HOUSE BILL 4009 - Regional Water Quality Authority Act

• Establishes the "Regional Water Quality Authority Act" enabling the creation of regional water and sewer authorities to manage interconnected water supply and sewerage systems serving more than 20% of Michigan's population.

• Creates a two-tier governance structure consisting of a Board of Directors (with representatives from each county, city, village, and township in the service area) and a smaller Executive Committee (including the mayor of a qualified city, representatives from qualified counties with 500,000+ population, and five elected board members).

• Grants authorities broad powers including acquiring and operating water/wastewater systems, establishing rates and fees, issuing bonds (up to 50-year terms), contracting with governments and private entities, and using eminent domain following state condemnation procedures.

• Allows local units of government to retain ownership of their municipal water distribution and sewage collection systems while transferring operational control to the authority, with the authority unable to assume existing bonded indebtedness unless ownership is transferred.

• Requires authorities to finance operations through rates, charges, special assessments, grants, loans, and bond proceeds rather than tax levies, and mandates public meetings, records availability, and annual financial reporting in compliance with Michigan's open meetings and freedom of information laws.