Charter Township of Oakland

This was based on the estimated high cost for the infrastructure to bring the water into the Township and then the very high cost to purchase the water (which is expected to increase substantially in the near future).  Subsequently, the Township has been working with the Oakland County Water Resource Commissioner’s Office (OCWRC) to create a Water Reliability Study and a Master Plan.   While Detroit is no longer a viable option for the Township, we must improve our community well system to meet EPA and MDEQ requirements.  The required improvements include water storage for system reliability and to provide peak period pressures above the minimum pressure requirements.   Currently, the Water Reliability Study indicates certain areas of the Township do not meet the minimum pressure requirements of 35 psi at peak periods.  As a side note, because the Township would have been at the ‘end of the line’ for Detroit water, storage requirements would have been essentially the same for Detroit water as are being proposed for the community well system.  Thus, the added cost for storage, regardless of enhancing the community well system or implementing Detroit water, would be essentially the same.  The additional and optional aspect of enhancing the community well system is the incorporation of an iron treatment system (which would concurrently remove any arsenic in the water).  A centralized iron treatment system is far superior to a household iron treatment system because it precludes the build-up of iron in the pipe infrastructure which occasionally needs back-flushing which releases built-up iron into the system.   During these periods, household systems simply could not handle the excess iron in the water and therefore iron would enter the household systems and thus contaminate those systems.

Attached please find the Draft Community Well Master Plan.  Additionally, Mr. Robert Daddow, Oakland County Deputy Executive, who has been the chief negotiator on behalf of Oakland County with the Detroit Water and Sewage Department (DWSD).  His “Assessment of the DWSD Financial Projections,” dated 18 April 2014, is included for resident’s review.

Because of citizen interest in the proposed changes to the water system, WRC has suggested a representative Citizen Advisory Group be created to work with them and the Township as the plans come to fruition.  If you have an interest in representing your area of the Township, please contact Connie Sims <simsc@oakgov.com> at the WRC office.

Southeast Water System
Southwest Water System
Water Master Plan Presentation
Water Master Plan Map
Wellhead Protection