White Cloud To Replace Water Lines

EGLE Grant will cover the project at no cost to residents

The MI Clean Water Plan grants through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) and support from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) aim to help communities upgrade aging infrastructure, ensure healthy drinking water, and protect Michigan’s environment.

EGLE DWSRF has announced that the City of White Cloud has received a $4,065,000 Drinking Water State Revolving Fund Grant to cover the cost of replacing water lines in the city.  Frequently, in communities developed during the time period in which the City of White Cloud was developed, water service lines were made from lead or galvanized piping.  This program will replace lead (and galvanized) water service lines with new copper piping from the main all the way into the homes and businesses.

“We are thrilled to be a recipient of this funding.” said White Cloud City Manager April Storms.” This will allow the project to be completed in a relatively short amount of time and will have no effect on water rates to consumers.
“The City’s water samples have been tested, resulting in no lead contaminants, however, this Lead and Copper Rule is mandatory statewide for municipalities with water systems.”
 
The Michigan Lead and Copper Rule requires that all lead and galvanized (previously connected to lead) water service lines be replaced within the next 20 years (by January 2040) or at a minimum rate of 5% per year. 

Water service lines are scheduled to be replaced in White Cloud beginning in Fall of 2024 through Summer of 2025.  The City will secure a properly experienced and insured contractor through a bid process to perform this work.  

“We have done an initial review to determine what water lines require investigation to determine service line material or what lines may need to be replaced,”added Storms.

Of the 522 water services in the city, Storms estimates 420 of the lines will need to be investigated and/or replaced as a result of this project.  The city will be sending out notification and an agreement for property owners who will be affected by this project.