MARQUETTE — In the Michigan Senate, Sen. Sam Singh has introduced legislation to address Michigan’s persistent, underfunded water infrastructure needs and support safe, affordable drinking water for all Michigan residents.

The Michigan Water Trust Fund Act (SB 950 & 951) would raise approximately $300 million annually by imposing a 25-cent per gallon royalty to be paid by bottled water companies that extract and sell Michigan’s public water resources.

“We live in the heart of the world’s largest freshwater system, and yet too many of our neighbors are without clean, safe, affordable water,” said Singh. “And widespread flooding last month exposed the perilous condition of many of our dams, bridges, and stormwater systems. Michigan’s water infrastructure needs are serious, urgent, and underfunded. This legislation creates a durable, equitable mechanism to support infrastructure improvements throughout the state, without raising taxes or water rates.”

The legislation also ensures that the waters of the Great Lakes and their tributary rivers and streams remain in the public domain, and defines the “waters of the state” broadly to include groundwater, in recognition that all waters are part of the interconnected hydrologic cycle.

The fund is modeled after Michigan’s successful Natural Resources Trust Fund. Established 50 years ago, the NRTF has directed more than $1 billion in revenues from oil and gas drilling on state land to acquire public parks and recreational land across every county in the state.

Polling conducted by Lake Research Partners indicates that 71 percent of Michiganders would support companies paying a royalty on Michigan water bottled for commercial sale.