January 12, 2005

Today, Department of Environmental Quality Director Steven E. Chester, and John P. McCulloch, Oakland County Drain Commissioner, announced that the parties have reached an agreement to resolve sanitary sewer overflows (SSOs) that will preserve and protect water quality.

The settlement was executed through an Administrative Consent Order that resolves the numerous SSOs that have occurred from the County’s Evergreen-Farmington Sewage Disposal System since 2000. In addition to the payment of a civil penalty and reimbursement of DEQ costs, the settlement requires the county to perform extensive corrective actions within the sewer system in order to eliminate SSOs to waters of the state. Settlements to resolve SSO issues were also reached with the following communities: Beverly Hills, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Lathrup Village, Troy, and West Bloomfield Township.

"These settlements mark significant accomplishments for the continued protection and revitalization of the Rouge River by working cooperatively to address SSO issues in southeast Michigan,” said Director Chester. “The continued protection of Michigan’s waters and public health should be everyone’s goal and the DEQ is pleased that the Oakland County Drain Commissioner’s Office supports us in that goal.”

“The preservation and protection of one of our most precious natural resources – clean, fresh water – has been at the forefront of my tenure as Drain Commissioner,” said Commissioner McCulloch. “This agreement is historic not only for its impact on Oakland County, but because it can serve as a blueprint and model for other communities throughout the nation dealing with this expensive and often complex problem.”

Editor’s note: DEQ news releases are available on the department’s Internet home page at www.michigan.gov/deq.

Revised January 12, 2005 by Pat Watson