Canton Township approves resolution to study sewer route to YCUA, opposes Salem Township treatment plant

At its Feb. 25 meeting, the Canton Township Board of Trustees voted to adopt a resolution opposing the construction of a proposed Salem Township wastewater treatment facility and granted Salem Township consent under Michigan Compiled Laws MCL 247.183 to study alternative sewer routes through Canton to the Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority (YCUA).

The resolution directs Canton Township to permit Salem Township to study feasible pathways to construct and maintain a sewer line within public rights-of-way through Canton — including routes that would run south on Napier Road toward Cherry Hill and Denton Road and then into Van Buren Township and on to Ypsilanti — rather than build a standalone treatment plant in Salem Township.

The study authorization follows concerns from Canton officials about local flooding and potential increased discharge into Fellows Creek if Salem proceeds with a new small treatment plant. Trustees and staff cited severe flooding in August 2023 along Fellows Creek and said additional treated effluent discharged in the same drainage network could worsen local flooding in residential and commercial areas. A board speaker referenced an estimate of up to 850,000 gallons per day that Salem would discharge at full capacity into the proposed local facility; the transcript attributes that figure to a board member’s recollection and the board did not provide an independent engineering estimate during the meeting.

Board members also said the proposed sewer trench could be an opportunity to address other local needs if a route is selected, including connecting about 100 Canton residents still on septic systems and laying conduit for broadband fiber where trenching occurs. Canton staff and a deputy official clarified during the meeting that the resolution authorizes only a feasibility study; it does not create any binding construction or service agreements, nor does it commit Canton to permitting permanent sewer infrastructure without further approvals.

The motion to adopt the resolution was made by Clerk Seager and supported by Trustee Borninski. The board approved the resolution by voice vote; a roll-call tally of individual yes/no votes was not recorded in the meeting minutes. Plymouth Township was also noted to be considering a similar resolution for its portion of the potential route.

In public comment after the vote, resident Dan McCausen praised Canton officials for pursuing an alternative route and urged continued cooperation among affected municipalities. The board did not set a timeline for the feasibility study; Salem Township, EGLE (Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy), and YCUA will be involved in the technical and permitting work should the study proceed.

The resolution directs staff to grant Salem Township the limited consent to study routing options under MCL 247.183; any subsequent agreements, permits, right-of-way work or construction would require separate approvals by Canton and other jurisdictions.