Walled Lake council warned of aging sewer system as 14 Mile construction continues
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Summary
Council members were told sewer infrastructure across Walled Lake is in poor condition and faces years of repairs; staff updated the council on county-led work on 14 Mile Road, including a hoped-for July 1 finish and short-term reopening of a key intersection.
Walled Lake council members heard stark assessments Monday about the city’s aging sewer system and received an update on county work along 14 Mile Road that continues to affect local traffic.
Council members and City Manager Dennis said a recent WRC inspection identified significant problems across roughly nine to 10 sewer districts in the city. “Not one of them is okay right now,” Dennis said, describing a mix of repairs and replacements needed over the coming decade and warning that substantial funding and coordinated planning will be required.
The manager and other council members urged a multi-disciplinary approach so that when crews must tear up a street for sewer work, the city can coordinate other repairs to reduce repeated disruptions. One council member said the work likely represents “10 years worth of work and not enough funding for it.”
Council also discussed the county-managed reconstruction work on 14 Mile Road. Dan, a city project staffer, told the council that the contractor had completed work near Walled Lake Elementary School and on Angle Road and expected to reopen the Novi Road/Decker intersection “within two weeks” if weather cooperates. He said the contractor’s goal is to finish the full stretch of 14 Mile by July 1, noting crews are laying pipe at an increasing daily rate.
Project manager Brian Kerrick described ancillary work tied to the project, including installation of monitoring fiber and gate wells; he said the county-installed system notifies operators in Florida if a band breaks in a pipe. “They’re getting around average around six to eight [pipes] now a day with the warmer weather,” Kerrick said.
Why it matters: Sewer repairs could require large capital outlays and potential changes to how the city sequences street and utility projects. The county’s 14 Mile work will continue to disrupt traffic patterns in the short term; city staff said they will keep the public updated and coordinate where possible.
What’s next: City staff said they will continue monitoring WRC findings and coordinate with neighboring jurisdictions and county contractors to sequence work and inform residents of road impacts.