Three Rivers will use $274K grant to identify city’s lead service lines

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Monday that more than $2 million in grants have been awarded as part of the MI Clean Water plan for 15 Michigan cities, villages, and townships across the state, including the City of Three Rivers.

Three Rivers was awarded $274,775 from the state’s Drinking Water Asset Management grant, which it intends to use to locate every lead service line within the city in preparation for the significant lead line replacement project it has ahead of it.

In a press release issued on Monday, Whitmer said these grants are just a part of the ongoing effort to ensure access to safe drinking water for all Michigan residents.

“We will continue making significant investments under the MI Clean Water Plan to replace lead service lines, tackle toxic contaminants including PFAs, and upgrading wastewater and stormwater management systems, all while creating thousands of good-paying jobs,” Whitmer said.

“Today’s grants will help communities across Michigan facing unique challenges maintain and improve their water systems. I am grateful for the ongoing partnerships between the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy and local communities to ensure that every Michigander has access to clean, safe drinking water.” 

Back in June, the Three Rivers City Commission adopted its 2021-22 FY budget and user fee ordinance update, including the city’s much discussed and publicly maligned water and sewer rate increases. Part of the increase can be attributed to what commissioners have previously called an “unfunded mandate” that will require all Michigan cities to replace their lead water lines over the course of the next few decades. Local infrastructure projects also factor into those aforementioned additional costs.

Commissioners had previously discussed the possibility of delaying some scheduled projects in order to lower those increases but eventually came to the conclusion that the projects were necessary to maintaining the city’s infrastructure.

This particular grant will not be used for the long term replacement project but City Manager Joe Bippus has said on more than one occasion that the city will continue to look for grants and other funding to reduce the burden on taxpayers.

Alek Haak-Frost is executive editor of Watershed Voice.