September 10, 2003

DEQ Director Steven E. Chester today announced that 67 communities would receive approximately $860,000 through the Wellhead Protection Grant Program. The grant program provides communities with financial assistance to safeguard public water supply systems and to protect their public groundwater supplies from contamination. As part of the Wellhead Protection Program, communities delineate the land area contributing drinking water to their public wells, identify potential contaminants within that area, and implement management activities to protect the water supply.

“Groundwater is a vital natural resource,” Director Chester said. “Nearly half of Michigan’s citizens rely on groundwater as their sole source of drinking water. This funding will help to ensure that Michigan’s public drinking water supplies are being protected.” Communities work through local planning teams to prioritize concerns and implement management activities. To date, more than 86 percent of the population that depends on groundwater from public community water supplies has been positively impacted by the Wellhead Protection Program.

The program is funded through federal set-aside funds from the Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund. The fund is comprised of federal grants under the Safe Drinking Water Act and state match. This is the sixth round of funding for this program with over $6 million awarded since March 1999.

Grant Recipients are:

Ada Township                                                            $7,300.00
Andrews University                                                     $5,763.00
Blair Township                                                            $4,000.00
Breitung Township                                                      $5,920.00
Briley Township                                                          $4,250.00
City of Ann Arbor                                                        $6,500.00
City of Battle Creek                                                   $39,235.00
City of Brighton                                                         $16,000.00
City of Cadillac                                                          $27,000.00
City of Caspian                                                            $3,625.00
Chassell Township                                                       $9,000.00
City of Davison                                                           $22,750.00
City of Frankfort                                                           $2,000.00
City of Gobles                                                             $4,500.00
City of Grayling                                                           $3,750.00
City of Harbor Springs                                                  $8,500.00
City of Houghton                                                          $3,425.00
City of Iron River                                                          $7,625.00
City of Ithaca                                                             $16,000.00
City of Jackson                                                           $6,500.00
City of Litchfield                                                          $3,250.00
City of Lowell                                                            $11,025.00
City of McBain                                                               $860.00
City of Memphis                                                        $10,100.00
City of Norway                                                          $33,500.00
City of Owosso                                                         $31,500.00
City of Rockford                                                          $5,474.11
City of Rogers City                                                      $2,000.00
East Bay Township                                                     $9,736.00
East Lansing/Meridian Water & Sewer                        $16,788.00
Gun Plain Township                                                    $5,763.00
Independence Township                                             $40,400.00
Kalamazoo Public Utilities                                          $70,000.00
K.I. Sawyer Community                                             $20,000.00
Lansing Board of Water and Light                               $70,000.00
Little Traverse Township                                               $8,500.00
Livingston Community Water Authority                          $9,750.00
Negaunee Township                                                   $12,000.00
Niles Township                                                            $6,925.00
Osceola Township                                                       $9,000.00
Otsego Township                                                       $10,000.00
Plainfield Township                                                      $7,100.00
Republic Township                                                     $11,968.00
Skandia-West Branch WA                                           $7,500.00
Village of Bear Lake                                                    $3,250.00
Village of Bellaire                                                        $2,750.00
Village of Benzonia                                                    $13,500.00
Village of Buckley                                                       $5,500.00
Village of Cassopolis                                                   $2,500.00
Village of Dexter                                                          $2,200.00
Village of Eau Claire                                                  $10,936.00
Village of Elk Rapids                                                   $4,250.00
Village of Ellsworth                                                     $5,500.00
Village of Freeport                                                       $7,500.00
Village of Kalkaska                                                     $3,250.00
Village of Kingsley                                                     $15,300.00
Village of Marcellus                                                     $6,000.00
Village of Martin                                                          $6,000.00
Village of Milford                                                        $12,250.00
Village of Muir                                                           $11,675.00
Village of Onsted                                                       $10,000.00
Village of Ravenna                                                       $7,500.00
Village of Schoolcraft                                                   $9,154.67
Village of Suttons Bay                                                 $5,500.00
Village of Union City                                                   $17,206.00
Village of White Pigeon                                              $14,988.00
Waterford Township                                                   $65,000.00

TOTAL                                                                    $858,491.78

The next round of applications will be solicited from public water supply systems in May 2004.

Questions regarding the program can be directed to Scott Ross, Chief, Wellhead Protection Unit, Groundwater Section, Water Division, DEQ, at 517-335-3385.

Editor’s note: DEQ news releases are available on the department’s Internet home page at www.michigan.gov/deq.

Revisewd September 10, 2003 by Pat Watson