Stormwater, wastewater cleaning approved

Bloomfield Township trustees unanimously agreed to award a new contract for the Stormwater Asset Management, and Wastewater (SAW) sanitary cleaning and televising contract to Doetsch Environmental Services at their meeting on Tuesday, September 29. The approved motion included additional work as well, for a total amount to not exceed $738,237, which is the total amount available to the township in a grant they received for this project. Bloomfield Township Director of Engineering and Environmental Services (EESD) Olivia Olsztyn-Budry said that because the first three divisions of the contract are for sanitary sewers, and the fourth is a storm sewer, it is not eligible for grant reimbursement. The township received five bids for the project, which includes cleaning and televising about 230,000 feet of sanitary sewers, and Doetsch Environmental Services’ was the lowest at $532,992.15. Since the bid was so much lower than the amount available, the EESD recommended approval to extend the contract and as-bid unit process for additional sewer cleaning and televising by way of a change order between the township and Doetsch, which was also approved. The majority of the work will be done in rear and side yards and along lakes and rivers. Budry said that residents in the area will be notified about the upcoming project via mail and the township’s social media. Total grant funding awarded to the township by the state was $2.06 million, of which $1,716,692 is reimbursable through the grant and $350,008 is a match to be paid by the township. In 2013, the township applied for the SAW grant through the state of Michigan. Out of the 620 applicants for grant funding submitted to the state, Bloomfield Township placed second to last out of the initial grant applications by a random drawing. The state continued funding the program and awarded grant funds based on the original list of applications. The township was notified in 2019 that funding was available and the grant agreement was finalized this past March. “Good things happen to people that wait,” said Leo Savoie, township supervisor.