Source Water Protection Grants

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), through its Drinking Water and Environmental Health Division, administers the Source Water Protection Grant Program. This initiative stems from amendments to the 1996 Federal Safe Drinking Water Act, which allows the use of set-asides from the Drinking Water Revolving Fund to finance source water protection efforts. The program is designed to support local initiatives aimed at preserving, protecting, and enhancing the quality of public drinking water sources across Michigan, whether groundwater or surface water. The grant program offers financial assistance to community public water supplies for a wide array of planning and implementation activities related to source water protection. Eligible activities include delineation of source water protection areas, contaminant source inventories, management strategy development, contingency planning, emergency response protocols, and public participation initiatives. Each activity must align with the state’s Source Water Protection (SWP) program and occur within a designated SWP Area or a one-mile radius of low tritium public water supply wells. Funding may support activities such as forming a local SWP team, groundwater modeling, mapping contamination sources, developing best management practices, creating public education campaigns, and integrating SWP goals into municipal plans. Some activities, like sealing abandoned wells or purchasing real estate, are not eligible for funding. Costs for food, travel, and general wages without specific SWP duties are also ineligible unless pre-approved. Applicants must provide a local match equal to the grant amount requested, forming a 1:1 funding structure. Grant amounts vary and are determined based on the population served and the number of wells operated by a given supply. For surface water systems, susceptibility determinations in the most recent source water assessments influence award amounts. Applicants are ranked using a points-based evaluation outlined in the grant application. The application process is entirely electronic and managed through the Michigan Environmental Health and Drinking Water Information System (MiEHDWIS). Applicants must hold a MiLogin for Business and a MiEHDWIS account. The system guides applicants through creating a new activity, selecting their water supply entity, and completing the submission form. Applications must be submitted by June 15, and no late submissions or revisions are accepted. Required components include a completed application form and relevant documentation. The program contact is Jason Berndt, reachable at [email protected] or 517-203-9631. The program appears to follow an annual cycle based on the fixed June 15 deadline, with the next expected cycle likely opening in 2026. The Source Water Protection Unit within EGLE oversees implementation and can assist with eligibility or procedural questions. This grant provides critical support for local governments to proactively safeguard their drinking water resources.

Ensure timely submission through MiEHDWIS; align all activities with listed eligible uses.