MUSKEGON HEIGHTS, Mich. — A grant from the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) is sending millions of dollars to Muskegon Heights to upgrade the city’s drinking and wastewater infrastructure. Just last year, the city received funding for the water system upgrades.
“Everybody wants clean safe drinking water and that’s just what this grant will be able to provide,” Muskegon Heights interim city manager Melvin Burns said.
Burns says some of the city’s water system is as old as 90 years old. Making repairs and upgrades to provide the safest and cleanest water for residents is long overdue project and will take several years to complete the project in its entirety.
“We’ll be able to replace hundreds of lead supply lines or lead lines that have led joints and which there's quite a few here in West Michigan and quite a few here in Muskegon Heights. We're pleased to be able to do that, again, at no cost to the residents,” Burns said.
Just last year, EGLE found the city to be in violation of the Safe Water Drinking Act—citing defects in the water system’s design, operation and maintenance. Tuesday, Burns says the water is safe and upgrading the water system will help even more.
“What’s important is it does require us to go into each individual home so we're doing another section of the city now. People are contacted by a company called SWT and they have to come in and make some connections in the home as well. Everything from the home to the street we're doing. In some cases, we'll have to tear up sidewalks, lawns and some water sprinklers, but we’ll replace all of that,” Burns said.
State representative Will Snyder (D) says the investment in Muskegon Heights the state is providing is great for the people who call Muskegon Heights home.
“This is just another great win for the Muskegon Heights community. I think in the last 14 months since January of 2023, the state investment for Muskegon Heights is now over $70 million,” Snyder said.
If you get a letter in the mail from the City of Muskegon Heights, Burns says don’t be alarmed – it’s not a bill, but a letter reminding residents of the water system project will require people to come into their homes.
“We'll send letters out or they'll put door hangers on the doorway from the city. It's not necessarily about shutting off those things, but we have to schedule a date to get into the home to make the changes and we don't want to hold the project up,” Burns said.
The project will be ongoing and the city hopes to replace hundreds of water pipes over the next few years.
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