Clean Water

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Overview of Office

  • The Office of the Clean Water Public Advocate was created through Governor Whitmer’s Executive Order 2019-06. The Office operates as a type 1 agency within the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, while having a connection to the Governor’s Office to elevate concerns. 

    The Office of the Clean Water Public Advocate ensures that drinking water concerns are investigated and that trends are analyzed. Based on trend analysis, recommendations to laws, rules, regulations, and procedures will be made to ensure that community concerns are addressed. The Office also connects resources at the state and local level to ensure that Michigan is more responsive to drinking water quality concerns. 

Featured Topics

Focus on Water Initiatives

  • Focus on Water Initiative: working together to ensure a health water future

  • Through the Focus on Water Initiative, the Office of the Clean Water Public Advocate brings together multi-sector partners to support community efforts and connect resources to address water concerns.

    • Benton Harbor Lead Outreach Partnership
    • Water Leak Pilot
    • Additional community projects in 2021
     Learn More

Office Priorities

Improve Communication

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Improve Communication

  • The Office of the Clean Water Public Advocate’s Communication Strategy strives to ensure two-way communication among all stakeholders including community partners and residents.

    Our Plan for Keeping You Informed

Support Community Efforts

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Support Community Efforts

  • The Office continues to work with community partners to identify and address barriers that impact water quality. The Office recognizes the work of the many community partners that are already actively engaging with community residents about drinking water quality and accessibility. The Office will continue to partner with communities and support these efforts.

    Spotlight on Current Community Efforts

Collaborate to Connect Resources

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Collaborate to Connect Resources

  • The Office serves as a conduit to connect the work of state agencies and partners throughout Michigan as it pertains to improving water quality and protecting public health. Multi-sector collaboration is key. Collaboration with other state agencies and partners throughout Michigan will be accomplished through workgroups, advisory committees, and joint initiatives.

     Learn More About Collaboration Efforts

Ensure Transparency and Accountability

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Ensure Transparency and Accountability

  • The Office will work with community residents, as well as state and local partners, to ensure that water quality information is accessible and provided in a timely manner. Transparency is vital. Residents must be informed of local and statewide efforts to improve water quality and ensure that public health is at the forefront of our water quality efforts.

    Working Together to Improve Water Quality

About the Advocate

About the Advocate

  • Ninah Sasy sitting on a chair smiling

    Ninah Sasy serves as the Head of the Office of the Clean Water Public Advocate.

    Ninah Sasy comes to the Office of the Clean Water Public Advocate with an extensive background in public health, emergency response, and strategic planning. Ninah is an innovative and strategic leader with proven success in driving operational excellence through transforming cultures, developing high performing teams, and administering statewide grant programs (upwards of $2M). She is committed to developing and implementing policies that positively impact families through the State of Michigan. Ninah is adept in identifying gaps in programs and formulating strategies that increase safety, quality, and service standards.

    Ninah began her career with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services as the Chemical Threat Laboratory Exercise Coordinator. She was responsible for developing response plans and testing statewide capabilities to respond to a chemical exposure event. Ninah served as the Grant Administrator of the Michigan Energy Assistance Program within the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Within this role, she monitored grantees to ensure that energy assistance payments were distributed equitably to low-income Michigan families and that grant funds were effectively utilized according to federal and state rules. Ninah’s public health experience includes serving as a Vaccine Specialist and more recently as the Senior Strategy Manager of the Mother Infant Health and Equity Improvement Plan. As the Senior Strategy Manager, Ninah worked with federal, state, local, and community partners to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates.

    Ninah brings experience building strong collaborative relationships with community, local, and state partners to ensure the implementation of impactful statewide initiatives. She will ensure that statewide initiatives have community involvement and the opportunity for residents to provide input on state and locally led efforts to improve drinking water quality. With a Master of Science in Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Clinical Laboratory Science, Ninah brings a solid base of academic knowledge to support her experience and is committed to serving as an advocate to Michigan residents.