The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is providing $80 million in loans to fund municipal water and sewer projects to improve water quality and protect public health. The Governor’s 21st Century Infrastructure Commission has reported that there is an $800 million annual gap in funding water-related infrastructure needs. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SRF) helps narrow that gap by providing low‑interest loan financing for necessary wastewater and stormwater improvements. Established in 1988, the SRF has provided low-interest loans totaling $4.85 billion.

The projects receiving assistance are:

• Great Lakes Water Authority – $17.5 million for rehabilitation of prioritized sections of the aged 12-mile-long Detroit River Interceptor from Alter Road to the Water Resource Recovery Facility, formerly known as the Wastewater Treatment Plant.
• Great Lakes Water Authority – $16.3 million for rehabilitation of the Central Offload Facility at the Water Resource Recovery Facility.
• Huron River Green Infrastructure Drainage District – $415,000 with $50,000 in principal forgiveness funds for street tree planting to reduce nonpoint source pollution and help the Middle Huron River watershed meet its total maximum daily load restriction for phosphorus, total suspended solids and bacterial contamination.
• Monroe County (on behalf of Bedford Township) – $12 million for upgrades and repairs at the Bedford Township Wastewater Treatment Plant, Smith and Lewis Pump Station, Smith and Douglas Pump Station and Monroe Road Pump Station. This is the first of two loans for this two-segment project.
• Monroe County (on behalf of the village of South Rockwood) – $1.5 million for rehabilitation of sewers by lining (approximately 9,450 feet) and replacement of two pump stations at Edwards/Glidersleeve Roads and South Huron Drive at Labo Park.
• City of Saline – $4.2 million with $300,000 in principal forgiveness for odor control improvements, pump replacement and the installation of a generator at the Sauk Trail pump station.

The Drinking Water Revolving Fund (DWRF), which provides low-interest loan financing for public drinking water facility improvements, is also providing assistance to communities. Established in 1997, the DWRF has provided low-interest loans totaling $980 million.

The projects receiving assistance are:

• City of Highland Park – $6 million with $1.4 million in principal forgiveness funds for replacement of existing water main and installation of new water main looping along with the necessary appurtenances for the drinking water system to address substantial water loss and for cross contamination risk as well as stagnant water.
• Village of Lake Orion – $6 million for replacement of existing 4, 6 and 8‑inch water mains with new 8‑inch high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe. The project has two phases. Phase one will replace 15,815 feet of pipe in 2018 with the remaining10,118 feet of pipe to be replaced in 2019.
• City of St. Joseph – $16.1 million for extensive capital improvements at the water treatment plant and replacement of deteriorated water main along Wallace Avenue and Stadium Drive to increase reliability, flows and pumping efficiencies as well as to enhance the quality and protection of the drinking water supply.

A portion of SRF and DWRF is provided by the United States Environmental Protection Agency through capitalization grants.

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