Water supply: conservation; permit for water used for consumptive use purposes; provide for. Amends secs. 32705, 32708a, 32713 & 32723 of 1994 PA 451 (MCL 324.32705 et seq.) & adds sec. 32723a.
Key claim: SB1046 would amend Michigan’s water conservation law (Part 327 of NREPA) to require permits for water withdrawn for consumptive use purposes, adding a new section 32723a to the existing framework.
Abstract
(SB1046 · 103rd Legislature) Water supply: conservation; permit for water used for consumptive use purposes; provide for. Amends secs. 32705, 32708a, 32713 & 32723 of 1994 PA 451 (MCL 324.32705 et seq.) & adds sec. 32723a. Latest action (2026-06-24): Senate Co-sponsor(s) Named: Sean Mccann
Why this matters
If enacted, SB1046 would establish a new permit requirement for consumptive water uses under Michigan’s Part 327 framework — a meaningful expansion beyond the current registration-and-assessment regime. Large water users (agriculture, bottling, industrial, data centers) could face new permitting obligations, while regulators would gain sharper control over withdrawals that permanently remove water from the basin. This sits alongside SB0763 as part of a broader 2025-26 push to tighten Michigan’s water withdrawal rules.