East Lansing, Meridian Township to receive $2M grant for cleaner water

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - The East Lansing Meridian Water & Sewer Authority is in its fourth year of a five-year plan to upgrade its water main and filtration system. The entire project will cost $9.1 million, but the newest grant will benefit both communities and their environment.

“The $2 million infrastructure grant is a part of a larger funding for a project,” said Clyde Dugan, with East Lansing Meridian Water & Sewer Authority.

Dugan said the filtration plant softens groundwater using filters. After those filters go through the process to purify the contaminated water, they have to be cleaned before they are reused. This process can leave behind contaminated water that is put into a lagoon.

“Since the plant was built in the early 1970s, that backwash water has gone to an open lagoon and it is subject to environmental contaminants,” Dugan said.

Plants and animals surrounding the lagoon could be harmed by the contaminated water. Nick Wright, who lives with his family in East Lansing, said he is proud of how the city and state have worked together to reverse their environmental impacts.

“If this actually reverses those and increases the chance to reduce contamination, and also reduce environmental impacts that not only impact us, but nature in general, then that would be a very good thing,” Wright said.

The project is set to finish in Summer 2023.

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