Groundwater Protection in Michigan

Ruth Kline-RobachMichigan State University

Department of Community SustainabilityInstitute of Water Research

GROUNDWATER PROTECTIONIN MICHIGAN

Ruth Kline-RobachMichigan State University

Department of Community SustainabilityInstitute of Water Research

A Look Back

Groundwater Protection in Michigan Timeline

1965

Groundwater Quality Control Act

1974/1976

Federal and State Safe Drinking Water Acts

1986

Wellhead Protection Program (Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments)

1987

Groundwater Education in Michigan (GEM) Program

1993

Michigan Groundwater Stewardship Program

1993

Milwaukee, WI cryptosporidium outbreak (surface water)

1996

Source Water Assessment Program (Safe Drinking Water Act

Amendments)

Groundwater Protection in Michigan Timeline

1998

Wellhead Protection Grants Program

2000

Walkerton, ON E. coli 0157:H7 groundwater contamination

2000s

SOM groundwater database updates/enhancements

(Wellkey to Wellogic)

2003

Groundwater Inventory and Mapping Project

2006

MIGWWP/MGMT Provisional WHPA delineations

2011

MAEAP Legislation

Nestle, Lake Erie HABs, Flint, Infrastructure, PFAS…

…

• Act 294 of 1965• Definitions

• Well• well drilling contractor• Pump• Pump installer

• Requirements for contractor registration • Requirement for well record submittal

Ground Water Quality Control

• Federal SDWA passed in 1974• SOM Act 399 of1976• Established minimum standards for

public water supplies, including⁻ Community⁻ Non-community⁻ Type III

Safe Drinking Water Act

Safe Drinking Water Act

Approach to Isolation

Sources categorized as “Standard” and “Major”• Standard or sanitary protection radius⁻ Includes (but not limited to) storm/sanitary sewers,

pipelines, septic tanks, drain fields, etc.⁻ Community – 200 feet⁻ Noncommunity - 75 feet

• Major or “existing/bad” potential contaminant sources⁻ Includes large scale waste disposal, land application of

wastewater & sludge, sanitary landfills, chemical waste and storage facilities

⁻ Community – 2000 feet⁻ Noncommunity - 800 feet

Modifications to Standard or Major isolations are allowed only with study of hydrogeological conditions

• Mandated by the 1986 Amendments to the federal Safe Drinking Water Act

• Michigan’s program was coordinated by the MDNR Office of Water Resources and Michigan Department of Public Health

• Local WHPP programs remained voluntary• Michigan’s program was approved by the EPA

in 1994• Required full hydrogeologic delineations of the

WHPA

Wellhead Protection Program

GW Flow-Based Delineation vs Fixed Radius

.5 mi radial circle

MI WHPA -Rockford

MI WHPA –Lake Bella

Vista

Groundwater Education in Michigan

(GEM) Program

• Initiated in 1987• Unique partnership between W.K.

Kellogg Foundation and Michigan State University

• Ten year, $21 million dollar grant program, funding more than 50 grants to 35 different organizations

• Groundwater education and local protection efforts

• GEM Regional Centers at Universities provided technical support

Groundwater flow models produced by WMU Regional

GEM Center

Groundwater Education in Michigan

(GEM) Program

• GEMNET electronic communications system

• Support for SOM Wellkey Program (digitizing well record locations)

• Wellhead Protection Program support from TCRPC, HRWC, CRWC, GEM Regional Centers

Early Wellhead Protection Programs in MICommunity Lead Agency Approval

DateNo. Wells/Population Characteristics

Village of Oxford Clinton River Watershed Council GEM Grant

1994 3 wells, Pop. 3,000 EPA Pilot project. More than 90% of WHPA lies in Oxford Twp.

Village of Elkton Village of Elkton (with assistance from UM-Flint GEM Center)

1997 4 wells, 1,000 ppl. Pilot project with EPA funding. MRWA encouraged resolution development with city council. Completed in conjunction with Village of Pigeon

City of Coldwater Coldwater Board of Public Utilities (with consultant)

1994 4 wells, 9,600 pple. WHPA is mostly industrial and commercial. State and National AWWA awards.

Village of Pinckney Huron River Watershed Council

1997 2 wells, pop. 1,700 Groundwater contamination of residential wells prompted the development of the WHPP.

Michigan Groundwater

Stewardship Program

• Established by the Michigan Groundwater and Freshwater Protection Act of 1993

• Funded with fees on the sales of pesticides and Nitrogen fertilizers

• Partnership between MDA, MSU Extension, local conservation districts and federal AmericorpsProgram

• Provided training, technical assistance and cost share to agricultural community and urban dwellers

• Used Extension Farmstead and HomesteadRisk Assessment Tools

• Transitioned to MI AgricultureEnvironmental Stewardship Program(MAEAP) in 2011

Source Water Assessment Program

1996 Amendments to the federal SDWA:

• Identify areas that supply public tap water

• Inventory contaminants and assess water susceptibility to contamination

• Inform the public of the results (Consumer Confidence Reports)

Water Source Assessment Methods Partners with EGLE (MDEQ)

Inland lakes and streams

Local utility records; USGS and SWQD monitoring data

USGS

Great Lakes Utility monitoring and monitoring data; Great Lakes Protocol with neighboring states

Utilities

Noncommunity Groundwater

Well record review, potential contaminant source ID, chemistry data, GPS, scoring system

Local and District Health Departments; GEM Regional Centers

Community Groundwater

Wellhead Protection Program’s 7 elements

Local water supplies, consultants

Karst Groundwater Site-specific assessments USGS

Michigan’s Approach to Source Water Assessments

Other Important Dates

1993 – Milwaukee, WI CryptosporidiumOutbreak (affected >400,000 people, with as many as 100 deaths)

1998 – Wellhead Protection Grants Program Established (now SWP Grants)

2000 – Walkerton, ON groundwater contamination (E. coli 0157:H7)(affected 2,000 people, with six deaths)

2000: Transitioned from Wellkey to Wellogic

~600,000 Well Records

2003 -Michigan Groundwater Inventory and Mapping Project

Partnership with MDEQ, USGS, MSU

2006MIGWWP/Michigan Groundwater Management Tool (MGMT)• Provide provisional

WHPAs to community and noncommunitypublic water supplies

• Partnership with MDEQ, MSU

It’s time to go backto the basics:

People are worried about their

drinking waterCommunity Supplies –both surface and groundwater

NoncommunitySupplies

Private well owners

• Have a robust Source Water Protection Program in place

• Education: help people understand the source of their drinking water, relative risk, and how they can play a role in drinking water protection.

Successful source water protection programs depend upon strategic partnerships

among federal and state agencies, Universities, local

and district health departments, watershed

groups, conservation districts, and others.

What Have We Learned?

Qualities of Successful SWP Programs

Diverse, active and evolving teams

Strong internal and external relationships

External facilitators who play a supporting role

Local government support and involvement

Diverse management strategies

Ongoing outreach and education activities

Ruth Kline-RobachMichigan State University

kliner@msu.edu