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At its Thursday meeting, the Lapeer County Board of Commissioners pledged $5,000 to become a part of a multi-municipal authority to study the planning, engineering and financial feasibility of bringing in Lake Huron water via a connection and pipeline from Port Huron in St. Clair County. A role-call vote is expected to be taken at the next Thursday meeting.

Genesee, Oakland and Macomb counties formed the authority to bypass their current supplier, Detroit Water, which is constantly raising rates, said Genesee County Drain Commissioner Jeff Wright.

The plan would bring raw, or untreated water into each member of the authority and it would be up to each community to build or not construct a treatment plant. There could be one centralized one in each county, or smaller ones established in different areas, said Wright.

"Each community can control their own destiny," said Genesee County Waste and Water Service Director John O'Brien. "They can control the price and sell it to their own customers."

Using Imlay City's one million gallons a day as an example, Wright said he estimates that city would pay about $500,000 for a facility to treat their water.

The raw water would be a large asset to agricultural interests in Lapeer County because farm lands can't be irrigated with treated water, said Wright.

Elba Township Supervisor John Kosiara, Imlay City Manager Amy Planck, and Lapeer County Drain Commissioner John Cosens attended the meeting in support of the plan.

"Michigan is blessed with water that other communities have their eyes on," Cosens said. "This is looking toward the future."

Wright said newer legislation, that was changed before it became law, made it difficult for even Michigan communities to tap the Great Lakes.

"If you don't have a water connection, you may not be able to get one," Wright said. "Water will become the next oil."

Commission chairman Dave Taylor said other states are eyeing Michigan's largest resource, and politicians have suggested we should share it with other states and even other countries.

In response to a question from Commissioner Dyle Henning, Wright said the City of Flint is spending $50,000 on the study. Genesee County is paying $125,000 and he is asking Macomb and Oakland counties to do the same.

Detroit's system is aging, in need of repair and there are already plans to replace pipes, said Wright.

"Either they will lay the pipe, or we will," Wright said. "We can do construction a lot cheaper than they can."

Susan Younger may be reached at (810) 664-0811, Ext. 8122 or susan.younger@lapeergroup.com.