MACOMB COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS
OUR MISSION
TheMacombCountyPublicWorksOfficemissionisto:
Improvewaterquality
Improvethequalityoflifeforourresidents
Serveasacriticalcomponentofeconomicprosperityinourcommunity
TheMCPWOadministers475countydrainsthatpreventfloodinginourcommunities. Some of these drains are open streams or creeks, while others are massive underground structures that carry stormwater away from neighborhoods and businesses.Givenourresponsibilityforthesewaterways,weareactivelyengagedin numerous initiatives to enhance the overall water quality in our lakes and rivers, mostnotablytheClintonRiverandLakeSt.Clair.Inaddition,weoperate68milesof sanitary sewer lines which transport waste from more than 800,000 residents and businesses to the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) Water Resource Recovery Facility(WRRF)forpropertreatment.
KEY GOALS
Reducing Combined Sewer Overflows
Preventing billions of gallons of CSOs from entering Lake St Clair
No More Sinkholes!
Completing sewer rehabilitation & CSO reduction projects
ReduceFlooding
MCPWOinspects,maintainsand improveshundredsofmilesofcountry drains
EconomicProsperity
MCPWOapprovesallstormwater projectsthroughourPermit&Plan ReviewPortalavailableonline24/7
Pictured:MacombCountyPublicWorksCommissionerCandiceS Miller,MacombTownship SupervisorFrankVivianoandBoardofCommissionersChairmanJoeSabatini
COMMISSIONER’S MESSAGE
DearNeighbors,
AttheMacombCountyPublicWorksOffice, everythingwedoisrootedinour department’smissiontoimprovequalityof lifebyimprovingwaterqualityandbeinga keycomponentofeconomicprosperity.
Whetherit’sataskthattakesafewhours, suchasinspectingnewresidentiallotsto ensurebuilderscomplywithsoilerosion controls,orafewdaystoclearlogjamsor overgrownvegetationfromindividualcreeks orstreams,orextensiveunderground infrastructureprojectscostingtensof millionsofdollarstoreducecombined sewageoverflowsorpreventsinkholes,the goaliseffectivestormwatermanagement benefittingcurrentandfuturegenerations. It’strulyateameffortbyourstaff.
Sincetakingofficeasyourpublicworks commissioneronJan.1,2017–eightdays afterasewerinterceptorcollapsebeneath15 MileRoadresultedinthesinkholethatwas oneoftheworstinfrastructuredisastersin
Michiganhistory–wehavestrivedtobe thoroughandsystematicininspecting, maintainingandrehabilitatingthe undergroundinfrastructureacrossMacomb Countythat’sunderouroffice’sjurisdiction.
That’sbecausewhat’soutofsightcannotbe outofmind.With400milesofopenchannels, clearingdebrisincludingfallentrees, removingsedimentandre-gradingbanks–torestoreproperflowandreducetheriskof flooding–isanendlesstaskbutwehave madeexcellentprogress.
Inadditiontoourhard-workingteamatthe PublicWorksOffice,oureffortsandsuccessto improvewaterqualityaremadepossiblewith thesupportofthecountyBoardof Commissionersandourdrainmaintenance cost-sharingpartnershipswiththelocal communities.
Iencourageyoutoreviewsomeofthose highlightsasshowninthisbi-annualreport. Formoreinformation,checkoutthePublic Workspageatmacombgov.org,followuson socialmediaandsubscribetoour e-newsletter.
Sincerely,
TECHNOLOGY
TheMacombCountyPublicWorksOffice’sinnovative combinationofaconfined-spacesdroneandartificial intelligencetoinspectundergroundinfrastructurehas earnedaNationalAssociationofCounties2025 AchievementAward.Thecutting-edgeapproachalsowas named“ProjectoftheYear”inthecategoryof Technology/InnovationbytheMichiganchapterofthe AmericanPublicWorksAssociationandreceivedhonorable mentionintheMichiganAssociationofCountyDrain Commissioners’“InnovationandExcellenceAwards.”
Thecombineduses–whichimproveefficiencyandhelps engineersprioritizesewermaintenance,rehabilitationor replacementoflargepipeswhilesavingmillionsofdollars–wasrecentlyfeaturedinreportsbyNBCNewsand Wired.com.
