Michigan is blessed with an abundance of fresh, clean water -- from the Great Lakes and connecting waterways to the groundwater that courses beneath our feet. All 10 million Michiganders rely on this system for clean drinking water, so protecting it is critical to ensuring safe, healthy water for future generations.
Grants recently awarded to 39 Michigan public water systems through the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) will help fund programs to protect those clean water sources and to educate the public about where their water originates and how best to ensure it remains healthy.
Nearly $407,000 in funding ranging from awards of $1,050 to $70,000 for this year's individual grants will support programs including updated plans to 11 wellhead protection areas, educate the public about their water sources and develop surface water intake programs, among other projects. Applicants must provide 50 percent matching funds for the projects, develop a water protection team, and demonstrate long-term commitment to their source water protection programs.
"EGLE is on the job every day working with Michigan's 1,381 community water systems to deliver safe water to residents," said Sara Pearson, source water unit supervisor with EGLE's Drinking Water and Environmental Health Division (DWEHD). "But the first and most crucial step in the process is to ensure that the lakes, rivers, or groundwater wells that deliver that water are free of contaminants. These grants will help communities keep those water sources safe and reliable."
The grants were announced in conjunction with Source Water Protection Week declared by the American Water Works Association Sept. 25 to Oct. 1.
For more information on source water protection, visit EGLE's Source Water Assessment page. For an overview of the state's program to protect drinking water sources, see this overview. To find out where your drinking water originates, search for the source of your public drinking water.
Categories: Michigan, Government & Policy