Benton Harbor residents are being urged to use bottled water for drinking and cooking due to high lead levels. This will be in place until a federal study confirms that filters can work effectively with the city's tap water.
The Greater Grand Rapids National Panhellenic Council, which has partnered with 13 ON YOUR SIDE, will host a water drive on Oct. 28 and 29 in an effort to make sure Benton Harbor residents have enough bottled water on hand.
"This continues to be a serious problem," said Kenisha Dorsey, President of the National Panhellenic Council of Grand Rapids. "We have our elderly community; we have individuals without transportation that need water to be physically brought to them. So we have the drives going where individuals can pull up in their vehicles and load their car with water."
Kenisha is calling on area churches, businesses and common citizens to participate in the water drive by dropping off cases of bottled water at Brookwood Elementary School in Kentwood (5465 Kalamazoo Ave SE) anytime between 12:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 28 or 29. There will be a truck in the school's parking lot to transport all the donated water immediately to Benton Harbor.
"I would love to see 1,000 cases of bottled water donated," said Dorsey.
Grand Rapids NPHC is also known as the *Divine Nine*, comprised of 9 African American fraternities and sororities - 8 of which have groups in Grand Rapids.
13 ON YOUR SIDE will be providing coverage of the water drive later this week.
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