Our“GoFlo”devicewasdesignedin-houseandliterallygoes withtheflowofwastewaterinthepipeswhilerecording video ItisequippedwithamountedsplashproofGoPro brandcameraandeightLEDlightsthatilluminatethe interiorofdarkpipeswhilerecordingvideo.Afterbeing loweredintoamanhole,thebuoyantdevicerecordsthe surroundingpipebeforebeingretrieveddownstreamatany selectedmanhole.
ThePublicWorksOfficealsohasobtainedadronethatwill beusedoutdoorsbyourenvironmentalteamtoinspect open-channeldrains.Thelenshasnightvisionandthermal imagingandwillhaveinfraredcapabilitytoseethrough treefoliage,enablingittodetectillicitdischargesofraw sewagefromhomesandbusinesses
LAKE ST. CLAIR MUCK
Buildinguponthecompletionofa2-yearstudybytheU.S.ArmyCorpsofEngineers (USACE),theMacombCountyPublicWorksOfficeisworkingwiththestateofficialsand municipalrepresentativestoseekneededfundingtoimplementmethodstomanagethe muckplaguingpocketsoftheLakeSt.ClairshorefromHarrisonTownshiptoSt.ClairShores.
Thealgaemuck,calledMicroseirawolleiandformallynamedLyngbyawollei,formsalong thelakebedandisgraduallydrivenbywindandwavestotheshorelinewhereitclingsto theshorelinepocketsincludingsomebeachareas,canalsandboatwells
“Although our office has no jurisdiction of Lake St. Clair, we will continue to advocate for the lake because its tremendous importance to the region -- and Canada as well – cannot be overstated,” Miller said.
ResearchbiologistsatUSACE,theagencywhichsplit thecostofthe$400,000studywithMacombCounty, havesuggestedthatthemuckcanberemovedfrom
shoresbymechanicalmeansalthoughthealgaesoonreturns.Expertshopetotestwhich algaecidescanbeeffectiveaspartofanoverall,long-termstrategytomanageM.wollei withoutcausingharmtothelake’secology.
MacombCountyPublicWorksCommissionerCandiceS.Miller,stateRep.AliciaSt. GermaineandofficialsfromHarrisonTownshipandSt ClairShoresmetattheshorelinein JulywithrepresentativesfromtheMichiganDepartmentofEnvironment,GreatLakesand Energytoseekgreaterinvolvementbythestatetoobtainordirectfundingtomanagethe muckproblem.
Pictured: Sample of muck from Lake St. Clair
75% REDUCTION INCSO’S ACHIEVED
CHAPATONCANALPROJECTCOMPLETE,CON’T.
Thelargestsingleprojectbythe MacombCountyPublicWorksOffice toreducecombinedseweroverflows (CSOs)intoLakeSt.Clairhasbeen completedonschedule.
Therehabilitationandexpansionof theChapatonCanalattheoutfallof theChapatonRetentionTreatment BasinatthefootofNineMileRoadin St.ClairShoreshasbeena remarkabletransformationthatonits ownwillreducethevolumeofCSO dischargesintothelakeby38%.
Bymakingthecanalwiderand deeper,thecanalnowhasthe capacitytostore17milliongallonsof partiallytreatedcombinedsewer overflow.Theoldoutfallgates, installedinthelate1960s,havebeen removedandreplacedwithnew, moreefficientstructures.
“Thishasbeenafantasticprojectand atextbookexampleshowinghow MacombCountyhasledbyexample toreducecombinedseweroverflows,” MacombCountyPublicWorks CommissionerCandiceS.Millersaid.
Theboatlaunchwhichwasclosedin August2023hasnowreopened.
Combinedwithotherunderground infrastructureprojectsledbythe PublicWorksOfficeinrecentyears,we havereducedCSOsintothelakebya totalof75%.Forthoseefforts,the departmentreceiveda2025 AchievementAwardfromtheNational AssociationofCounties.
DRAIN MAINTENANCE TO REDUCE FLOODING
Removinglogjams,debrisandovergrownvegetationfromopenchannelcountydrains improvesstormwaterflowandwaterqualityandreducestheriskoffloodinganderosion MuchofthatworkbytheMacombCountyPublicWorksdrainmaintenanceteamisfunded throughourcost-sharingprogramthatallowsthecountyandindividualcommunitiesto splitthecostinprioritizedlocations.
