The Department of Environmental Quality has announced 24 new loan commitments from the state's revolving fund programs. The State Revolving Fund and Strategic Water Quality Initiatives Fund provide low-interest financing for local units of government to make needed improvements to wastewater collection and treatment facilities, while assistance from the Drinking Water Revolving Fund finances improvements to public drinking water systems. The loans announced today total $338,095,000.

"We continue to take huge strides in protecting and enhancing Michigan's irreplaceable water resources," said DEQ Director Steven E. Chester. "While funding needed infrastructure improvements, these loans stimulate construction activity and represent a real investment in Michigan's environmental and economic future."

The funded SRF loan projects announced today include:

- $7,685,000 for the George W. Kuhn Drainage District in Oakland
  County for the rehabilitation of the flushing system in the retention
  treatment facility.

- $21,160,000 for the city of Inkster for construction of a facility to retain
  and treat combined sewer overflows to the Lower Rouge River.

- $11,740,000 for the city of Chelsea for the expansion their existing
  wastewater treatment plant.

- $7,700,000 for the city of Allegan for construction of wastewater
  treatment plant upgrades.

- $395,000 for the West Iron County Sewer Authority for construction of
  wastewater treatment plant upgrades.

- $32,095,000 to Wayne County for continuing improvements at its
  Downriver Wastewater Treatment Facility in the city of Wyandotte.

- $34,115,000 for Leoni Township to construct a new wastewater
  treatment plant utilizing a Membrane Bioreactor filtration system.

- $3,815,000 to the city of St Ignace for upgrades to the wastewater
  treatment plant, a new lift station, and replacement and rehabilitation
  of force mains.

- $2,780,000 for Jackson County, on behalf of the village of Parma, to
  re-line two leaking wastewater treatment lagoons, remove sludge, and
  replace an outfall sewer.

- $4,025,000 to the 8 1/2 Mile Relief Drain Drainage District for
  improvements needed at the Chapaton Retention Treatment Basin in
  St. Clair Shores.

- $5,505,000 for the city of Sturgis for construction of interceptor and lift
  station improvements.

- $161,000,000 to the city of Detroit for partial funding of a tunnel from
  Eliza Howell Park to Rouge Park as part of the Upper Rouge Tunnel
  project.

- $9,000,000 to the Monroe County Drain Commissioner for improvements
  to the Monroe Metropolitan Water Pollution Control System Wastewater
  Treatment Plant.

- $16,790,000 for Muskegon County to replace a defective force main pipe
  in Muskegon to the county's Metro Wastewater Treatment Facility in
  Egelston Township.

These commitments bring SRF financing awarded to Michigan communities to date to over $3.1 billion.

The following DWRF loan projects were also announced today:

- $1,580,000 for the village of Milford to replace aging equipment and extend
  service to provide treated water to Milford residents currently served by
  private wells that are contaminated by, or threatened with contamination
  from an abandoned landfill.

- $1,340,000 to the village of Ravenna for a new drinking water treatment
  plant, a new well, and pump replacements in two existing wells.

- $5,570,000 for Wexford County for a new public drinking water supply and
  distribution system to serve the residents of Cedar Creek Township.

- $3,270,000 for the city of St. Joseph to construct a 1.5-million-gallon
  elevated storage tank.

- $6,500,000 to the city of Detroit for replacement of approximately 33,000
  linear feet of water main in six different areas.

- $530,000 for village of Stockbridge to install a new water main and
  generator along with associated electrical modifications to the treatment
  building.

- $1,500,000 for the city of Flushing to replace over a mile of water main.

The improvements financed by these loans will help ensure compliance with the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act and protect the public health of system users. Since the inception of Michigan's DWRF program in 1998, over $527 million in assistance has been tendered.

Editor's note: DEQ news releases are available on the department's Internet home page at www.michigan.gov/deq.

"Protecting Michigan's Environment, Ensuring Michigan's Future"

Revised October 3, 2008 by Pat Watson