Keep it flowing: Council OKs emergency water agreement

One of the most basic functions of municipal government is providing fresh, clean water to its residents for drinking, cooking and bathing.

But what happens when a water main breaks or there’s trouble at a treatment plant and now, there’s nothing coming out of your kitchen and bathroom faucets?

Oxford township and village officials are taking steps to prevent that from happening. Last week, the village council voted 4-0 to approve an interlocal agreement regarding emergency water main connections between the township and village systems.

These emergency connections will enable each municipality to supply the other with water on a temporary basis in the event of “an emergency or other unusual circumstances.”

Emergency connections will consist of a common water main with one valve and two locks. The valve will remain closed and locked until a need arises and both municipalities agree to open it. Each municipality will have control over its own lock.

Water provided from one municipality to the other during emergency situations will not be free, but it also won’t be metered. The municipality receiving water shall pay for it by estimating the usage of the affected properties based on past billing records.

Although this agreement specifically mentions a connection to be created at Lakeville Rd. and Bay Pointe Drive, part of the Oxford Lakes subdivision, it is meant to have much broader implications.

“This agreement covers the process that we will follow for all future emergency water connections,” explained village attorney Bob Davis. This way, the two municipalities “don’t have to reinvent the wheel” every time they want to install an emergency connection.

The Bay Pointe Drive connection will be constructed as part of the $1.5 million water main extension project along Lakeville Rd. The township is adding 7,505 feet of new water main from the Willow Lake subdivision to the Lake Villa Manufactured Home Community.

The new pipe will begin at the Willow Lake subdivision and run eastward along the north side of Lakeville Rd. It will then cross the road just west of Lakeville Elementary School and head south through school property with a portion of it traveling along Wildcat Drive. The water main will wind its way around Oxford Middle School and head east to Lake Villa.

“We expect to get going in May,” said township Supervisor Bill Dunn.

As part of this project, the township is paying all the costs, with the exception of attorney fees, to have two emergency connections created linking its water system to the village’s system, both of which draw their water from wells.

In addition to the connection at Bay Pointe Drive, a second connection will be constructed at Oakwood Drive, another street in the Oxford Lakes subdivision.

“It’s a great thing for the people who live in Oxford Lakes,” Dunn said.

The estimated cost for the two emergency connections is $18,000.

Davis noted the township’s generosity in this instance is a one-time thing.

“We will have to pay our fair share if we need additional emergency connections in the future,” he told council.

One of Davis’ other clients is the Southeastern Oakland County Water Authority (SOCWA), which serves 13 communities. All of them have emergency connections to each other, he said.

Councilman Dave Bailey asked Davis if he’s aware of any difficulties that have arisen from these connections.

“I haven’t had any disputes in my other connected communities,” the attorney told council. “The only issue I’ve ever run into is a minor billing dispute between two communities, but (it was) easily resolved.”

 

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