The city of Southfield applied for and received a $1,104,421 C2R2 (Consolidation and Contamination Risk Reduction) Grant through the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) to install new water services in homes that are not connected to the City’s water system in the San Marino Subdivision located near 12 Mile & Inkster Road. The C2R2 grant will connect 99 properties to the City’s water system.

The City received three proposals with the low bid from D’Angelo Brothers, Inc. of Farmington Hills, Michigan, through the Oakland County Water Resources Commission in the amount of $547,741.91. Work includes all of the construction costs, preliminary engineering and construction engineering.

Pursuant to Ordinance No. 902, Article II, Chapter 20, Section 2.153 (3) a front footage fee is charged to property owners when installing a new water service; however, the City has agreed to waive the current per property charge. The City’s typical front footage fee of $13.50 per foot of road frontage is not reimbursable by the grant. The City has been granted a lien on the subdivision well property if the property is ever sold by the subdivision with proceeds used to pay the front footage cost.

Residential Water Wells Voluntary Testing Pilot Program

The city of Southfield prioritizes efforts towards water safety and sustainability initiatives that keep are residents and infrastructure safe. There are currently 319 active residential water wells within the city of Southfield. Once the 99 wells at San Marino are connected, there will still be 220 potentially active wells throughout the city of which there is no data regarding the quality of drinking water provided. To address this, City Council has approved the establishment of a 6-month Residential Water Wells Voluntary Testing Pilot Program to ensure that all well water is safe for human and animal consumption. The scope of testing will include: bacteria, heavy metals, petroleum products and other possible contaminants. The pilot program is slated to begin on April 1, 2022 and run through September 30, 2022. In addition to testing, the City will contract with water quality experts to evaluate the test data. This information may provide staff with enough supplementary data to secure additional funds from the State of Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). Contaminated well issues are typically resolved through loans or interest-free deferred loans to income-eligible homeowners through the City’s Water Department. The total cost of the program is expected to be $60,000 if all 220 wells are tested.

Southfield City Council recognizes March 22 as World Water Day

World Water Day is recognized on 22 March every year. It is an annual United Nations Observance, started in 1993, that celebrates water and raises awareness of the 2 billion people currently living without access to safe water. A core focus of World Water Day is to inspire action towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6: water and sanitation for all by 2030.

This annual observance by the United Nations aims to inspire action for water and sanitation for all by 2030 and raise awareness of the 2 billion people around the world that currently do not have access to safe water. Previous annual topics such as Valuing Water (2021) and Water and Climate Change (2020) have brought about an appreciation for this natural resource vital for life on Earth.

The Southfield City Council has formally recognized March 22 as World Water Day in Southfield – communicating our understanding of the importance and role that fresh water plays in our community and around the world.

For more information, contact Southfield Administration at (248) 796-5110.