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# Michigan Opens First PFAS Awareness Week September 21
- URL: https://www.theamericanquorum.com/state-news-michigan-2026-09-17-a/
- Published: 2026-09-17T13:23:29.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-17T13:23:29.000Z
- Description: Michigan’s first PFAS Awareness Week runs September 21–25 with public events and guidance on well testing, fish consumption and exposure reduction. The campaign does not change standards or guarantee free testing.
- Author: News Desk
- Tags: State News, California, Michigan, Minnesota

Michigan will hold its first PFAS Awareness Week from September 21 through September 25, pairing nearly a dozen public events with practical guidance on drinking water, fish consumption and household exposure. The [state announcement](https://www.michigan.gov/egle/newsroom/press-releases/2026/09/15/pfas-awareness-week?ref=theamericanquorum.com) says the campaign originated with residents affected by contamination who serve on the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team’s Citizens Advisory Workgroup.

The week is educational rather than a new regulatory program. It does not change Michigan’s drinking-water standards or automatically provide free private-well testing. Its immediate purpose is to direct residents and local officials toward existing testing, health and environmental resources before problems are discovered.

## What residents are being asked to do

The governor’s [official proclamation](https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/news/proclamations/2026/05/21/september-21-25-2026-pfas-awareness-week?ref=theamericanquorum.com) identifies four basic actions: test private drinking-water wells when appropriate, consult Eat Safe Fish guidance before consuming locally caught fish, avoid foam on surface water and reduce the use of consumer products that may contain PFAS. State materials describe PFAS as a large family of human-made chemicals that persist in the environment and have been detected in Michigan water, soil, air, wildlife, fish and people.

Water source matters. Michigan’s [statewide survey](https://www.michigan.gov/pfasresponse/drinking-water/statewide-survey?ref=theamericanquorum.com) says about 75% of residents receive water from a public system and about 25% use private wells. Customers who receive a water bill can review their supplier’s annual Consumer Confidence Report for more recent testing information. Private-well owners are responsible for arranging their own sampling unless a government investigation or other program covers it.

The state’s [home-sampling guidance](https://www.michigan.gov/pfasresponse/drinking-water/sampling?ref=theamericanquorum.com) stresses that collection technique matters because PFAS can be introduced accidentally during sampling. It provides instructions and a water-analysis form, and directs residents to certified laboratories. People who receive test results can contact the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Environmental Health Hotline at 800-648-6942 to discuss potential risks and next steps with a toxicologist.

## A statewide schedule with local relevance

The [campaign schedule](https://www.michigan.gov/pfasresponse/engagement/pfas-awareness-week?ref=theamericanquorum.com) includes webinars, panel discussions and community events addressing PFAS basics, drinking water, fish and wildlife, health questions and local-government responsibilities. Michigan says counterparts in Minnesota and California, universities and nonprofit organizations are supporting the broader effort.

For local leaders, the campaign offers a reason to review whether residents know where their water comes from, how to find public-system results and whom to contact when a private well may be near a known site. For individuals, the most useful step is not generalized alarm but source-specific information: check the water supplier’s report, use the state’s site and sampling tools, and follow current fish advisories for the water body involved.

PFAS Awareness Week will not resolve Michigan’s contamination sites in five days. Its practical value will depend on whether the campaign leads residents to verified testing and guidance—and whether agencies use the resulting questions to identify gaps in public communication, sampling access and follow-up care.