(Mar. 3, 2022) You may not realize March 6 kicks off National Groundwater Awareness week, but I bet you DO know that Memphis has some of the finest drinking water in the country. That’s because we sit on the Memphis Sand Aquifer. Memphis is actually the largest U.S. city that relies 100 percent on groundwater to meet our every need—and unfortunately there are threats to its sustainability.

But there are community advocates who working to keep our water clean and clear. Protect our Aquifer is a grassroots nonprofit whose mission is to protect, conserve, and preserve the Memphis Sand Aquifer. Memphis Community Against Pollution is a Black-led group concerned with environmental racism: meaning the disproportionate impact of environmental hazards on people of color. The two organizations had a recent victory, stopping the construction of the Byhalia Connection Pipeline, which would have pumped crude oil through the predominantly Black Boxtown neighborhood. They both continue to fight the threat of industrial pollutants, helping ensure our water is pristine for generations to come.

 

The Community Foundation is proud to manage the Protect Our Aquifer Fund and Memphis Community Against Pollution's Fund.