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 The DEQ has primary enforcement authority in Michigan for the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act under the legislative authority of the Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act. As such, the division has regulatory oversight for all public water supplies, including approximately 1,500 community water supplies and 11,000 noncommunity water supplies. In addition the program regulates drinking water well drilling. Michigan has more households (1.12 million) served by private wells than any other state, with approximately 25,000 domestic wells drilled per year. The DEQ also investigates drinking water well contamination, and oversees remedial activities at sites of groundwater contamination affecting drinking water wells.
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Abandoned Water Wells |
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Click here for: Unplugged abandoned wells can threaten the quality of drinking water from both private wells and those servicing public water supply systems. It is estimated that over 1 million unplugged wells exist in Michigan. |
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Community Water Supply |
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Click here for: Community Water Supply oversees the primary EPA program that sets forth minimum standards for safe drinking water as well as administering the requirements of Michigan's Safe Drinking Water Act. This program includes approximately 1,480 communities water supply. The program's primary function is regulatory oversight of community public water supplies. |
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Contamination Investigation |
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Click here for: The Contamination Investigation Unit assists local health departments in conducting drinking water quality investigations in areas of known or suspected environmental contamination. The Unit members provide assistance by advising local health department staff, and others conducting groundwater quality investigations, in the selection of drinking water locations sampled, types of analyses needed to be performed, and scheduling of the Department of Environmental Quality Water Lab analysis. |
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Noncommunity Water Supply |
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Click here for: The Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act (Act 399) was enacted in 1976 and enables the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to maintain primacy (state authority) over the drinking water program in our state. The DEQ contracts with local health departments to maintain a Type II noncommunity program in each county. Noncommunity Program Staff at DEQ support this local effort through training, technical support, and program evaluation. |
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Source Water Assessment |
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Click here for: The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) is completing a Source Water Assessment Program as required by the 1996 reauthorization of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). |
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Water Wellhead Protection |
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Click here for: This program assists local communities utilizing groundwater for their municipal drinking water supply systems in protecting their water source. A WHPP minimizes the potential for contamination by identifying and protecting the area that contributes water to municipal water supply wells and avoids costly groundwater clean-ups. |
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Water Well Construction |
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Click here for: Protection of ground water resources and aquifers is accomplished by assuring that water wells are constructed, operated, and decommissioned in a technically sound manner. The unit encourages development of ground water resources and strives to nurture a sustainable well drilling industry through reasonable and uniform statewide enforcement of code requirements. |
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