What We Do

Customer Service

Infrastructure Service

Inspection/Planning/Permitting Service

Ta bl e of Con te nts Welcome Letter ..….……..………………………………………………………………………………….….2

What is a Water Resources Commissioner?.......…….……………...………………………………...………3 WRC Mission Statement/Safety & Quality Policy..…….…………………………………………………… 3 Customer Service……………………………………………………………………………………………4 - 5

Customer Service to Oakland County Cities, Villages & Townships (CVTs)….………...………….….4 Emergency Services…………………………...……….………...………………………………………5 Environmental, Storm Water Requirements/Regulations & Public Education………………………….5

Mapping Services & CAMS……………………..…...…………………………………...……………..4 George W. Kuhn Confined Space Training Facility………...……………………………...…………. .... 4 Water & Sewer Billing………………………………….………………………………………………..5

Infrastructure Service…..…………………………………………………………………………………..6 - 8 Electrical Systems…………………………………...………………………….………….….………...7 Lake Level Controls………………………………...……………………………………….…………..8 Lake Improvement Boards………………………...………………………………………….…………8 Pump Maintenance & Retention Treatment Basins..………………….………………………………...7 Sewer & Drain Maintenance……………………...……………………………………………………..6 Wastewater Treatment & Laboratory Services…………………………………………………………..8 Water & Sewer Engineering Support.………………………………..…………………….……………8 Water System Operation & Maintenance.………..……………………………………………. .............. 6

Inspection/Planning/Permitting Service……..……………………………………..…………………….9 - 10 Cross Connection………………………………………………………………………………………..9 Engineering Review……………………………………………………………………………………..9 Industrial Pretreatment Program (IPP)……..…….……………………………………………………..9

Inspections……………...……………………………………………………………………………….9 Miss Dig...………………....…………………………………………………………………………...10 Project Management...…………………………………………………………………………………10 Soil Erosion….…......………………………………………………………………………………….10

WRC sewer inspection truck 1

George W. Kuhn Retention Treatment Facility Wastewater treatment Plant controls

As your Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner (WRC), I serve the people and communities of our county, to ensure the quality of our waters for today and the future. My award winning staff and I work with residential and business customers, communities, regional partners and state and federal governments to bring the best services we can to our rate payers and the environment we all share. With 1,400 bodies of water to protect; hundreds of miles of water mains, sewer lines and drains to operate; regulated lake levels, erosion controls, a collaborative asset management system and many other operations, our office uses best practices to provide the best services possible.

We are currently well into the five year Strategic Plan development that I started upon entering office in 2013. As we develop this first-ever strategic plan for the WRC we are organizing a top to bottom review of the agency led by teams representing all levels of employees, the communities we serve and the other county departments we work with. As we develop and implement this plan we are seeking to turn an already respected and efficient organization into a regional and state leader for a sustainable future.

In this booklet we have set out the services we provide and a brief description of each customer-focused specialty we offer. I encourage you to visit our web site at www.oakgov.com/water to learn more about our organization and what we do.

We’re here to serve you!

Jim Nash

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What is a Water Resources Commissioner?

A water resources commissioner is one of the least understood of any elected position. In Michigan, not all counties have a water resources commissioner or drain com- missioner. There are 83 counties in Michigan, but just 66 have elected county drain or water resources commissioners.

Before state lawmakers got involved, drainage was considered a local problem and each township had its own drain commissioner. It wasn’t until early in the twentieth century that a public agency was established at the county level to address multi-jurisdictional drainage prob- lems.

With time, this office grew to encompass a much greater array of responsibilities including wa- ter treatment and distribution, wastewater collection and treatment, storm water drainage, lake level controls, soil erosion controls and a wide variety of other environmental programs.

As an elected official, it is important that I keep the community fully informed. Our county varies considerably from rural areas that rely on wells and individual septic systems to urban communities with large water, storm and wastewater systems. All areas have different challenges and priorities.

WRC Mission Statement The Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner’s Office is dedicated to the principles of integrity and professionalism, and to the preservation and protection of public health, welfare, convenience and the citizens’ right to quality water. We are committed to providing our customers with services of high value that are fairly priced and en- vironmentally sound. In our quest for excellence, it is imperative that each member of our staff responds to the issues of the public promptly, safely and with sensitivity and respect. In addition, we will endeavor to provide an appropriate resource when an issue is not within our authority. It is our desire to instill a culture that perpetuates an environment promoting trust, respect and team- work.

Safety & Quality Policy We are committed to excellence and providing progressive solutions by utilizing quality objectives, sound environmental practices, and a comprehensive safety program. Our organization has pledged a commitment to maintain management practices that ensure continuous improvement, the prevention of pollution, and a safe work environment for our employees. We will set goals that encourage efforts to meet or exceed local, state and federal water quality standards, environmental regulation and safety requirements within our control.

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Cus t o me r S e r v i ceS

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Customer Service to Oakland County Communities We provide operations and maintenance to both water and sewer custom- ers in Bingham Farms, Bloomfield Hills, Commerce Township, Farming- ton Hills, Keego Harbor, Orchard Lake Village, Royal Oak Township, White Lake Township and Wolverine Lake Village. We also operate and maintain well water supplied drinking water systems in parts of Franklin Village, Highland Township, Lyon Township, Novi, Oakland Township, Oxford Township and Springfield Township.

