COOPERSVILLE, Mich. — A $17 million infrastructure grant to the city of Coopersville was approved today by the Michigan Strategic Fund board. This grant will advance a transformational regional water system upgrade helping enable a production expansion of ultra-filtered milk producer fairlife. This public infrastructure grant will allow fairlife to create more than 150 new jobs and secure more than 400 existing positions at the company.

“Investments like this strengthen the region well beyond a single project,” said Jennifer Owens, president of Lakeshore Advantage. “The combination of private investment and public infrastructure improvements helps address longstanding capacity constraints, supports existing employers and creates the conditions needed for future business growth and job creation across the community. It also builds momentum for the Lakeshore’s growing agribusiness and food production industry cluster, where reliable infrastructure and a strong supply chain are essential.”

The proposed grant will allow the city of Coopersville to add a 20-inch transmission main and additional water storage tank adding the ability to provide 1.1 million additional gallons of water per day. This state grant serves as the initial funding to begin a three-phase water infrastructure upgrade plan estimated to cost nearly $47 million. The additional infrastructure costs will be covered by major water users and community service agreements. 

Currently, the city of Coopersville relies on a single, aging 16-inch water main that is more than 50 years old. This line is an obstacle to industrial growth, housing development and commercial growth. 

“This project is not only about improving essential services for our residents and businesses, it also positions us for continued economic growth,” said Dennis Luce, City Manager for Coopersville. “In particular, it supports the expansion of fairlife, one of our largest local employers, which is a significant win for our agricultural community here in West Michigan and for dairy suppliers across the entire state. This is the kind of forward-looking investment that benefits our city, our region, and Michigan as a whole.”

This water infrastructure investment offers opportunities beyond the city of Coopersville. It may also offer additional water capacity to Polkton Township, Allendale Charter Township and Tallmadge Township should those communities choose to utilize it. The city of Grand Rapids provides water to these communities through a partnership agreement with Ottawa County. 

“Ottawa County relies on strong regional partnerships to provide water service throughout the county, and this project is another great example of the benefits to that approach,” said Patrick Staskiewicz, Public Utilities Director at Ottawa County Road Commission. “There are direct benefits to Coopersville and to the Polkton township residents along the route. With a large industrial user like fairlife, this project will also help to keep rates stable for the users of the Grand Rapids Water System and the Muskegon County Wastewater System.”

The strengthened water system and added capacity will help retain and grow Michigan’s food production and agriculture economy by supporting employers that rely on predictable, high-capacity water service. Improvements will encourage a healthier tax base and long‑term community revitalization.

“The West Michigan agribusiness corridor is a significant component of Michigan’s overall economy, and it is imperative it has the infrastructure it needs to produce high-quality, high-recognition products that people across the nation know and enjoy,” said Quentin Messer, Jr. CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and chair of the MSF Board. “We are thrilled to offer our support to the City of Coopersville and fairlife for projects that will impact every component of our ‘Make it in Michigan’ economic development strategy focused on People, Places, and Projects. We are grateful for fairlife’s vote of confidence in Michigan and commend Lakeshore Advantage for their teamwork in securing this win.”

Increased production capacity at the fairlife facility in Coopersville will strengthen demand for dairy producers and suppliers in the region. For each direct job at the facility, 10 additional dairy jobs are projected to help supply the increased capacity. Over 7,000 jobs with average earnings of approximately $87,000 per job are supported by the food manufacturing cluster in the Lakeshore region (Ottawa and Allegan Counties), according to Lightcast.

Lakeshore Advantage, the region’s economic development organization, assisted the city of Coopersville and project partners with coordination and navigation of available resources to advance the regional water infrastructure upgrades and support associated private investment in West Michigan.