(WWJ) -- The head of the Great Lakes Water Authority has resigned amid controversy over recent sewage backups that are being blamed for extensive flood damage in southeastern Michigan.
While GLWA CEO Sue McCormick didn't specifically say the flooding that occurred on June 25 and 26 was the reason for her departure, ongoing issues surrounding the damage have recently plagued the department.
WWJ’s Charlie Langton reports that McCormick said she had already been contemplating retirement.
“While I am extremely proud of all the GLWA team has accomplished in its first five years, I also recognize that now is the time for me to make my future intentions public as we all move forward,” McCormick wrote in a letter to the board (via The Detroit News.)
Gary Brown of the Detroit Water Authority tells Langton that he’s not entirely surprised by McCormick’s decision to resign, and thinks it might help the upcoming investigation.
“Her accomplishments will speak for themselves as a water professional,” Brown said. “Though this is going to give this independent investigation that’s going to be conducted an opportunity to focus strictly on the system and the flaws in the system and making it more resilient so that we hopefully never have an incident like we’ve had in the past.”
The Great Lakes Water Authority has been receiving criticism regrading the failure of the Conner Creek pump station, which was blamed for the backup of water and sewage on roadways and in basements around Detroit and metro Detroit last month.
The authority plans to spend $1.7 billion in the next five years on capital improvements.
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