LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy announced nearly $12 million in grants Friday that will go toward upgrading water infrastructure in communities throughout the state.
The MI Clean Water Plan grants aim to ensure clean drinking water, manage wastewater and protect public health and natural resources.
It consists of $11.7 million in grants through EGLE’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), Drinking Water Asset Management (DWAM) Program, Consolidation and Contamination Risk Reduction (C2R2) Program and federal sources.
According to EGLE, more than 1,000 community wastewater systems serve 70 percent of Michiganders, and a similar percentage gets drinking water from community water systems.
EGLE says those systems often struggle to find resources to address legacy issues, such as aging drinking water and stormwater facilities, along with emerging challenges, like new PFAS standards.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer, the Michigan Legislature and federal agencies continue to boost funding for aging water infrastructure, which EGLE says is a critical move to help ensure those water systems continue to protect public health and the environment.
Here’s a breakdown of the $11.7 million in grants:
Grants through DWSRF:
- $10,105,000 to the city of Highland Park: Watermain and lead service line replacements throughout the city— About four miles of the existing cast-iron watermain will be replaced with eight-and-12-inch diameter pipe along John R Street, Brush Street, Tennyson Street, Oakland Park Boulevard and Hamilton Avenue, and about 138 public and private service lines will be replaced along Tennyson Street and throughout the city.
Grants through C2R2:
- $491,122 to the city of Ann Arbor: Improve PFAS removal efficiency— The city replaced filters at its water treatment plant with granular activated carbon, since discovering PFAS in its water source in 2016. This project will replace the filter underdrains in two of the filters.
Grants through DWAM:
- $196,453 to the city of Grand Rapids: Identify the locations of lead lines prior to removal— As part of the city's Distribution System Materials Inventory, crews will conduct field verification of lead water service lines for a minimum of 383 service lines out of the city's total of 84,248, and restoring to original condition after field work occurs at these locations.
- $208,717 to the village of Mayville: Identify the locations of lead lines prior to removal— As part of the city's Distribution System Materials Inventory and drinking water Asset Management Plan, crews will conduct field verification for a minimum of 82 service lines out of the village's total of 412, and restoring to original condition after field work occurs at these locations.
Grants through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL):
- $234,000 to the city of Rockford: Assess potential PFAS source areas to the municipal collection system— This project includes starting to plan for corrective actions to minimize the potential for the pollutant to reach surface waters.
- $234,000 to the city of Cedar Springs: Assess potential PFAS source areas in the Russell Ridge neighborhood, the wastewater collection system and at the wastewater treatment plant— The project includes evaluating potential groundwater impacts at the city's wastewater treatment plant discharge field and former lagoon area.
- $234,000 to the city of Bronson: Assess potential PFAS source areas in the wastewater collection system and at the wastewater treatment plant— This project includes creating plans to address the sources and minimize impacts to surface water.
The state of Michigan has invested more than $4 billion to upgrade drinking water, stormwater and wastewater facilities since January 2019.
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