DALE — Southwestern Indiana Citizens for Quality of Life (SWICQL), a regional environmental health advocacy group founded in 2018, is utilizing a $75,000 grant from the Great Lakes Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program to help residents monitor and understand local environmental health risks.
Partnering with the Indiana University Environmental Resilience Institute’s Indiana Resilience Funding Hub, SWICQL implemented several key initiatives aimed at addressing long-standing concerns over industrial pollution, asthma, infant mortality, and heart disease across the region.
Real-Time Air and Water Quality Monitoring
To bridge gaps between official government monitoring stations, SWICQL deployed 20 PurpleAir Flex air quality monitors across southwestern Indiana. The devices measure real-time particulate matter pollution from regional coal-fired plants, wildfires, and other sources, displaying live data on the organization’s newly launched website.
In addition, the nonprofit acquired specialized water testing kits capable of screening for roughly 200 contaminants, including heavy metals like lead and copper, nutrient pollutants such as nitrates, and natural minerals. SWICQL has already conducted 40 private well water tests across more than a dozen local communities.
Community Focus Groups and Digital Advocacy Hub
Between 2025 and 2026, SWICQL hosted six regional focus groups led by IU researchers Kate Eddens and Annie Shattuck. The sessions provided a venue for residents to voice lived experiences regarding pollution exposure, healthcare access, and trust in government. Findings from the study were presented to the public in April 2026 in Dale, Indiana.
Grant funds also supported the development of SWICQL’s new website, which serves as a digital hub for community data, health research, and grassroots advocacy. SWICQL leadership hopes the transparent public data will encourage schools, medical professionals, and lawmakers to push for stronger public health and environmental protections at the Indiana Statehouse.
