency about what’s in produced water
🤝 A seat at the table for affected communities

Read the paper and learn why we must say NO to weaker protections. 👉 cleanwater.org/PDWF-oil-and-gas

💧 As PFAS Awareness Week comes to a close, we’re sharing reflections from Clean Water Action Minnesota’s Morgan Schafer.

After years of working on PFAS, Morgan has learned that these “forever chemicals” aren’t just an environmental problem—they’re a policy, public health, infrastructure, and pollution-cost problem.

Cleaning up contamination matters. But prevention matters, too. Communities shouldn’t be left paying for pollution they didn’t create, and we shouldn’t wait decades to act when we already know how difficult PFAS are to remove.

📝 Read Morgan’s reflections on what we’ve learned from working on PFAS, and why preventing pollution at the source has to be part of the solution.

https://cleanwater.org/2026/09/25/pfas-awareness-week-2026-pfas-wake-call

🚰 Stop PFAS at the source. Know where it’s showing up. Protect our communities. That’s the work Clean Water Action in Minnesota is helping lead during . 💙

Minnesota’s is tackling PFAS pollution at the source by phasing out unnecessary uses of these “forever chemicals” in consumer products. Starting in 2026, manufacturers must also report remaining PFAS use to the state, with nonessential PFAS uses set to be banned by 2032.

But prevention is only part of the work.

We also need reliable data to understand where PFAS is showing up. Clean Water Action uses monitoring results to help residents understand contamination through free Healthy Homes presentations, town halls, & community events, while advocating for the funding and science needed to keep this vital work going.

We’re proud to uplift our MN team and the communities working for a healthier, PFAS-free future. 🌱 Learn more: cleanwater.org/actions/protect-our-health-protect-amaras-law

Philly, get ready! Clean Water's 2026 Annual Event, Watershed to Water Tap, is TOMORROW, Thursday, September 24th, 6-9 pm, at XI West Weddings & Events Join us to:

🌎 Network with local sustainability experts
🍽️ Dine on Dim Sum House University City
🎁 Bid on unique auction items
🏆Honor the recipients of Clean Water Action’s annual awards
🥂 Enjoy complimentary b**r, w**e, and non-alcoholic drinks
🎵 Dance, Dance, Dance!

All proceeds will support Clean Water’s continued local community programs, campaigns, and election work to further protect the environment. ✊🏿✊🏽✊🏻

Clean Water Action - Pennsylvania

Purchase tickets, sponsor, and/or donate! https://cleanwater.org/PhillyAuction

Our online auction is now live - start bidding here: https://event.auctria.com/f3a25c62-321b-4c24-a78e-765d7a89bbbb/

💧 It’s PFAS Awareness Week in Minnesota!

This week, we’re uplifting the incredible work of our Clean Water Action team in Minnesota and the communities working to address PFAS pollution and protect clean water. 💙

PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” can persist in our water, soil, and bodies. In Minnesota, our team is working to prevent pollution at the source, support communities living with contamination, and fight for stronger protections.

From advocating for Amara's Law to helping residents understand PFAS in their drinking water, this work is about protecting our communities today and future generations to come.

Follow along this week as we highlight the people, progress, and ongoing work to tackle PFAS pollution in Minnesota. 🌱

Learn more about PFAS and Minnesota’s efforts to address this pollution:
🔗 health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/hazardous/topics/pfasaware.html

🚨 Our drinking water should come first.

Oil and gas production creates massive amounts of toxic wastewater. Now, EPA is considering weakening Clean Water Act protections that limit where this wastewater can be discharged.

“Produced water” can contain PFAS, heavy metals, radioactive materials, and more than 1,100 identified chemicals. Studies have found contaminants downstream, including near drinking water supplies.

💧 EPA should be strengthening, not weakening, protections. Clean Water Action's new paper, “Putting Drinking Water First,” explains why we need:

🛑 Stronger wastewater protections
🔎 Transparency about what’s in produced water
🤝 A seat at the table for affected communities

Read the paper and learn why we must say NO to weaker protections. 👉 cleanwater.org/PDWF-oil-and-gas

🌎💚 Clean Water Feature Friday: Students Taking Action for Zero Waste!

A JUMBO thank you to the 50+ Tufts University students who teamed up with Clean Water Action Clean Water Action Massachusetts to help spread the word about zero waste dining in Jamaica Plain, MA! 🙌

Students canvassed local restaurants and neighbors, encouraging the community to ditch single-use plastics, bring their own reusable mugs, and try Recirclable's free reusable takeout container program.

Big shoutout to our partners at JPZeroWaste and the local businesses leading the way! ♻️

📖 Read more about this collaboration in the Jamaica Plain Gazette.
https://jamaicaplaingazette.com/2026/08/28/tufts-students-and-clean-water-action-teaming-up-to-help-jp-fight-plastic/

JamaicaPlain PlasticFree ReuseRevolution

💧Clean Water Act protections help prevent pollution & harmful development from damaging our streams and wetlands. If more waters lose these protections, they could be left vulnerable to pollution, industrial development & other harmful activities.

📢 Tell the EPA to protect our streams & wetlands. Submit a comment by Oct. 9: www.cleanwater.org/epa-action-rollbacks

💧 Wetlands and streams are essential to clean drinking water. Millions rely on streams that don’t flow year-round, while wetlands naturally filter pollution. These waters deserve Clean Water Act protections.

📢 Tell the EPA to protect our water by Oct. 9: www.cleanwater.org/epa-action-rollbacks

The attacks on the Clean Water Act won't stop coming.

EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers are considering new options that would remove protections from most streams and wetlands. EPA itself expects most intermittent streams and the majority of currently protected adjacent wetlands would fail these new tests.

Wetlands and streams play a vital role in protecting our drinking water. They absorb runoff, prevent flooding, and filter harmful pollution.

The Clean Water Act only works if there are waters left to protect.

Read more:

The Attacks on the Clean Water Act Won't Stop Coming EPA continues to undermine the fundamentals of the Clean Water Act. Two recent actions show how EPA is whittling away at specific protections.