Genesee County Considering Alternatives to DWSD Water Supply

The Flint News reports today that Genesee County is still studying alternatives to buying water from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD), even as County officials continue negotiations on a possible new 30 year contract. The principal alternative would be the construction of a separate water treatment plant, which would include placing miles of new pipeline to Lake Huron.

"County Drain Commissioner Jeff Wright and a spokesman for the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department confirmed Friday they have been and will continue talking March 10 about renewing what's been an unhappy marriage -- even as the idea of water independence gets all the attention."

"A decision has to be made by August as far as I'm concerned," said Wright, who said there's at least a 50-50 chance the county will break from Detroit and build the water line at a cost of more than $300 million.

Genesee County is one of a number of counties which are studying alternatives to buying their drinking water from the City of Detroit. Meanwhile, DWSD is proceeding with plans to add capacity to its system. The Flint Loop and North Oakland Transmission System (NOTS), would add miles of additional water main and redundancy to DWSD's drinking water transmission system.