Thecost-sharingprogram,whichhelpscountyandlocalgovernmentsstretchtheirdollars further,hashadparticipationin2025fromnumerouscommunitiesincludingthecitiesof Fraser,Richmond,NewBaltimore,SterlingHeights,St.ClairShoresandChesterfield,Clinton, Lenox,Macomb,Ray,Richmond,ShelbyandWashingtontownships.
“Togetherwithourmunicipalpartners,wehavesuccessfullyidentifiedandresolved numerousproblemspotsbutmanymoreremaininthehundredsofmilesofopen channelsacrossthecounty,”PublicWorksCommissionerCandiceS.Millersaid.
Somedrainageproblemsaren’tinplainviewbutarediscoveredfarbelowthesurface. AninspectionoftheErin-ClintonTownlineDrainbeneathGroesbeckHighwayat14Mile Roadrevealedmajorobstructionsthatseverelyhinderedtheflowofstormwater Partsof thedrainwerealmostcompletelyfullofbrokenconcreteandblocksandconstruction debris,allofwhichwerelikelysweptdownthedrainyearsago.
Apparentlyduringroadconstructionattheintersectioninthepast,concretewash-out fromcementtruckswentdownthedrain,hardeningandencasingallthedebrisaswellas thesedimentationthatwasinthepipe.Acontractorneeded21daystoremovethe extensiveobstructionswhichnowareblamedforperiodicfloodingattheintersection duringheavyraineventsovertheyears.
“Peoplehavetorealizethatdrainsarenotgarbagedumps,”MacombCountyPublicWorks CommissionerCandiceS.Millersaid.
Pictured: Middle Branch of Clinton River log removal in Macomb Township
Pictured: Middle Branch of Clinton River log removal in Macomb Township
NoMoreSinkholes
Segment5&Segment6Completed
Workiswrappingupontwoextremelyimportantandintensivejointunderground infrastructureprojectsalong15MileRoadfromeastofGarfieldRoadtowestof SchoenherrRoadtopreventthelikelihoodofanotherinfrastructuredisasterlikethesewer collapseandtheresultingsinkholethatoccurredonChristmasEve2016.Theconstruction includedtheexcavationoftwomassiveshaftstoallowfortheslip-liningandspray-lining ofthousandsoffeetofconcretepipe,rehabilitationofcontrolstructures,anewpump station,andconstructionofnewbiofilterstoreduceodor.
Rehabilitationof2,400linear feetoftheNorthGratiot Interceptor,alongGratiot Avenuenear26MileRoad,is nearlycomplete.Partofthe projectincludedthe“curedin placepipe”methodof applyingapolymerprotective liningtoshieldtheinteriorof pipefromfurtherdegradation andextendingitsfunctional capacityforlong-termuse.
OMIDD UPDATE
Odor&Corrosion:
SorrentoBoulevardat DodgeParkRoad
Construction of the Odor & Corrosion Control facility on Sorrento Boulevard at Dodge Park in Sterling Heights is underway. As this rendering shows, it’s intentionally designed to resemble an aesthetically pleasing house and fit in nicely in the neighborhood. It will help remove and filter odorous sewer gas that corrodes the inside of sewer pipes
NortheastSewagePumpStation
The critically needed rehabilitation of the Northeast Sewage Pump Station in Detroit, featuring rebuilt sanitary pumps, replacement of major electrical components, pipes, a new biofilter and more, is complete.
The NESPS serves the Oakland-Macomb Interceptor Drainage District by sending sewage from 11 communities in Macomb County and 12 in Oakland County to the Great Lakes Water Authority’s wastewater treatment plant in Detroit.
The upgrades to the facility are part of a multi-year, $100 million capital improvement program authorized and directed by the OMIDD board, which includes Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Candice S Miller, Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner Jim Nash, and a representative of the State of Michigan OMID negotiated lower charges from the GLWA which funded the needed improvements, resulting in no increase in sewer rates
$290MILLION INVESTED
Bon Heur Pump Station
