U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (MI-08) today joined Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter, Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner Jim Nash, Brandon Township Supervisor Jayson Rumball, Holly Township Supervisor George Kullis, and other local leaders and business owners to celebrate the passage of an agreement to allocate $10 million in federal funding for a a planned sanitary sewer system. Earlier this summer, the Oakland County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to move forward with allocating federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to the Northwest Oakland County Sewer Project.
This project will allow some of Oakland County’s smallest, most rural communities to tie into a modern, newly constructed system for a fraction of the cost of building their own. Over the course of several months, Slotkin has actively advocated for the project and recently appeared before the Commission to speak to the plan’s benefits. The entire project is estimated to cost $90 million, and experts say Oakland County’s portion will pay for itself over the next 5-7 years. Slotkin is also pushing to secure an additional $1 million in federal funds through the community project funding process for related engineering costs. Construction is expected to begin in 2023.
“This project is a textbook example of the value of regional cooperation, and proof that when we think big and work together, everyone benefits,” Slotkin said. “The smaller communities in northern Oakland County this project will benefit, including Ortonville, Holly Township, Groveland Township, and Brandon Township, have limited resources and simply can not afford to build a modern sanitary sewer system on their own. Tying into Genesee’s construction is a win-win situation that will lead to better environmental impacts and opportunities for careful economic development. I’m truly grateful to all who voted to put good policy over politics and invest wisely in the future of our small, rural communities and the preservation of our lakes, rivers and waterways.”
The collaboration will allow Oakland County to partner with Genesee for wastewater treatment and help secure the health and viability of local lakes, rivers, and waterways. Several septic systems in the impacted area have been identified as failing, including the Holly State Recreation Area and Groveland Oaks, part of Oakland County Parks and Recreation. The recently opened Holly Oaks ORV Park now will have more options for amenities as it expands its offerings to the off-roading public.
“I want to thank Congresswoman Slotkin, who has been tireless in her support of a project that is an excellent example of a federal, state and local partnership,” Coulter said. “This project is a rare opportunity to preserve green space while protecting jobs and the environment from failing septic tanks.”
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these communities to address issues of failing a septic system and to protect the environment by providing access to a sanitary sewer,” Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner Jim Nash said. “This project will protect the lakes, streams and headwaters of the Flint River Watershed for years to come and represents regional collaboration at its finest.”
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