Michigan Laws and Regulations

• Michigan's Water Well Construction Program
• Part 127 Administrative Rules
• Part 127 of Act 368 of 1978 (Statute)
• Safe Drinking Water Act 399
• Safe Drinking Water Rules- Supplying Water to the Public
• Water Use Program

MDHHS Environmental Health Bureau

The MDHHS Environmental Health Bureau (EHB) is a team that serves to promote and protect the health of the people of Michigan. EHB aims to make sure state residents, especially those who are most at risk, are aware that they can take action to avoid environmental, chemical, and physical hazards. EHB takes actions to protect public health as it relates to drinking water in the following ways:

• Collect public water and private well water samples to test for contaminants.
• Provide information on health problems linked to contaminants found in drinking water.
• Determine the level of risk to health due to contaminants in drinking water.
• Provide resources and education on contaminants in drinking water and best practices to prevent and reduce exposure.
• Assist the local community when concerned about drinking water quality and health.

The Environmental Health Bureau offers free water testing and other environmental sampling services to Michigan residents when necessary to address environmental health concerns. This includes:

• Emergency Response sampling efforts for a broad range of contaminants.
• Lead and Copper Sampling
• Support to Action Level Exceedance communities as determined through the Lead and Copper Rule (Click here to learn if your water supply is under an ALE. If you have concerns about lead in your home, learn about lead abatement services that may be available to you at michigan.gov/mileadsafe).
• School testing (funded through grants associated with the WIIN Act)
• PFAS Sampling (as part of the PFOMS and MiPEHS programs).

If your home qualifies for these testing services, you will be directly contacted.

MI Drinking Water and Health Promotion Program  

MDHHS-EHB serves to promote and protect the health of Michiganders by educating residents about potential hazards and promoting actions that can be taken to reduce potential risks to health. To address concerns in our state, the MI Drinking Water and Health Promotion Program was developed to increase Michiganders’ knowledge and awareness of how drinking water may impact health and actions to reduce and prevent exposures. The program aims to address the needs of Michigan residents through education, engagement, and outreach.

The goal of the MI Drinking Water and Health Promotion Program is to help Michiganders stay informed about their drinking water quality and what role we all play in protecting it. Products we share will contain science-based, up-to-date information about how harmful substances in drinking water can affect health. We will provide Michiganders with resources to help them better understand their likelihood of exposure to contaminants and empower them to make informed decisions to protect themselves and their family!

To ensure valuable, useful resources and opportunities our residents and communities, the program has been developed with these areas in mind:

Needs Assessment & Evaluation: A needs assessment is being completed to reveal the specific needs of Michigan residents and help us design an impactful program.

Community Engagement: To inform, consult, collaborate, and sustain. We will develop relationships with community groups and organizations to elevate our messages.

Health Education & Communication: To develop educational programming that prioritizes health literacy, accessibility, and cultural competency.

Outreach: To meet people where they are and offer awareness, information, and the opportunity to learn.

Michigan Local Public Health Departments

Your local health department can help you with questions and concerns you may have about your public water supply or private residential well. Your local health department is a great resource, and they are most familiar with your community. Find your community’s local health department.

Here are just some of the actions local health departments may be able to provide for drinking water:

• Issue well construction permits.
• Inspect newly constructed wells.
• Offer private residential well water testing for contaminants.
• Offer help identifying contaminants in groundwater.
• Identify if any nearby facilities may be contaminating or have the potential to contaminate the groundwater.
• Regulate non-community public water supplies.
• Issue advisories on non-community public water (boil water advisories, do not drink advisories).

Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy

The Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)’s mission “is to protect Michigan’s environment and public health by managing air, water, land, and energy resources.”

For drinking water, EGLE oversees Michigan’s public water supplies to ensure safe drinking water through: 

• Source water protection.
• Operator certification and training.
• Water well construction and registration of water well drilling contractors.

EGLE also:

• Assists local health departments in conducting drinking water quality investigations.
• Approves and licenses domestic septage and provides oversight of the on−site wastewater program.  
• Approves and licenses campgrounds and public swimming pools.