Author fights back against lawmakers on the brink of backsliding into major health crisis: 'This is not a partisan issue'

Silas House didn't plan on becoming the face of a fight against water pollution, but when a bill showed up that could weaken protections across his home state, he spoke up.

The Kentucky-born author joined other residents and environmental advocates at the edge of the Kentucky River to push back against Senate Bill 89, as reported by Louisville Public Media. The bill, already passed by the state Senate, would change how Kentucky defines "waters of the commonwealth."

That shift could mean many small streams, creeks, and even groundwater would lose state-level protection, which is a move that House, along with local residents like Madison Mooney and conservation leaders like Gerry James, say puts people's health and drinking water at risk.

"Our creeks and rivers, no matter how small, are all connected. We all live downstream," House said during a press event organized by groups including the Sierra Club, according to Louisville Public Media.

Growing up in Eastern Kentucky, House says the creeks near his home were a place to play, explore, and connect with nature. That experience made him value water as part of the "commons" — a shared resource that everyone relies on and has a responsibility to protect.

"This bill breaks that code," he said.

Under SB 89, water would only be protected if it's considered "navigable" under federal law. But most people in rural areas don't rely on big rivers since they are relying on small streams and private wells.

A 2019 report by the U.S. Geological Survey found that about 43 million Americans use private wells for drinking water, which are often more vulnerable to contamination and less strictly regulated than public water systems.

And in Kentucky, the risks are real. According to the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting, many parts of Eastern and Western Kentucky depend on groundwater, and that water could lose state protections if SB 89 becomes law.

Mooney also worries about the cost of cleaning up water once it's polluted.

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"Water systems in Eastern Kentucky are struggling with aging and out-of-date infrastructure as it is," said Mooney, a Martin County resident who works with local water groups. "Large-scale pollution, which this bill will allow, doesn't only destroy our creeks. It makes drinking water unaffordable for Kentuckians."

Those concerns aren't unfounded. A 2024 report from the American Water Works Association found that protecting drinking water at the source is one of the most cost-effective ways to keep water safe, with over 60% of utilities already implementing or working on source water protection plans.

"This is not a partisan issue," said fellow speaker Gerry James of the Sierra Club. "It's about the health of our communities."

Helping out on issues like this doesn't have to mean taking legal action or showing up at governmental buildings. Local and national groups doing this kind of work often rely on donations to stay active — whether they're fighting pollution, improving access to clean water, or pushing for stronger protections in their communities, as the Sierra Club often does.

You can also make an impact by choosing to support brands that are trying to make more eco-conscious choices for the environment.

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