Township water asset management plan approved

Bloomfield Township trustees unanimously approved a new water asset management plan that outlines the inventory, level of services and revenue structure, at their meeting on Monday, November 27.

Township engineering and environmental services director Olivia Olsztyn-Budry explained that the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) now requires an asset management plan (AMP) to be completed by every municipality with public water supply systems serving more than 1,000 by January 1, 2018, as part of the Safe Drinking Water Act.

“The MDEQ's intent of requiring the asset management plan is to ensure the long-term sustainability of the public water supply systems by mandating a long-term capital improvement plan and funding strategy. The township, being proactive, has had this plan in place since 2005. However, Bloomfield Township, including other communities, is now being required to provide an asset management to the MDEQ and meeting their components within the plan,” Olsztyn-Budry said in a memo.

Water asset management plans are required to include five components: asset inventory; level of service; critical assets; revenue structure; and capital improvement project plan, which the township created in 2005. She said that various township departments have worked with Hubbell, Roth & Clark over the last year to complete all aspects of the plan, and the recommendation is that no action is needed at this time.

The major assets included in the plan include one booster pumping station; a one-million gallon ground storage reservoir; 11 pressure reducing valve pits; a supervisory control acquisition system; 328 miles of six to 24-inch water mains; 2,985 hydrants; and 3,356 valves. The capital improvement plan detailed five and 20-year replacement plans.

Hubbell, Roth & Clark, which helped the township prepare their report, wrote, “Bloomfield Township works to ensure that all compliance and water quality issues are met. This includes meeting all state and federal regulations for drinking water quality, assuring that there is adequately trained staff to operate the system. The annual drinking water quality report outlines the results of the water system testing.

“Bloomfield Township has developed a comprehensive emergency response plan in order to assure that customer service disruptions on the water system are minimized. DPW and township staff will continue to work with residents when water service interruptions are necessary. Bloomfield Township will continue to update and improve notification processes to residents as communication techniques evolve. The township strives to minimize interruptions in service to the maximum extent possible.”

Trustees unanimously approved the water asset management plan.