Welcome to Great Lakes Now: a regional news and information hub about how we enjoy, study, work on and experience the world’s largest supply of surface freshwater.
Explore our website. Watch our programs. Share your thoughts.
Latest News
How to check if your Michigan water system is replacing lead pipes
Michigan’s ambitious plan to replace 580,030 lead and galvanized lines is underway, yet many residents remain in the dark about their water safety. The Michigan Lead Service Line Tracker empowers communities to safeguard against lead exposure.
The Next Deluge May Go Differently
Changes in wetlands policy and reductions in funding mean flooding will worsen.
Tensions flare as Line 5 public comment deadline nears
Public comments are due by the end of the week after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposed a tunnel alternative last month.
In world of AI, Michigan State University Extension bets on human expertise
For years, Michigan State University Extension has existed to serve the public with programs ranging from canning classes to soil testing. Now, it aims to bill itself as an antidote to online misinformation.
Trump administration moves to weaken federal protections for waterways and wetlands
Environmental groups warn the proposal to change the definition of “waters of the United States” would eliminate crucial safeguards for “countless” bodies of water.
$18M approved in bill credits for Pennsylvania customers in ‘forever chemicals’ settlement
More PFAS news with a “cover-up” in Canada’s North Bay, and Wisconsin legislators estimate pollution cleanup could cost several billion dollars.
Specials from Great Lakes Now
Great Lakes Now – Monthly Series
A network of PBS stations to work together to cover crucial issues affecting the well-being and future of the Great Lakes.
The Forever Chemicals
Learn more about the PFAS family of chemicals and watch the Great Lakes Now program. Premieres March 28, 2019.
Tapping the Great Lakes
Water withdrawals remain a controversial issue in the Great Lakes. Learn about two of them in this Great Lakes Now program.
Beneath the Surface: The Line 5 Pipeline in the Great Lakes
Now an ongoing political issue, the history of Enbridge Line 5 in the Mackinac Straits goes back decades. Watch the Great Lakes Now documentary about the oil-and-gas pipeline.
The Seven Generation River
Visit a Native American community in the Great Lakes region and see how members protect water, using traditional culture along with technology.
The Door Flint Opened: America’s Drinking Water Crisis
When lead leached into the drinking water in this Michigan town, it changed how journalists and authors thought about water issues in their own communities. Hear from them about their work and what impact it had.