Bloomington publishes annual drinking water quality report
City of Bloomington Utilities (CBU) has published their annual drinking water quality report. As part of the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires community water systems to deliver a Consumer Confidence Report, also known as an annual drinking water quality report, to their customers. These reports provide information about local drinking water quality, data from tests conducted the previous year, and contact information for any questions or concerns. Listed in the 2021 report are the 12 contaminants detected in Bloomington’s drinking water during 2020, such as disinfectant byproducts (DBPs), lead, and copper. All are within allowable levels. Not listed are the more than 65 primary contaminants that were tested for and not detected. CBU customers can find their report at bloomington.in.gov/water-quality-report.pdf.
In addition to the annual report, the City updates data about drinking water at its open data portal, B-Clear. Datasets include current and historic information about lead and copper, organic matter, and DBPs, among other materials measured. In all, the site comprises 15 datasets relating to drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater including those tracking plant energy consumption, sanitary sewer overflows, and the results of the COVID-19 monitoring program CBU has participated in since August 2020, among other information.
Creative Aging Virtual Learning Sessions Taking Place Throughout June
In the next ten years, one in five Indiana citizens will be 65 and older. In order to address the creative needs of this growing segment of our population, and help grow the portfolio career of artists in Indiana, the Indiana Arts Commission is starting a new initiative, Lifelong Arts Indiana, geared towards developing our creative workforce in service to our older Hoosiers. The Indiana Arts Commission, Traditional Arts Indiana, and additional community partners are excited to invite artists and arts administrators to a series of virtual community meetings to learn about creative aging, upcoming training, and future funding opportunities.
Meetings for Artists:
- June 8, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. CT / 2:00 p.m ET (Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana)
- June 21, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. CT / 11:00 a.m. ET (Tippecanoe Arts Federation)
- June 22, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. CT / 2:00 p.m ET (Community Foundation of St. Joseph County)
- June 28, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. CT / 11:00 a.m. ET (Miller Beach Arts and Creative District and photographer Tyrell Anderson)
- June 29, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. CT / 2:00 p.m ET (Southeastern Indiana Partner TBD)
Meeting for Organizations and Community Partners:
- June 24, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. CT / 11:00 a.m. ET (Lifetime Arts)
While each of the above meetings is co-hosed with a community partner, please feel free to sign up for the meeting that best fits your schedule. RSVP Here
Build, Learn, Grow initiative to help working families – regardless of income – connect to early care and education
The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration Build, Learn, Grow initiative, has made 50,000 scholarships available to help get Hoosier children from families working in essential industries – regardless of income – enrolled in early care and education, summer learning or out-of-school care. Scholarships run from May through October 2021 and will cover up to 80% of the early care and education program’s tuition for each child age 12 and younger. Information is available at www.BuildLearnGrow.org.
For families to qualify for Build, Learn, Grow scholarships, an adult in the household must work in an essential business (examples include health care, human services, retail, restaurant and food service, essential infrastructure, media, manufacturing and logistics, religious and charitable organizations and many others). Income guidelines are outlined here. Families will qualify for The Build, Learn, Grow scholarship to cover 80% of their cost with incomes of up to 250% of the federal poverty level. Families with incomes between 251% and 400% of FPL will qualify for 60% of costs covered and those with incomes at 401% of FPL and above will qualify for 20% of costs covered. Families should complete the Build, Learn, Grow Scholarship Fund application found here and submit it to their early care and education provider. Families not currently connected to an early care and education program will be able to find a list of participating programs on the Build, Learn, Grow website also on the eligibility page. All providers who currently accept federal child care assistance are encouraged to enroll.
The scholarships are funded by more than $101 million provided to Indiana by the federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, or CRRSA. To administer the Build, Learn, Grow scholarship program, the Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning has partnered with Early Learning Indiana and Indiana Afterschool Network, the state’s leading organizations supporting early care and education and out-of-school-time programs. Early care and education and out-of-school-time programs interested in receiving children with Build, Learn, Grow scholarships can learn more at www.BuildLearnGrow.org.