Another step toward protecting Lake St. Clair
Sewage basin upgrades to minimize flow blending incidents
Combined sewage discharges into Lake St. Clair will be significantly reduced due to $42 million in upgrades to the Milk River retention and treatment basins, officials said on Friday.
In addition to reducing the number and volume of combined sewage overflow discharges, the upgrades are expected to reduce the concentration of discharges by 50% and remove more than 99% of bacteria and pathogens, while supporting aquatic life in the Milk River through the addition of oxygen.
“The project upgrades to such a vital piece of infrastructure is a welcomed commitment by Grosse Pointe Woods and all surrounding communities involved,” said Grosse Pointe Woods Director of Public Services Jim Kowalski, a member of the Milk River drain board. “These improvements will maintain reliability for many years to come,”
Improvements to the Milk River Intercounty Drain District facilities, which process storm drainage from Harper Woods and St. Clair Shores and combined sewage from Grosse Pointe Woods, were recently inspected by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). The MRIDDD is operated by the Southeast Macomb Sanitary District, a consortium representing a portion of St. Clair Shores, Eastpointe and Roseville.
The underground storage basins are located in Grosse Pointe Woods, where it protects the community from flooding during rain events that exceed the capacity of the downstream system, and provides chemical treatment of any discharges into Lake St. Clair.
In a letter to Peter Trombley, chief operator of the Southeast Macomb Sanitary District, EGLE stated replacement and rehabilitation of storm pumps, an upgraded chlorination system, and
the addition of channels and flap gates in the basins will contribute significantly to better flow management throughout the drainage area.
“This is nice acknowledgement from EGLE validating the improvements. In addition to the major physical improvements, the operational improvements by SEMSD are deservedly recognized,” said Michael Gregg, intercounty drain program manager at the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development and chairman of the Milk River Intercounty Drain Drainage Board.
Prior to the upgrades, the basins were retaining a large depth of solids that could not be removed that significantly reduced the capacity of the basins and resulted in large discharges during wet weather events.
“What’s happened here is truly transformational,” said Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Candice S. Miller, a member of the Milk River drain board. “The big benefactor is Lake St. Clair, and everyone who uses the lake for recreation, business or as a source of drinking water.”
Only two discharges have occurred at the facility in the past 12 months, during which EGLE water quality objectives were met.
Infrastructure improvements included: refurbishment and replacement of pumping systems; modification of facility cleaning systems to effectively discharge solids to the wastewater treatment plant; repair and upgrade of the aeration system; refurbishment of the disinfection system; structural and architectural repairs to the facilities to extend life and comply with current code; upgrades to the electrical system to improve reliability and efficiency; upgrades to the supervisory control and data acquisition system; and upgrades to the river recirculation system to enhance water quality in the Milk River.