LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Monday, Governor Whitmer announced more than $2 million in grants were awarded recently under the umbrella of the MI Clean Water plan for 15 Michigan cities, villages and townships across the state, including the West Michigan area.
Governor Whitmer says the assistance will help the communities better ensure safe, clean tap water for residents.
“We will continue making significant investments under the MI Clean Water Plan to replace lead service lines, tackle toxic contaminants including PFAs, and upgrading wastewater and stormwater management systems, all while creating thousands of good-paying jobs,” Governor Whitmer said in a statement. “Today’s grants will help communities across Michigan facing unique challenges maintain and improve their water systems. I am grateful for the ongoing partnerships between the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy and local communities to ensure that every Michigander has access to clean, safe drinking water.”
The grants boost overall state efforts to support local proje
The MI Clean Water plan is a $500 million investment announced by Governor Whitmer last year to rebuild the state’s water infrastructure to help provide clean, affordable water to Michiganders through investments in communities.
It addresses water infrastructure issues that Michigan faces such as lead-laden water service lines, toxic contamination like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), undersized sewers, failing septic systems, unaffordable water rates and constrained local budgets.
This investment includes a proposal combining federal dollars for lead service line replacement in low-income communities ($102.1 million) with bonding authority for water quality protection ($290 million), a one-time General Fund appropriation for drinking water infrastructure and innovation ($105 million), and asset management grants ($2.9 million) to help communities develop, update and improve their plans for wastewater and stormwater.
EGLE Director Liesl Clark said more than half of the agency’s budget is funneled to Michigan communities in the form of financial assistance to help address water infrastructure and other environmental- and health-protection efforts.
“These community water systems are critical to ensuring clean water for homes and businesses,” Clark said. “Our staff’s ongoing technical outreach and the Mi Clean Water initiative are important links in that chain.”
The Drinking Water Asset Management (DWAM) grant is available to assist water supplies in asset management plan development or updates, and/or distribution system mat
The Affordability and Planning (AP) grant is available to any community water supply and local unit of government, including counties, townships, cities, villages and others to assist in planning and/or rate studies.
Recently approved grants awarded through the DWAM and AP programs:
DWAM Grants
- Village of St. Charles – $397,083
- Village of Mackinaw City – $210,225
- City of Allen Park – $53,200
- Village of Union City – $191,760
- City of Plainwell – $269,950
- City of Three Rivers – $274,775
- City of Royal Oak – $252,133
- Village of Berrien Springs – $215,000
AP Grants
- Crystal Falls Township – $35,860
- City of Harper Woods – $15,800
- City of Highland Park – $120,000
- City of Iron River – $101,300
- City of Midland – $15,800
- City of Muskegon Heights – $135,000
- Village of Westphalia – $15,000
Michigan EGLE expects to update new grants and recipients under the MI Clean Water plan via a press release early each month throughout the summer of 2021.
An archive of EGLE press releases is available here.
