WATER & SEWER DEPARTMENT
Edwin Haapala, Director

  CONTACT INFORMATION:

The department provides for an on-call, 24 hour around the clock maintenance employee and supervisor. In the event a water or sewer emergency has taken place at your residence or business, a water and sewer department employee and/or supervisor will respond to your location and assist in evaluating the problem. During regular business working hours, please call (248) 451-4832 or (248) 451-4780. For after-hours emergencies, please call (248) 975-9200.

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW- BELIEF AND VALUE STATEMENT

The West Bloomfield Water and Sewer Department believes in providing quality water and sewer service to its residential and business customers, whereby utility infrastructure is maintained through accountable and efficient operation, maintenance and management practices in an attempt to preserve water and sewer rates as low as possible.

• Excellence, respect, chain of command, and pride in all that we do.
• Ethical and moral conduct, in as much as is possible.
• Innovation in all areas of our industry as a means of sustaining leadership.
• Responsibility to effectively operate and maintain our system.
• Effective communications required on a daily basis.
• Safety is first and foremost. We watch each others backs and stay safe.
• Accountabiliy, Experience, Trust, Technology, Honesty, Commitment, Integrity, Planning, Teamwork, Organizational Development, Courtesy, Achievement, Workmanship, Professionalism, and Dedication to Public Service and our Positions.

Under the administration of the Township Supervisor the Water and Sewer Department is comprised of a total of (21) employees, which includes (12) Field Maintenance, (3) Billing, (1) Office Manager, (1) Clerk, (1) Field Supervisor, (1) Superintendent, (1) Assistant Director and (1) Director. The department maintains and operates over 300 miles of sanitary sewer mains, (23) sanitary sewer lift stations, 343 miles of water mains and (8) township entry point pressure reducing vaults for control of incoming Detroit water. The department operates on an annual budget of approximately $21 Million dollars, of which approximately 67% is paid to Detroit for wholesale water purchases and Oakland County for sewer services.

• Repair and maintenance of water and sewer mains and related structures, such as lift stations and generators, fire hydrants, gate wells, sanitary sewer manholes and water shut off valves.
• Replacement or repair of leaking, noisy or stopped water meters.
• Field marking for underground water and sewer utility locations within the road right-of-way or utility easement. Mark-outs are not provided on private property.
• Management of all subdivision irrigation sprinkling meters, whereby the meters are removed in the fall and installed in the spring by township water personnel.
• Investigation of possible water service line leaks and sanitary sewer back ups.
• Answer customer inquiries regarding their water and sewer bill.
• Administration of programs required by State and Federal agencies, such as sump pump and roof drain inspections, sanitary sewer televising and cleaning, water distribution system gate valve exercising and MDEQ cross connection control inspections. The department does not perform cleaning of sanitary sewer service lines on private property.

• Water Rate 3.38% increase - from $35.18 MCF to $36.37 MCF
• Sewer Rate 3.71% increase - from $24.52 MCF to $25.43 MCF
• Sewer only Rate 3.71% increase - from $95.62 per/quarter to $99.19 per quarter

• Outdoor water usage is governed by street number. Addresses ending in odd numbers water on odd numbered days of month, even numbers on even dates. Watering should not occur between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. or 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. on any day.
• Homes with septic systems must provide the Engineering office with inspection report stating that it is functioning properly within 60 days of sale of property.
• Delinquent water and sewer bills are subject to water turn off if over $500 or more than sixty days unpaid; a $75.00 turn off/turn on fee will be charged. Payments are only accepted at Treasurer's office during regular business hours.
• Payment for water and sewer bills must be received by 4:30 p.m. on the due date to avoid penalty.