The Springfield Township Board gave their support to eliminating, rather than upgrading a water treatment plant operated by Oakland County.
There were two options discussed at the Aug. 11 meeting for the Softwater Lake Treatment plant located next to I-75 on the southeastern corner of Softwater Lake. One was the eventual upgrade of the plant to meet current standards for ground water discharge. The second was to connect the current Softwater Lake sewage treatment service area to the Clinton-Oakland sewer line located in Independence Township.
According to an Aug. 2 memo from Collin Walls to the township board, the Softwater Lake Treatment Plant, originally built in the 1970’s, currently serves an apartment complex and five condominium projects. The plant is maintained by the Oakland County Drain Commission and currently operates in accordance with the 1970’s ground water discharge permit requirements, but does not meet current ground water discharge requirements. The memo also states the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality has attempted to get Oakland County to upgrade the system for many years.
Walls? memo emphasizes that support from the Springfield Township Board for eliminating the plant could come with an understanding that only the current plant service area would be served by this extension and no other expansion of sewer services is planned by Springfield Township.
‘This is a very limited connection simply to deal with the very limited area that needs an upgrade,? said Township Clerk Nancy Strole.
During the meeting, costs of both options were discussed with estimates for the upgrade being provided at $2.5 million and the sewer extension at $2.3 million.
Representatives of the Oakland County Drain Commission present at the meeting said the upgrade could possibly take two years and have to earn specialized approval from MDEQ, while the tie-in may be able to take place as early as next year.
‘We have a choice and the logical choice is to connect. It’s less costly, done quicker and avoids future headaches,? said Trustee Roger Lamont.
Nancy Strole concurred, ‘Connecting makes the most sense for residents and the environment.
‘This really involves negotiations between the Oakland County Drain Commission and Independence Township. We wanted to convey our support for those two entities to negotiate and to express our gratitude to Independence Township,? said Strole.
In other board action, two motions were passed at separate Show Cause Hearings to obtain bids to demolish two buildings on Andersonville Road. Both buildings were ruled to be in violation of the Dangerous Buildings Ordinance by the Dangerous Building Hearings Officer on April 28.
Neither property owners attended the hearings to demonstrate why the orders should not be enforced.