 With summer just starting, the WRC has been extremely busy over the last few months. My staff and I have been holding a series of town hall meetings across the county on oil & gas drilling and “fracking” with speakers on both sides of this issue. These town hall meetings have been very well attended by citizens and we have more planned in the near future.
With the ever growing challenges of Storm Water Management and the impact it has on the environment, the WRC will be hosting a first-of-its kind Storm Water Summit this Fall on the campus of Lawrence Technology University in Southfield. Topics will include the Environmental Protection Agency’s new regulations, new green technologies, funding opportunities and regional collaboration. Proceeds from this event will benefit a new non-profit organization that I recently formed called Pure Oakland Water or, "POW" for short.
Lastly, I wanted to highlight three major infrastructure projects my office is undertaking, along with an update on Detroit Water and Sewerage Department and the Emergency Financial Manager. I hope you will find this E-newsletter to be helpful and informative.
 Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner Jim Nash has been holding town hall meetings across the county to focus on the impact of new state-issued oil and natural gas drilling leases. These leases bring the issue of possible future “fracking” to our area.
Town halls have been held since last August in Pontiac, Ferndale, Brandon Township, Highland Township and West Bloomfield Township. Additional meetings are planned for Lake Orion and Southfield. Joining Commissioner Nash have been John Griffin from the Associated Petroleum Industries of Michigan, Hal Fitch with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, Joe Curry, and other experts on the industry and the issue of fracking. The meetings always include a question-and-answer period following the presentations.
“Fracking is an emerging issue that is of critical importance for our region,” Nash said. “That’s why my office will continue to hold these kinds of meetings throughout Oakland County. Our residents need to be informed and learn about topics that can affect our quality of life.”
Fracking, the common term for slick water horizontal fracturing, drills wells up to two miles into the earth, then turns the drill bit horizontally to drill up to several miles. The resulting well is then filled with millions of gallons of fresh water mixed with sand, salts and chemicals. This mixture is then subjected to bursts of intense pressure to loosen rock formations and release natural gas. Some fear possible contamination of groundwater resources and concerns about disposal of the resulting fracking fluid.
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 The Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner’s Office and Water Resources Commissioner Jim Nash are organizing a Storm Water Summit to be held on Friday, October 4, 2013 at Lawrence Technological University in Southfield. Topics will include the Environmental Protection Agency’s new regulations and DEQ state rules, new green technologies, funding opportunities and regional collaboration. Southeast Michigan water resources commissioners, drain and public works commissioners, city, township and village officials, watershed council members, engineering and industry professionals, and other interested stakeholders are expected to attend. The summit will be funded through a new Michigan non-profit organization called Pure Oakland Water (POW). Lead sponsor for the summit is Lawrence Technological University and there are additional sponsorship opportunities available. For more information about the Summit contact Craig Covey or Chip Tischer at the WRC .
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With construction season in full swing, the WRC has been busy with a number of infrastructure projects. Highlighted below are three major projects in various stages of construction. To read about all the proposed, under construction and recently completed projects, click here.
The Oakland-Macomb Interceptor Inter-County Drain project is moving into its third segment with segment one completed and segment two more than halfway done. Segment two work includes chemical grouting to seal leaks, cementitious grouting of voids outside the pipe and localized repairs in the Edison Corridor Interceptor and the lower part of the Oakland Arm Interceptor. The work also involves modifications to the Northeast Sewage Pumping Station, which included installation of a new1,250 Horsepower pump for dewatering the lower part of the Edison Corridor Interceptor. The construction contract was awarded to Inland Water Pollution Control of Detroit, Michigan for their low bid amount of more than $17 million. Work began in December of 2011 and is expected to be completed by December of 2013. Michael McMahon, P.E. Assistant Chief Engineer and Sid Lockhart, P.E. Assistant Chief Engineer are the WRC engineers assigned to the project.
The Evergreen-Farmington Middlebelt Tunnel project will consist of the construction of approximately 7,700 lineal feet of 9’-0” diameter tunnel to provide additional sewage capacity for the existing Farmington gravity sewer interceptor located on Middlebelt Road between 13 Mile Road and I-696. The tunnel will vary in depth from 40’ to 80’ below the surface of Middlebelt Road and will have a storage volume of 3.7 million gallons. Wade, Trim, Inc. has been selected as the design engineer for the project. Construction is anticipated to begin in the fall of 2014. Tom Maxwell, P.E., is the WRC engineer assigned to the project. The estimated project cost is $46 million and will be financed through the State Revolving Fund (SRF).
The Clinton-Oakland Sewage Disposal System Perry Street Diversion Pump Station and Force Main project will address capacity issues in the Clinton-Oakland gravity interceptor sewer by diverting an average daily flow rate of approximately 14 cubic feet per second to the City of Pontiac Auburn Wastewater Treatment Plant. The project will involve the construction of a new sanitary sewer pump station located in Galloway Park and approximately 8,250 lineal feet of 36” diameter force main. Tetra Tech, Inc. has been selected as the design engineer. Sid Lockhart, P.E., Assistant Chief Engineer and George Nichols, P.E., are the WRC engineers assigned to the project. The estimated project cost is $24.4 million. The project will be financed through the SRF.
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