The Water Consortium Project
Urban Farm Water Access Proposal
A large barrier to the sustainability of many urban farms is consistent water access. Although there are many ways for urban farmers to access water for their operations, such as using a neighbor’s tap, having a rain catchment system in place, and/or relying on rainy weather, these options are often insufficient in the face of the increasingly extreme weather conditions that we are faced with as a result of climate change. Connecting to the City lines is therefore the most secure source of water for urban farmers; yet gaining that access is costly, confusing, and time-consuming here in the city of Detroit and other cities in the region.
Through the Urban Farm Water Access Proposal, a fundamentally research and education-based project, we therefore endeavor to analyze farmers' water needs, their current knowledge of varying water catchment systems, their water conservation practices, their current (if any) water catchment system, and their water uses and costs. From there, our goals are to:
synthesize the data we gather on these topics into informational materials that illustrate best water catchment and conservation practices.
edify, document, and subsidize aspiring farmers' varying water catchment systems and conservation practices.
open a channel of communication with the local municipality so that more easeful working relationships can form with current and future farmers.
In this context, we work with the Detroit Water and Sewage Department (DWSD) to create a system and/or designate a point person to help farmers navigate the DWSD system and easily and efficiently obtain necessary documentation (permits, certifications, etc.) for their particular water catchment system(s). Ultimately, we want to provide aspiring farmers with limited resource and/or historically disadvantaged farmers with education materials to: 1) figure out what are the most adapted water catchment systems and conservation practices for their farm, and 2) how to navigate DSWD and feel comfortable speaking with City officials about their water needs. We also work to provide these farmers with financial resources to cover their startup costs for putting in place a water catchment system on their farm.
This works comes out NCR-SARE Farmer/Grant, entitled: Water Consortium: Researching and Edifying Water Catchment/Conservation Best Practices for Urban Farmers in Detroit (FNC23-1382 (project overview).
The Water Consortium is a coalition of farmers, environmental justice advocates, and City officials dedicated to providing equitable water access to Detroit land stewards.
Primary Members
jøn kent | Sanctuary Farms
Tony Johnson | Sanctuary Farms
Kim Theus | Canfield Consortium
Katie Brandt | Michigan State University
Tepfirah Rushdan | City of Detroit - Office of Sustainability
Patrice Brown | City of Detroit - Office of Sustainability
Erma Leaphart | Sierra Club
Kido Pielack | Keep Growing Detroit
Ashley Atkinson | Keep Growing Detroit
Secondary Members
Kwame Hampton | Freshwater Future
Micah Hutchison | Michigan Association of Conservation Districts
Skyler Kriese | We The People of Detroit
Preliminary Data from Water Conservation Survey*
*based on this survey, please fill out if you are a Detroit farmer.
Common barriers to irrigation are the price of water, the cost to tap the City main water line, the cost to construct a water catchment system, and a general lack of rain.
63% of participants do not know of organizations to reach out to for help with questions related to water accessibility.
53% of participants do not know how to connect to the city water line.
70% of participants do not know where to find a good contractor to tap the city water line.
54% of participants do not feel comfortable reaching out to the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD).
67% of participants are unfamiliar with DWSD water credits, and are paying a drainage fee on “impervious surfaces” for their garden or farm.
Our partners
What we are doing now
We are thrilled to announce that, after three years of dedicated farming and advocacy, we now have our very own water source! This incredible milestone was made possible by the advocacy of the Water Consortium (WC) to install a wabash system on our farm.
Next Steps
We are on a mission to install more wabash systems across the city!
As we celebrate this achievement, we look forward to continuing this relationship with the DWSD to create a program to install more wabash systems across the city for other land stewards. Stay tuned!
Learn more about it here:
Have any questions?
Want to have the WC ask DWSD something on your behalf? Interested in joining the committee? Please let us know here or email us at info@sanctuaryfarming.com.