James Windell
The Standpipe on Blue Star Highway, a water storage tank that was built more than 100 years ago, is literally falling apart and must be replaced with a new water storage tower. A new water pump station is required, water mains need updating, and approximately 2,100 lead service lines have to be replaced by new pipes.
All of this is necessary if the residents of South Haven are to continue to have high quality water flowing from their faucets.
Fortunately, the South Haven Area Water Sewer Authority (SHAWSA) has secured $42 million in grants and loans for a capital improvement program for upgrades to the city’s water and wastewater system.
On Monday, September 30, a groundbreaking ceremony was held at the South Haven Public Works complex at 1199 8th Avenue to mark the beginning of the project that will take several years to complete. The water storage tank, which will replace the Standpipe storage facility, will be built on 8th Avenue near the Department of Public Works building.
Among those who attended and spoke to the audience at groundbreaking was the South Haven City Manager Kate Hosier. In her remarks she said that the new water storage tank will hold one million gallons of water and “It will enhance our ability to deliver clean water to South Haven residents.”
Phil Roos, Director of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes & Energy, noted that the groundbreaking was a celebration of a historic and transformative moment for South Haven. “We all know how precious our resource of water is, but we all know to maintain it and protect it requires vigilance, investment and long-term planning,” Roos said. “The money is available now and we have to make sure we repair and replace our aging water systems and upgrade them to the twenty-first century.”
Roos went on to point out that it is not only about safeguarding public health, but it is also about creating jobs. “For every dollar invested in these kinds of projects, fifteen jobs are created and six dollars in economic activity is generated.”
Roos said that the money to bring about the new water tower and the rest of the project will be funded by $9.1 million from an American Rescue Plan Act grant, a U.S. Department of Agriculture low-interest loan, $5.7 million in grant funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law through EGLE’s State Revolving Fund program, a $10.1 million loan from USDA Rural Development, and a $1.5 million grant from the state of Michigan’s High Water Infrastructure Grant Program. That, he said, requires collaboration to bring all the pieces together. “Partnership is so important, and the Water Authority was able to work with all the players to obtain all the state and federal grants. This is something you can’t achieve on your own; it takes collaboration.”
The USDA Rural Development State Director for Michigan, Brandon Fewins also said it was about collaboration. “You can have all the money in the world, but it won’t make a difference unless you have that collaboration. It starts with local community leaders who have a vision. And with that vision they know where to take their city and then be willing to put in the hard work to bring it to fruition. That’s what we have here. We know the work is not done; it’s just beginning. But South Haven has done on incredible job to get to this point.”
South Haven Area Water Sewer Authority Public Works Director Dana Burd in a recent press release said that “The new elevated tank is just one of many exciting developments in the near future that displays our commitment to rebuilding our infrastructure and creating access to safe, clean drinking water and reliable wastewater services for our residents, businesses and visitors.”
Work on the construction of the water tower, which will replace the decrepit Standpipe will begin this fall.
