Guest Column: A Transformational Opportunity to Invest in Michigan’s Future

By Sen. Jon Bumstead


Water is arguably our most important natural resource. We can’t survive without it — people’s lives and livelihoods depend on clean and safe water infrastructure systems.

We have a unique, historic opportunity to invest in our state and leave it a better, safer place for our children and grandchildren.

As chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Natural Resources and Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, I had numerous discussions with constituents and worked closely with business and environmental leaders to determine how best to preserve and protect Michigan’s water quality, infrastructure and the environment.

I introduced Senate Bill 565, a budget supplemental bill that would dedicate over $3.3 billion in total funding to earnestly address these needs.

After months of deliberation, the Senate this week approved the bill. It would provide $1 billion to replace lead pipes across the state, $700 million to upgrade local drinking water and wastewater facilities and $85 million to ensure students have access to safe water by installing filtered water stations inside schools. The plan also addresses the harmful impacts of PFAS chemicals and would dedicate $100 million in grants to remove the chemicals from so-called orphaned sites.

The plan would also invest hundreds of millions of dollars to:

• Repair dams in critical condition to mitigate and avoid costly catastrophes like what happened in Midland last year;
• Assist communities with upgrading and replacing water treatment infrastructure and help homeowners replace failing septic systems;
• Conduct surface water monitoring, including for wetland mitigation; and
• Implement recommendations included in the Groundwater Use Advisory Council Report.

This is a unique moment in our history to come together as Michiganders to ensure our water is safe, take care of dams in critical condition, and preserve our natural resources.

Now is the time to take advantage of this one-time federal funding to build a cleaner, safer Michigan that will benefit residents for generations to come.

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