State Rep. Bronna Kahle’s plan – part of a larger, bipartisan reform effort to address the safety and security of Michigan’s drinking water supply and recreational waterways – was approved this week by the House Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation Committee.

Kahle’s plan will set aside $3 million annually to fund a geological survey to track aquifers in Michigan.

In particular, the plan will direct funds to conduct geological surveys for areas having a priority need for geological data and areas identified as having soil or groundwater contamination.

Under the proposal, regions like southwestern Lenawee County could be positively impacted due to the location of the Michindoh Aquifer, which provides water for nine counties across Michigan, Indiana and Ohio.

“From the lakefront to the faucet and everywhere in between, everyone in Lenawee and across our state deserve to know that their water is safe to drink,” said Kahle, of Adrian. “People need to be able to trust that their government is being held accountable to manage public water resources well.

“This remains a top priority – I am committed to working to protect our families and neighbors by identifying sources of contamination, overseeing cleanup efforts, and finding long-term solutions to protect our water for generations to come.”

House Bill 4745, along with HBs 4742- 43 and 4746-50, now advance to Ways and Means for further review.