In light of some exciting news at the state level, I am back bring you an update on water infrastructure on behalf of SEMCOG’s environment team!
We’ve talked in the past about our water infrastructure data collection effort, and we’re making great progress. We’ve collected water infrastructure and capital improvement project data from many member communities, but we need everyone’s involvement to enhance the database in order to provide a clear analysis for the region. Some of the goals of this data collection effort are to:
- Understand the overall condition of our water infrastructure assets
- Strengthen coordination on infrastructure projects
- Share best practices for asset management programs
- Develop a clearinghouse to summarize regional infrastructure needs
- Communicate region-wide priorities and investment need at the state level
We’ll discuss this data collection effort and some preliminary results at our SEMCOG University webinar on November 5. As always, if you’re interested in participating in this regional data collection effort by submitting your drinking water, storm sewer, or sanitary sewer data, please let us know!
For right now, let’s really focus in on those last two bullet points:
- summarize regional infrastructure needs, and
- communicate that need at the state level
Those of us who work on water resources know that the investment need for our infrastructure is greater than available funding. SEMCOG’s data collection effort are geared towards providing proof that communities in Southeast Michigan need significant funding to maintain and update their systems.
In the past, communities have had limited options to meet unmet needs:
- Raise funds on their own for Capital Improvement Projects,
- Let assets run to failure instead of taking an asset management approach, or
- Spend precious money and time on competitive grant applications without a guarantee that they’ll receive the funds.
New state plan offers a lifeline
Things are finally changing for water infrastructure asset owners and operators! The state recently announced some new funding opportunities for water infrastructure systems. The MI Clean Water Plan, announced on October 1, 2020, will provide $500 million in water infrastructure investment to Michigan’s water systems. The MI Clean Water plan addresses drinking water, stormwater, and wastewater infrastructure needs throughout the State of Michigan.
These funding programs will provide clean, affordable water to Michigan residents, and help communities invest directly in their infrastructure systems. The plan supports important infrastructure needs, including addressing undersized communities, failing septic systems, water affordability issues, and protection from water contaminants such as lead and PFAS. Below are the programs announced through this funding opportunity, and the award amounts available to local communities:
- Disadvantaged Community Lead Service Line Replacement Program – $102 million
- Drinking Water Asset Management Grants – $37.5 million
- Drinking Water Infrastructure Grants – $35 million
- Consolidation and Contamination Risk Reduction Grants – $25 million
- Affordability and Planning Grants – $7.5 million
- Clean Water Infrastructure Grants – $235 million
- Substantial Public Health Risk Reduction Grants – $20 million
- Failing Septic System Elimination Program – $35 million
- Stormwater, Asset Management, and Wastewater (SAW) Grants – $3 million
For further details about these programs, we encourage you to take a look at this fact sheet, or visit the state’s grants and loans webpage.
With so many funding programs available to Southeast Michigan local communities, SEMCOG is making it a priority to help our members and local communities apply for funding. We will continue to keep communities updated as additional information becomes available, and we encourage members and local communities to reach out if they need assistance throughout the application process.
SEMCOG’s environment team our efforts to address water infrastructure needs, and we look forward to this upcoming investment in our water systems in Southeast Michigan across the state.
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