The Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) announced it has completed work on a $12.8 million project to renew and replace sections of its 42-inch transmission main along 14 Mile Road from just west of M-5 to Walled Lake.
The project also included the first installation of an acoustic fiber optic monitoring system by a water utility in Michigan.
Designed to improve system resiliency after three major breaks on this main in the last seven years, the project was completed on time and within budget, the GLWA reports.
The project was developed in collaboration with GLWA’s member partner communities of Commerce Township, Walled Lake, Wixom, and Novi — all of which have been significantly impacted by the previous breaks.
The project included:
- Replacing more than a mile (221 20-foot segments/5,460 linear feet) of prestressed concrete cylinder pipe (PCCP) with new steel pipe was replaced.
- Renewing 97 feet of PCCP with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP). The carbon fiber renewal will extend the life of the pipe by approximately 50 years.
- Installing an acoustic fiber optic monitoring system in a section of 42-inch PCCP pipe along 14 Mile Road from just east of Walled Lake to GLWA’s Wixom Booster Station at Maple and Beck Roads to detect the sound of wire breaks, which can help predict future failures before they occur.
“I want to express my thanks to everyone, especially those who live or own a business along 14 Mile Road in the impacted area, for their patience over the last seven months as we have worked to complete work on this critical project,” says Suzanne R. Coffey, CEO of the GLWA. “We don’t take the disruption our projects cause lightly and move as quickly and safely as we can to complete our work.”
With the project now complete, road restoration is underway. Road restoration is a three-step process: laying down stone aggregate base within the open-cut areas, forming/pouring curbs and driveway approaches, and laying new asphalt. There is also setting/curing time involved in some of the steps.
Crews are completing road restoration in two phases: Phase 1, which is currently underway, is from Beachwalk Drive to Centennial Road, and Phase 2 is from Centennial Road to just west of M-5. Phases 1 and 2 may overlap. Full road restoration is expected to be complete by the end of June.
In Related News, The Great Lakes Water Authority reported progress on repairing a 42-inch water transmission main break located in River Woods Park in Auburn Hills.
GLWA continues to urge the residents of Orion Township, the Village of Lake Orion, Rochester Hills, Pontiac, and Auburn Hills to restrict their water usage to only what is necessary for hydration and basic hygiene (short showers and toilet flushing) for the duration of the emergency. Please do not run dishwashers, washing machines, or water your lawn.
GLWA’s Field Service crews and emergency contractors continued working 24/7 at the break site and completed installation of the new segment of pipe at approximately 6 p.m. on Monday, May 11. They were then able to fill, pressure test, and disinfect the isolated section of the water main. Early this morning the process of flushing the water main began and is expected to be completed today.
GLWA and the impacted communities are now taking the necessary steps to return the regional system to normal operations. This includes undoing the operational steps taken at the outset of the emergency. This process will likely take 24-36 hours.
Barring any unforeseen complications, GLWA expects to return water pressure to the impacted communities sometime on Thursday. The individual communities will then need to flush their systems.
The boil water advisories will remain in effect for Orion Township, the Village of Lake Orion, the northern section of Auburn Hills, and the northwest corner of Rochester Hills until all required water quality testing is completed by both GLWA and the impacted communities. This multi-day testing process is not expected to begin until the end of the week.
To continue assisting the impacted communities, GLWA will once again deploy its three water trucks to provide residents with one-gallon containers of water. These trucks are capable of providing 2,000 one-gallon containers in each trip, and will be at the following locations from 8:00 a.m. through 7:00 p.m.:
Orion Township
- Wildwood Amphitheater, 2700 Joslyn Court
Auburn Hills
- Auburn Hills Department of Public Works, 1500 Brown Road
Village of Lake Orion
- Atwater Park, 426 Atwater Street
On Monday, May 11, the water truck gave out 10,000 gallons of water via the three locations.
The city of Rochester Hills also has opened a water distribution center in the parking lot of the Von Maur in the Village of Rochester Hills, 400 North Adams Road. Operating hours are 8:00 a.m. through 7:00 p.m. each day.
For the most updated information, visit glwater.org, or sign up for your community’s emergency alert system. For the communities impacted by this water main break those are:
- Orion Township (CivicPlus)
- Text “OrionMI” to 38276
- Sign up online HERE
- Oakland County (OakAlert)
- Sign up online HERE
- Rochester Hills (RH Connect)
- Sign up online HERE
The Great Lakes Water Authority provides drinking water services to nearly 40 percent, and efficient and effective wastewater services to nearly 30 percent, of Michigan’s population.
GLWA also has the capacity to extend its services beyond its 88 member partner communities. Its board includes one representative each from Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne counties, two representatives from the city of Detroit, and one appointed by the Michigan governor to represent member partner communities outside of the tri-county area.
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