·       Three miles of 48-inch water main from just west of Haggerty Road to just east of Farmington Road to be completely replaced with 54-inch steel pipe

·       Three miles of 54-inch water main from just east of Farmington Road to GLWA’s Franklin Pump Station north of 14 Mile on Inkster Road to be inspected and renewed, as necessary

·       An Acoustic Fiber Optic Monitoring System will be installed in the inspected/renewed three miles of water main

·       This approximately $81 million investment is designed to build resiliency in a section of the regional water system that has experienced multiple service interruptions over the last seven years

·       Phase One construction is expected to begin in November 2026

DETROIT— The Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) today announced a comprehensive water main improvement plan along 14 Mile Road in Oakland County designed to strengthen the reliability of the regional water system in an area that has experienced four major breaks in the last seven years, causing major disruptions for the surrounding communities.

“The repeated water main breaks along the 14 Mile corridor made it clear that we need a more comprehensive approach to ensuring the level of service our communities need and deserve,” said Suzanne R. Coffey, P.E., Chief Executive Officer, GLWA. “This investment reflects our commitment to replacing aging infrastructure, strengthening system operation, and deploying advanced monitoring technology so we can identify problems earlier and potentially reduce future disruptions.”

The work along 14 Mile Road will occur in two phases:

Phase One

·       Replaces three miles of 48-inch prestressed concrete cylinder pipe (PCCP) with 54-inch steel pipe; This segment of pipe is located along 14 Mile Road from just west of Haggerty Road to just east of Farmington Road

·       Construction is expected to begin on Phase One in mid-November 2026 and will run until early 2028

Phase Two

·       Inspection of three miles of 54-inch PCCP along 14 Mile Road from just east of Farmington Road to GLWA’s Franklin Pump Station, which is located on Inkster Road, just north of 14 Mile Road

·       Renewal of pipe segments identified during inspection, if any

·       Installation of an Acoustic Fiber Optic (AFO) Monitoring System within the entire three-mile segment of PCCP

Phase Two will begin upon completion of Phase One. When installed, the AFO system continuously monitors the pipeline in real-time using acoustic fiber optic cable to detect leaks and wire breaks (wire breaks are the primary indicator of deterioration of PCCP). This continuous monitoring will enable GLWA to determine the rate of degradation and estimate a pipe’s remaining useful life.

The use of AFO to monitor PCCP is new in Michigan. GLWA was the first utility in the state to begin using the technology when it was installed in another section of PCCP along 14 Mile Road in Novi earlier this year.

Traffic will be impacted along 14 Mile Road in the construction area. GLWA is working with its member partners and the Road Commission for Oakland County to develop a traffic plan which will be shared with the public well in advance of work beginning in November. A series of public open houses are being planned to keep the impacted communities informed about the project. Those details will be released as soon as they are available.

GLWA anticipates that there will be little to no impact to water service throughout the construction process. Water will remain in service for household and business use during construction.

This project represents an approximately $81 million investment by GLWA in the region’s critical water infrastructure.

“The March water main break, which left drivers stranded in our city and disrupted service across neighborhoods, underscored that our residents deserve better,” said Farmington Hills Mayor Theresa Rich. “Our first responders and Public Services team acted swiftly during the emergency, but no community should have to rely on heroics to overcome aging infrastructure. Today’s GLWA investment marks a critical step toward delivering the resilient, safe water systems our residents require.”

The 14 Mile improvements are part of GLWA's ongoing capital investment program, which dedicates hundreds of millions of dollars annually to strengthening the regional water and wastewater systems. Through advanced inspection technologies and long-term asset management planning, GLWA continues prioritizing investments that improve reliability while helping avoid more costly emergency repairs.

The regional water system serves nearly 3.9 million residents across eight counties in southeast and mid-Michigan. For more information on GLWA and its role in ensuring millions of Michiganders have access to clean, safe water, please visit glwater.org.

About the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA)

The Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) is the provider-of-choice for drinking water services to nearly 40 percent, and efficient and effective wastewater services to nearly 30 percent, of Michigan’s population. With the Great Lakes as source water, GLWA is uniquely positioned to provide those it serves with water of unquestionable quality. GLWA also has the capacity to extend its services beyond its 88 member partner communities. As part of its commitment to water affordability, the Authority offers a Water Residential Assistance Program to assist low-income households in participating member communities throughout the system. GLWA’s 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.