Detroit finished a major infrastructure project it says will make a world of difference for 1,200 west-side homes that experienced frequent flooding.
Why it matters: For $40 million, the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department finished the city’s first large-scale municipality-owned stormwater basin area.
- Mayor Mary Sheffield said Detroit is preparing for the future as rainstorms become more frequent and intense.
State of play: Two stormwater basins in Rouge Park serve the Far West Detroit neighborhood, lowering the risk of basement backups and flooding. They catch more than 119 million gallons of stormwater annually, slow the water’s progress and move it to the Rouge River.
- Water is naturally filtered and must meet quality standards, per Sam Smalley, the water department’s deputy director.
What they’re saying: “It’s a part of [the water department] and this administration’s strategy to reduce the amount of stormwater entering Detroit’s combined sewer system, through innovative green infrastructure projects,” Sheffield said at a ribbon-cutting event Thursday…