HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2016.04.21 - 22317MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION #16102
BY: Commissioner Christine Long, District #7 and Commissioner Dave Woodward, District #19;
IN RE: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS - SUPPORT FOR WATER TESTING AND ANALYSIS OF
MICHIGAN PUBLIC AND NONPUBLIC SCHOOLS
To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
WHEREAS Michigan is known as the "Great Lake State" and with that comes a responsibility to ensure
safe, clean and healthy water resources; and
WHEREAS the Safe Drinking Water Act (SOWA) was enacted to govern all United States public drinking
water systems and required the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set standards for drinking
water quality and oversee all states, localities, and water suppliers who implement the standards; and
WHEREAS the quality standards for public drinking water systems are measures for water entering the
public water supply for distribution up to the point of entry into individual homes, schools, and businesses;
and
WHEREAS in 1991, the Environmental Protection Agency set in place a Lead and Copper Rule that
requires all public drinking water systems to be tested regularly by taking a sample set from high-risk
homes for lead at a customer's drinking water tap; and
WHEREAS the State of Michigan has status for the SOWA in Michigan which provides for state oversight
for compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act and Michigan Rules that must be at least as stringent;
and
WHEREAS residents have experienced the results of contaminated public drinking water distributed to
their homes and other public places enduring the harmful results it brought to their children and families;
and
WHEREAS to prevent future contamination, we must ensure that measures are put in place to prevent
this from happening once again to the public water supply in our homes, schools, and businesses; and
WHEREAS testing and analysis of water systems must extend beyond current requirements and include
Michigan public and nonpublic schools; and
WHEREAS there is concern that schools and other public places are not being tested and analyzed for
contaminants brought in through the public water supply; and
WHEREAS enactment of expanded legislation would require adequate testing of the drinking water in
Michigan public and nonpublic schools on an annual basis; and
WHEREAS the water would be tested each year as required for copper and lead levels to ensure the
drinking water does not exceed certain levels with results being reported to the Department of
Environmental Quality (DEQ) along with public and nonpublic schools; and
WHEREAS the proposed formation of the Safe Schools Drinking Water Task Force would allow for the
review of the DEQ's water sampling and analysis protocols and to provide recommended changes that
would be productive to public health and safety; and
WHEREAS the establishment of the strategic water quality initiatives fund within the state treasury would
provide the funding to conduct the annual water sampling and analysis of public water suppliers; and
WHEREAS these are reasonable measures to ensure proper oversight and accountability as well as
preventable water contamination emergencies within the State of Michigan; and
WHEREAS Michigan residents need to be confident that their drinking water is safe, clean and healthy,
especially for their children.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby support
expanding regulations to provide and ensure adequate testing of the drinking water in Michigan public
and nonpublic schools for safe and healthy drinking water for the children, families and residents of
Michigan.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds is directed to submit a
copy of this resolution to the Board's legislative lobbyists, the Office of the Governor, Senate Majority
Leader, Senate Minority Leader, Speaker of the House, House Minority Leader and the Oakland County
delegation to the Michigan Legislature.
Chairperson, we move the adoption of the foregoing Resolution.
Commissioner Christine Long Commissioner Dave Woodward
District #7 District #19
1164,zi-J(/c-4
Commissioner
District #
_\
Co ssioner
District # 6
'YIA-eL4t-c,4
Commissioner
Distrjft# 1 c)
Commissioneu
District #
Cbrrimissioneri
District #0
missioner
District #3
mssioner
District # re-
Commissioner
k(IncoG (n
District #
Commissioner__
Dis
"ommission
District #
Commissioner
clot #
Commissioner
District #
Commissioner
District#
ommissioner
District
Commissioner
District # 6
Commissioner
District #
Commissioner
District #
Commissioner
District #
Commissioner
District #
Commissioner
District #
Commissioner
District #
Commissioner
District #
Commissioner
District #
Resolution#16102 April 21, 2016
The Chairperson referred the resolution to the General Government Committee. There were no
objections.