MATTAWAN – The Mattawan Consolidated Scholl District has been awarded approximate-ly $180,000 in grant monies through the Filter First program. The FFP in Michigan is designed to ensure clean and safe drinking water for children in schools and childcare centers. Managed by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), this initiative focuses on reducing children’s exposure to contaminants like lead in drinking water.
The program provides grants to schools and childcare facilities for installing filtered bot-tle-filling stations, water coolers, and point-of-use faucet filters. It also covers some maintenance and water testing costs. Schools are required to develop Drinking Water Management Plans (DWMPs) by January 2025 and must have approved filters installed on all drinking water sources by the end of the 2025–2026 school year. This initiative complies with Michigan’s Clean Drinking Water Access Act (Public Act 154), which mandates these improvements but operates separately from the Safe Drinking Water Act.
The schedule of projects is under review.
Mattawan Consolidated School Superintendent Randy Fleenor expressed the district’s thanks to Brian Cornish, Mattawan Consolidated School District Director of Facilities, and Pam Stermer, CFO, who secured the funds.
Saturday, December 21, 2024
