Macomb County presenters outline multi‑project plan to cut sewer overflows; state notifies St. Clair Shores of $23 million loan opportunity

Macomb County public‑works officials and county Commissioner Candace Miller told the St. Clair Shores City Council on Nov. 17 that years of operational changes and recent construction work have sharply reduced the city’s combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and that the city has been notified it is eligible for a $23 million revolving loan to begin separating storm and sanitary flows in part of the Martin District.

The update, delivered by Commissioner Miller and county engineer Vince Ansterino, laid out technical fixes at the Chapin pump station, a new in‑system storage bladder, a multi‑million‑dollar canal rehabilitation and plans for a Jefferson interceptor improvement. "We’ve raised about a $180,000,000," Miller said, describing federal, state and county money the county and partner jurisdictions have secured for sewer rehabilitation. Denise Pike, speaking for the city/county coordination, said the state recently notified the city it "would be awarded a $23,000,000 revolving loan or loan from the revolving loan fund for the separation of the Martin District." (Transcript language: "would be awarded a $23,000,000 revolving loan.")

Why it matters: combined sewers convey both sanitary sewage and stormwater in older portions of the system. During heavy rain, those systems can overflow, discharging untreated or partially treated flows to waterways and causing basement flooding for residents. County presenters said the mix of operational fixes and capital projects reduces overflows, limits the need for frequent discharges, lowers treatment volume and mitigates basement‑flood risk.

Key projects and figures presented - Chapin pump station operational changes (described as a roughly $30,000 project) increased storage by allowing higher wet‑well levels; Ansterino said this added about "8,600,000.0 gallons of storage within the system." - In‑system storage: an inflatable bladder installed in an interceptor can store about 3.5 million gallons in certain events, then slowly dewater to treatment once the event passes. - Chapin/Canal rehabilitation: speakers described a project finished in August 2025 with an estimated cost of about $29,000,000 and said the new canal provides roughly 17,000,000 gallons of storage (presenters attributed an approximately 50% CSO reduction to the canal work). - Jefferson interceptor: adding a second pipe on the Jefferson interceptor is expected to reduce CSOs at the Martin facility by about 50% in that subarea. - Combined benefit: presenters summarized the cumulative effect of projects and operations as roughly 75–80% reduction in CSOs across the served system.

Denise Pike described next steps and schedule: Hennessey engineers will continue design work, staff will meet with the state to review project milestones, and city staff expects to submit design materials in March or April of the next year. Pike said the state’s notification of eligibility is tied to an application Hennessey submitted on the city’s behalf in 2023–2025.

Council reaction and questions Council members asked about the effect on basement flooding and construction impacts on businesses and neighborhoods; presenters cautioned that no engineering fix can absolutely guarantee zero basement flooding but said the projects are designed to reduce risk and that some projects include street and pavement replacements. Councilmember Rebello thanked the presenters for attention to local businesses affected by construction.

What the city must still decide Denise Pike described the state notice as an award opportunity "should the city choose to accept the opportunity." The council did not record a formal acceptance vote of the loan on the record during the presentation; staff described upcoming design submittals and milestone meetings with the state.

Background and regional context Commissioner Miller and staff framed the work as part of a long, regional effort to bring Michigan jurisdictions into compliance with modern expectations for CSO management. Speakers compared St. Clair Shores’ projects favorably to neighboring communities and said the county has used a combination of separation and added retention where appropriate.

Next steps City staff and Hennessey engineers will continue design work for the Martin District separation, meet with state officials on milestones, and prepare submittals (design expected March–April). The council thanked the presenters; no final loan acceptance or construction vote is recorded in the meeting transcript.

Sources: Presentation by Commissioner Candace Miller and Vince Ansterino; comments and schedule from Denise Pike (St. Clair Shores).