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Water Resources Division
Water Resources Division
The Water Resources Division (WRD) protects and monitors Michigan's waters by establishing water quality standards, assessing the health of aquatic communities, issuing permits to regulate wastewater dischargers, and overseeing aquatic invasive species concerns and water withdrawals. The division processes permit applications and provides technical assistance to local soil erosion and sedimentation control programs, as well as activities like dredging or filling, constructing or dismantling dams, constructing marinas, seawalls, or docks, building in a designated critical sand dune, wetland, or floodplain, and protecting underwater shipwreck resources. The Division oversees and issues construction permits for all public wastewater infrastructure, requires asset management in NPDES permits to ensure proper maintenance and oversees critical large-scale infrastructure improvements in the area of CSO/SSO control vital to health of Michigan's waterways.
WRD's mission: Make Michigan’s waters safe and clean for recreating, fishing, drinking, and healthy aquatic ecosystems.
Meet Acting Director Phil Argiroff
Before becoming the WRD acting director, Phil spent 36 years in WRD in jobs including wastewater design review in SE MI, district supervisor in SE MI, Permits Section manager, and assistant division director in WRD. Phil worked on difficult compliance and permitting issues related to the City of Detroit and Great Lake Water Authority, particularly related to treatment of combined sewer overflows.