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Home » Archives for Elin Betanzo
Avatar photo

Author Archives: Elin Betanzo

Elin Betanzo is the founder of Safe Water Engineering LLC, a small consulting firm working to improve access to safe drinking water through engineering and policy consulting.

In August of 2015, Elin played a critical role in uncovering the Flint Water Crisis by encouraging Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, a Flint pediatrician, to conduct a study that discovered elevated lead levels in children living in Flint, Michigan. Elin continues to work on lead and drinking water policy at federal, state, and local levels.

Elin has nearly 20 years of experience working on drinking water science, engineering, and policy issues. She worked for the Environmental Protection Agency in the Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water writing and implementing national drinking water regulations, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission where she led water system master planning and hydraulic modeling, and for the Northeast-Midwest Institute leading their Safe Drinking Water Research and Policy Program.

Elin holds a Master of Science in Environmental Engineering and a Water Quality Management Certificate from Virginia Tech. She also has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from Carnegie Mellon University. Elin is a Professional Engineer and a certified water system operator.

Drinking fountain in a school hallway.
Posted inVoices

VOICES: Michigan is the first state to require water filters in schools. Let’s make sure it’s done right.

Avatar photo by Elin Betanzo May 16, 2025May 16, 2025

Michigan leads the nation by mandating lead-removing filters in school drinking water, empowering families to scrutinize their school’s Drinking Water Management Plan.

Detroit water quality is illustrated in an image of a faucet pouring into a glass.
Posted inVoices

GUEST COLUMN: Michigan’s new lead rule for drinking water is six years old. How are we doing?

Avatar photo by Elin Betanzo July 26, 2024March 19, 2025

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