Gov. Whitmer Announces New MI Clean Water Grants to Upgrade Water Systems Throughout Michigan

Press Release

Governor Gretchen Whitmer today announced grants awarded under the umbrella of the MI Clean Water plan to help Michigan communities strengthen drinking water infrastructure and better ensure safe, affordable tap water across the state.

More than $5 million in funding will assist state efforts to support local projects that improve drinking water systems including replacing lead service lines, enhancing water affordability plans, and connecting homes with contaminated drinking water wells to safe community water supplies.

"Since I first took office, I made it clear that we are going to rebuild Michigan's crumbling infrastructure from roads to pipes to dams across our state," said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. "As we put Michigan back to work, we're excited to provide our local partners with the support that helps us protect Michigan's water resources from source to tap. Making these investments into our most precious resource allows us to invest directly in public health, help jumpstart our economy, and protect the environment."

The MI Clean Water plan is a historic, $500 million investment announced by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in October to rebuild the state's water infrastructure and help provide clean, affordable water to Michiganders through investments in communities. This work has bipartisan and bicameral partners.

The MI Clean Water plan marks a significant investment after decades of underinvestment in Michigan's infrastructure.

Taken together, the $500M confronts the large 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 historic 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.

In addition to drinking water investments currently being awarded, Whitmer called on the State Legislature to approve MI Clean Water funds for community wastewater treatment improvements that protect Michigan lakes and streams, and to authorize additional investments in water infrastructure that ensure safe drinking water and clean water for swimming, boating, fishing and other activities. When the Legislature acts, it would allow for access to $290 million more dollars to support over 3,000 jobs and finish the commitment of the MI Clean Water plan.

The Drinking Water Asset Management (DWAM) grant is available to assist water supplies in asset management plan development or updates, and/or distribution system materials inventory as defined in Michigan's Lead and Copper Rule.

The Affordability and Planning Grant (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

(Cities unless otherwise indicated)

Charter Twp. of Hampton, $499,343

Bronson, $469,400

St. Clair Shores, $473,750

Hartford, $375,000

Charlotte, $350,700

Brown City, $340,000

Sturgis, $283,200

Mason, $274,800

Hillsdale, $241,000

Village of Baldwin, $234,000

Ironwood, $214,913

Hastings, $214,870

Greenville, $203,245

Hamtramck, $188,315

River Rouge, $160,488

AP Grants

Oakland County Water Resources Commissioners Office, $444,600

City of Kalamazoo, $395,600

Ely Township, $17,500

Allendale Charter Township, $15,000

Village of Sheridan, $15,000

City of Springfield, $15,000

City of St. Clair Shores, $7,500

Village of Vermontville, $15,000

Michigan EGLE expects to update new grants and recipients under the Mi Clean Water plan via a press release the first week of every month throughout the summer of 2021. An archive of EGLE press releases is available here.

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