LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – Two U.P. water treatment systems will be receiving funds to update facilities, increase efficiency, and water safety. The Bessemer Sewer Authority and the Gogebic-Iron Wastewater Authority have been granted state and federal funds to help with upgrades.
Three different federal and state programs have awarded grants and loans to facilities in Michigan that haven’t seen updates in decades. Hugh McDiarmid is the Communications Manager with the Department of Environment Great Lakes and Energy. He said the funds are dedicated to helping communities upgrade water infrastructure which has started to raise concerns.
“in Michigan and across the country, we’ve neglected our water infrastructure and that’s both on the drinking water side and on the wastewater side,” McDiarmid said. “We have in Michigan, the nation’s strongest lead and copper rule.”
The city of Bessemer will receive over half a million dollars of federal funds from the American Rescue Plan, and $254,000 from Michigan’s Drinking Water State revolving fund. The City of Bessemer has a system that serves 1800 residents with drinking water. They completed an asset management plan in 2018 that plan helped the city determine the use for the funds, which will go to replace portions of the water main, as well as repair vents and roofs on its facilities, and 75 led service lines.
The Bessemer sewer authority will also be receiving 2 million dollars to connect resort and condo buildings on the Black River Basin to a new sewer system that will replace the current septic system.
The Gogebic-Iron Wastewater Authority will be receiving 20 million dollars in total, 12 million from Michigan’s Clean Water revolving fund. The Gogebic-Iron Wastewater Authority has more than 9000 customers. Over the last 30 years, they’ve had real minimal upgrades to their systems. The current system discharges water into the Montreal River which leads to Lake Superior. McDirmind says the funds will upgrade the facility to a class a biosystem treatment process, to protect the nearby waterways.
Since 2019, Michigan has invested over 4 billion dollars to assist treatment plants with upgrades with the goal of ensuring the safety of the state’s water.
