Last week, VAIPL and environmental organizations across the region celebrated water justice and wetland restoration for Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week. May this serve as a reminder to reconnect to your local watershed and learn more about how you can be involved in the water justice movement. In fact, it’s not too late! Go to the Chesapeake Bay Program’s website to see how you can get involved in Chesapeake Bay releated events, or visit our website to learn more about water justice.

Whether for drinking, public health, or sports and recreation, the world we live in revolves around the availability of and access to clean water. Water is essential to all forms of life. However, pollutants from industry, antiquated water infrastructure, and rate increases are all threats to safe, clean water for rural communities, low-income populations, and communities of color.

Another growing concern for water availability is the ongoing climate crisis, which has made it harder to access safe drinking water. Climate change has already begun to disrupt historical weather patterns through changing rainfall, which has led to increasing floods, landslides, and intensified droughts around the world.

The impacts of the climate crisis are disproportionately affecting Black and brown countries, and in the United States, minorities and low-income communities are the ones that often suffer most from water-related issues. Virginia Interfaith Power & Light aims to combat these injustices and support clean water efforts and flood resilient neighborhoods, especially for those most impacted. Read more about our water justice campaign to learn more about the issue and to see how you can help.