Wayne County Airport Authority (DTW)

Supporting Youth-Led Community Water Testing

Wayne County Airport Authority (DTW) 

One of DTW’s sustainability goals is to: Highlight and Promote the Region’s Abundant Freshwater Resources. Michigan is located in the heart of the Great Lakes Basin, which holds more than 20% of the world’s freshwater. The region’s abundant and clean water resources provide significant social and economic benefits to area residents, businesses and visitors. As the gateway airport for the region, DTW has an opportunity to highlight and promote the clean and abundant water resources of Michigan and the Great Lakes region, engage and educate passengers and the public, and identify and collaborate with key stakeholders. This social goal supports the FY2017 CEO Goal to strengthen the Airport Authority’s regional collaboration.

DTW is also a major hub for Delta Air Lines. Delta was interested in expanding its Change the Course sponsorship to the Detroit Airport. Given local needs around human access to clean and safe water, DTW and Delta agreed to prioritize supporting a social benefit project and teamed to support the youth-led water testing project through the Flint Development Center. Signage is placed throughout the airport inviting passengers to learn more about the collaborative effort.

The Impact They’re Making

Funding from the Wayne County Airport Authority supports projects such as the Youth-Led Community Water Testing Program. This program was successfully piloted in 2018 and a Community Lab is being built at The Flint Development Center to grow the program’s impact. Local teens are trained on how to collect proper water samples while assisting residents in testing the safety of their drinking water in their homes – and providing a water safety plan as needed. Flint and Detroit residents have demonstrated trust in this community water testing. Partnering with the Wayne County Airport Authority as part of both company’s sustainability plans helps address water challenges in one of Delta Air Lines major hubs. Learn more about the project here.

Photo credit: Flint Development Center flintdc.org