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Macomb County clearing sewers of 6K tons of built-up sediment from 2016 Fraser sinkhole

New project seeks to prevent another sewer collapse

Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Candice S. Miller talks to Macomb County Commissioner Don VanSyckel at the Macomb Interceptor Drain construction project on 15 Mile Road, west of Schoenherr Road, in Sterling Heights. (Macomb County Public Works)

MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. – Crews are working to remove thousands of tons of sediment that have built up in a major Macomb County sewer in an effort to keep the system from collapsing.

Macomb County’s public works department is spending millions to “prevent a major sewer from collapsing again,” officials said Tuesday. Part of that project includes clearing the Macomb Interceptor Drain of a sand-like sediment that is believed to have accumulated from a 2016 sinkhole caused by a sewer collapse.

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In December 2016, an interceptor sewer located under 15 Mile Road in Fraser collapsed, creating a sinkhole in the area near Eberlein Drive. Since then, sediment from the sinkhole has infiltrated into the Macomb Interceptor Drain and collected en masse -- reaching 24-36 inches in thickness in some areas, officials said.

Crews are expected to remove 6,000 tons of the sediment from the 11-foot-diameter pipe that sits 60 feet underground. As of Tuesday, Aug. 29, about 1,000 tons of sediment had so far been “painstakingly scooped and removed” from the pipe to help ensure sewage can flow more easily.

The pipe “carries the sanitary sewage from almost 600,000 residents from 11 of Macomb County’s communities,” a press release reads. Once the wet sediment is removed and dried out, it will be disposed of at a landfill.

The project comes about a year after a major water main break occurred in the county and disrupted water flow for several communities for weeks. A smaller water main break occurred earlier this month, prompting a boil water advisory for multiple communities.

The county has experienced several main breaks and pipe issues over the last few years. Local leaders are considering establishing a new reservoir system to help prevent disruption of water services in the future.

More on that: Can a reservoir help Macomb County prevent water service disruption amid main breaks?


About the Author
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Cassidy Johncox is a senior digital news editor covering stories across the spectrum, with a special focus on politics and community issues.

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