(WWJ) Looking for some good financial news? This may be it: The Oakland-Macomb Interceptor Drain Drainage District is set to begin $84 million worth of maintenance and upgrade work -- with no increased cost for Macomb County sewer rate payers.
How is that possible, especially amid all the coronavirus budget worries faced by many communities? The project is being financed from savings achieved by the counties taking over management of scheduled maintenance and upgrades of the facilities, which are owned and operated by the Great Lakes Water Authority.
The work will pay for electrical and mechanical upgrades at the Northeast Sewage Pumping Station, near 8 Mile and VanDyke roads in Detroit. The pump station handles the sewage from 11 Macomb County communities and 12 communities in Oakland County.
"Through the diligent effort of our administration team, and low bonding costs, we were able to get this critical infrastructure work approved with no additional cost to our residents. We are very pleased to pass on a report of 'NO INCREASE' for our local municipalities," said Candice S. Miller, Macomb County Public Works Commissioner.
The work includes a major overhaul of the decades-old pump station and maintenance work in a 7-mile long segment of underground pipe. The pipe, the Northeast Interceptor-East Arm, is as much as 17 feet in diameter, is 60-plus feet underground and carries all the sanitary sewage from the combined total of 23 municipalities in Macomb and Oakland counties. The sewage is transported via the pump station and pipe to a wastewater treatment plant in Detroit.
"When we talk about critical infrastructure, this is priority 1," Miller said. "It is work that cannot be delayed. To be able to accomplish it inside of our existing budget is a huge benefit to our residents. I want to thank the Great Lakes Water Authority and the Oakland County Water Resources Office for their partnership on this project."
The work will begin this summer and is scheduled to run through early 2023.
These wastewater facilities were originally constructed by the City of Detroit in the 1970s and currently serve over 850,000 residents and businesses in Macomb and Oakland Counties.
Recently, the two counties negotiated with GLWA to take over day-to-day operations and maintenance of the facilities, generating cost savings that are helping to pay for the needed repairs.
"We continue to look for opportunities to partner with local, regional, state and federal organizations to maximize our ability to provide quality service to our residents at the best possible price," Miller said.
