FARMINGTON, Mich. – The city of Farmington is facing an issue that so many other communities across Metro Detroit face -- aging infrastructure.
It’s keeping the Farmington Public Works Department busy and fixing and replacing isn’t cheap.
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This city is 200 years old and pieces of that period are still being found today by public works.
From the buildings to the state markers downtown, Farmington is known for its historic charm. Pieces of the past aren’t just found downtown, they are all over the city.
“It’s a common joke in the office that we can’t make up the stories of what we find on a daily basis,” said Chuck Eudy.
Eudy, the Superintendent of Public Works, has worked for the City of Farmington for 30 years. He said it’s not uncommon for his crews to discover or work on historical equipment.
“Recently crews serviced and repaired two fire hydrants that were dated 1922,” Eudy said. “Fortunately we were able to get parts to service them and that part supply is dwindling down. Replacement cost of a fire hydrant is 10 times the cost of just repairing it.”
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Mayor Joe Larussa finds it fascinating and a testament to the community’s longevity.
“We had an occasion not too long ago where we were doing quite a large project on Farmington Road and when we opened the street we actually found an old wooden water main, something that underground water delivery used to be done with wood,” Larussa said.
He acknowledged that it does come with difficulties.
“Trying to balance between renewing infrastructure by replacing it or keeping things maintained and running, trying to find spare parts and trying to find things from that era can be kind of difficult,” Larussa said.
It can also prompt delays and easily turn one project into two.
“So there’s quite a few times we’re finding old infrastructure that we had no idea was there,” Eudy said. “And then we have to revise plans, and we pivot and be ready to make a new project.”
Then there are the costs. City road repairs are covered by a millage and the water main repairs by residents’ rates.
The city is prioritizing repairs and taking advantage of when they are doing a project that requires digging or anything like that they evaluate what else they need to do before patching it up.
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