(1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the owner of real property who intends to develop capacity on that property to make a new or increased large quantity withdrawal from the waters of this state shall register the withdrawal with the department after using the assessment tool, if required under this part, and prior to beginning that withdrawal. A registration under this section may be made using the online registration process.
  (2) The following persons are not required to register under this section:
  (a) Subject to subdivision (c), a person who has previously registered for that property under this part or the owner of real property containing the capacity to make a withdrawal that was previously requested under this part, unless the property owner develops new or increased withdrawal capacity on the property of an additional 100,000 gallons of water per day from the waters of the state.
  (b) A community supply required to obtain a permit under the safe drinking water act, 1976 PA 399, MCL 325.1001 to 325.1023.
  (c) A person required to obtain a permit under section 32723.
  (d) The owner of a noncommercial well located on the following residential property:
  (i) Single-family residential property unless that well is a lake augmentation well.
  (ii) Multifamily residential property not exceeding 4 residential units and not more than 3 acres in size unless that well is a lake augmentation well.
  (3) Subsection (1) does not limit a property owner’s ability to withdraw water from a test well prior to registration if the test well is constructed in association with the development of new or increased withdrawal capacity and used only to evaluate the development of new or increased withdrawal capacity.
  (4) A registration under this section by the owner of a farm in which the withdrawal is intended for an agricultural purpose, including irrigation for an agricultural purpose, may be submitted to the department of agriculture instead of the department.
  (5) A registration submitted under this section that is not submitted via the online registration process shall be on a form provided by the department or the department of agriculture, as appropriate.
  (6) In calculating the total amount of an existing or proposed withdrawal for the purpose of this section, a person shall combine all separate withdrawals that the person makes or proposes to make, whether or not these withdrawals are for a single purpose or are for related but separate purposes.
  (7) The department shall aggregate information received by the state related to large quantity withdrawal capacities within the state and reported large quantity withdrawals in the state.
  (8) Unless a property owner develops the capacity to make the new or increased large quantity withdrawal within 18 months after the property owner registers under subsection (1), the registration is no longer valid.