By MARK ZIENTEK and JOHN ZIENTEK
Every home or business owner who wants to keep his or her water well needs to know about House Bill 5319, introduced by Rep. Dan Scripps, D-Leland. The bill would strip private water rights from Michigan property owners and place them in the "public trust."
This is the state stealing personal property from their owners without compensation. Politicians in Lansing would like everyone to believe HB 5319 is necessary to protect Michigan waters, but nothing could be further from the truth.
As registered water well drillers, we can assure you that Michigan has some of the strongest water protection laws, regulations and local ordinances in the nation. Our family-owned company has proudly spent two generations providing safe drinking water to Michigan homeowners and businesses.
We regularly close and plug old abandoned wells under strict standards to protect water sources from contamination. We do this in a system that is designed to protect human health and the private property rights of the landowners. A landowner's right to the reasonable use of water from their own property has historically received the highest protection by state law and the courts.
Rep. Scripps is attempting to quietly, and without landowner compensation, strip away these important property rights and place them in the "public trust."
As Lt. Gov. John Cherry wrote, "Water technologies represent a $500 billion global market and that market is expected to grow to $1 trillion by 2020. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation has identified water technology as one of the targeted high-growth sectors, along with biofuel, wind and advanced battery in which Michigan is well-positioned for economic leadership." *
Cherry had just returned from a Middle East trade mission seeking overseas investment in Michigan to start water technology pilot projects in Michigan. Michigan needs new jobs, but not at the cost of existing businesses and homeowners.
Everyone should know who will own their drinking water, as this small bill is likely to pass quickly and quietly if pushed. Legislators will be quick to vote to totally control this resource so they can sell it back to the public, the original owners of the property. This bill has far-reaching implications for all citizens and industries in Michigan, including agriculture, industry, food processing, fish farms and recreation, to name a few.
Our family business provides privately-owned safe well systems for the people to use water from the land they own. Our thousands of customers do not rely on government or pay the government for their drinking water. The right to develop and reasonably use water is critical to growth and commerce throughout Michigan.
We urge everyone to contact your representatives to oppose this legislation. If passed, it will be a law that will give the state sole ownership and control of Michigan's groundwater. Write your legislator to oppose this bill and do your part to help preserve yet another of our shrinking rights. Or you could just wait for your first water bill from the State of Michigan.
* http://www.michigan.gov/ltgov/0,1607,7-169-22255-213434-,00.html
Related Item: Forum: Preserve water, protect rights
About the authors: Mark and John Zientek are second-generation registered well drillers and owners of B & Z Well Drilling Co. of Maple City, which has been in operation for 32 years.
About the forum: The forum is a periodic column of opinion written by Record-Eagle readers in their areas of interest or expertise. Submissions of 500 words or less may be made by e-mailing letters@record-eagle.com. Please include biographical information and a photo.
