EGLE grants extension for DNR to develop safe drinking water source in Greenland Township

Michigan Department of Natural Resources Granted Extension for Water Access Site Compliance

GREENLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WLUC) – The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) has granted a one-year extension to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to comply with terms of a violation notice for a water access site located off of M-38 in Ontonagon County.

The water access site located along the Bill Nichols Rail-Trail has been used for decades for drinking water and other uses by locals and passersby and is connected to two households by piping.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Implications:

• Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
• Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

Previously, (EGLE) ordered that access to the well be closed in February. The DNR got an extension that gave them until Sept. 22 to verify the source. In July, DNR officers removed soil surrounding a pipe that was found to be a potential source of water for the well. The water main and piping were determined by EGLE to be unsuitable for continued use because of their aged, delicate and deteriorated condition.

SDGs Implications:

1. Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

The plan now of the DNR and local officials is to have a well-drilling company drill a new well closer to the homes and the trailside stop that could be developed as a safe drinking water source endorsed by EGLE.

“This will allow the Department of Natural Resources to work with the availability of the well driller and to account for the upcoming snow and frost seasons that will soon set in,” said Eric J. Oswald, director of EGLE’s Drinking Water and Environmental Health Division in a Sept. 25 letter to the DNR. “EGLE will continue to work with the DNR and Greenland Township to ensure this process moves forward and residents of the area are provided with a safe new water source.”

Greenland Township officials have expressed an interest in owning and maintaining the new water source when it is developed.

The DNR has worked with many partners over the past several months to successfully locate the source of the water, which was located about a half-mile away from the spigot, where a main accessed a suspected artesian water resource underground.

The DNR requested the extension from EGLE to find a schedule opening for an available well-driller and to avoid having to try to get the well drilled before the onset of winter.

DNR trail workers are also performing trail upgrades in the area that had previously been put on hold during the water source exploration. DNR officials continue to work with local officials, impacted residents, lawmakers, state agency partners and Lyme Great Lakes Timber, which owns property in the area.

SDGs Implications:

• Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
• Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

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SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

1. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

   • Target 6.1: By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.
   • Indicator 6.1.1: Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services.

2. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • Target 11.1: By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums.
   • Indicator 11.1.1: Proportion of urban population living in slums, informal settlements or inadequate housing.

Analysis

The article discusses the violation notice issued by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) regarding a water access site in Ontonagon County. The issues highlighted in the article are related to the provision of safe drinking water and the need for infrastructure upgrades.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The issues highlighted in the article are connected to SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation and SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article’s content, the specific targets that can be identified are:

• Target 6.1: Achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.
• Target 11.1: Ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article does not explicitly mention any indicators. However, the following indicators can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets:

• Indicator 6.1.1: Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services.
• Indicator 11.1.1: Proportion of urban population living in slums, informal settlements or inadequate housing.

Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

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Source: uppermichiganssource.com

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