George W. Kuhn Confined Space Entry Training Facility The training facility was built to mimic working conditions in confined spaces, such as manholes and chambers. The facility is available for use by state, county and local governments, as well as police and fire department staff. • There is a standard 24-inch cover accessing a 6-foot deep man-

hole with both a 48-inch and 42-inch diameter concrete pipe passingthrough it.

• There is another standard 24-inch cover accessing a 5-foot deep man-hole with a 36-inch diameter concrete pipe passing through it. Thesestructures can be used to simulate a horizontal extraction scenario.

• The entire training structure is built into an earth mound approxi-mately 12-feet tall with a concrete staircase on the east side for accessto the manholes.

Mapping Services & CAMS Our Mapping Services staff is experienced in converting water, sewer and storm drain infrastructure information into a Geographic Information System (GIS) format. While completing the conversion of all infrastruc- ture maintained by this office, they continually update and improve exist- ing data as well as create new datasets. This group is available to assist communities and organizations with their conversion and data mainte- nance needs, including GPS data collection, exhibit and general map pro- duction and document scanning and archiving. The WRC is a full participant of the Collaborative Asset Management System (CAMS). This system will improve our preventive maintenance program to become a more robust predictive maintenance system. The system will provide: • An electronic, Web-based work order system available to field and

office staff• Cost savings to our customers by avoiding costly emergency repairs

and increasing the life of existing equipment• A Customer Request Management system, (CRM) allowing us to bet-

ter serve our customer questions and concerns• The availability for communities to partner with the WRC and use the

new CAMS system

Customer billing staff

George W. Kuhn Confined Space Entry Training Facility

CAMS & GIS mapping

Transforming Government

REACTIVE PREVENTATIVE PREDICTIVE

CAMS & GIS integration

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Cus t o me r S e r v i ce

Storm water retention treatment basin controls

Dirt Doctors presentation to elementary school children

Emergency Services The WRC provides emergency services for sewer and water maintenance 24 hours a day, seven days a week with a response time of two hours or less anywhere in Oakland County. Another part of our emergency services is the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System (SCADA). This allows us to monitor electronically controlled alarms and security systems at well houses, water treatment facilities, water storage reservoirs, pressure reducing valve units, wastewater treatment plants, sanitary sewer lift stations, rain gauges, lake levels, etc.

Environmental, Storm Water Requirements/ Regulations & Public Education Our Environmental Team manages the federal storm water permit pro- gram for Oakland County. This involves coordinating with other Oakland County agencies, subwatershed groups and communities within the five major watersheds in Oakland County. Services we provide include: • Public education on water quality issues • Illicit discharge elimination plans • Participation with numerous technical committees, public advisory

councils and boards dealing with water quality • Grant application and administration • Educational program for students learning about the impact we have

on our waterways and how to protect our rivers, lakes and streams.

Water and sewer bill

Water & Sewer Billing The WRC has dedicated staff that handle water and sewer billing for multiple communities in Oakland County. We are ready to answer any billing question or concern from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information contact 248-858-1110. We provide: • Water meter reading • Billing services for water and sewer customers • Bill collection with options to pay by automatic bill payment from a

customer’s checking or savings account, on-line at the WRC Web site, by mail or walk-in

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I nfr a s t r u ct ur e S e r v i ce

Sewer & Drain Maintenance The WRC operates and maintains all county-owned sewers and maintains many individual community sewer systems under contract. We also operate and maintain various drains in the county authorized by law. Additionally, the WRC provides drain and sewer inspection, maintenance and sewage flow metering, engineering plan review and operation and maintenance of lake level control structures. Additional services include: • Assisting landowners or developers in establishing a private drain in

accordance with the state Drain Code • Equipped with data programs tracking manhole repairs, inspections,

maintenance and video taping • Inspection crews are equipped with digital cameras • Adding in regulatory compliance Sewer and drain equipment includes: • Multiple vactor high-pressure cleaning trucks • Jet, high-pressure cleaning trucks with a back easement machine • Closed-circuit televising trucks equipped with 1000 feet of video ca-

ble with footage counter, digital recording for reports and reference, digital stills and a tracking system to locate manholes or areas of sewers or drains in need of repair

• Backhoe, bulldozer, skid steer and two dump trucks and trailers • Multiple manhole repair trucks equipped with 25 feet cranes and

equipment to make necessary manhole repairs Water System Operation & Maintenance The WRC operates and maintains Detroit Water and Sewerage Depart- ment (DWSD)-supplied drinking water and well water supplied systems for a number of communities in Oakland County. Our services include: • Water main rehabilitation and repair, distribution valve inspection and

repair, fire hydrant pumping, inspection and repair, water system flushing program and water service tap installation

• Water quality investigations • Meter reading and meter maintenance • Publishing the annual Consumer Confidence Reports • Pressure and bacteriological testing

Vactor truck

Manhole repair

Oxford Water Tower

• New construction inspection Fire hydrant inspection

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I nfr a s t r u ct ur e S e r v i ce

Storm water retention treatment disinfection facility equipment

Acacia Retention Treatment Basin

Electrical system repair

Sewage flow monitoring

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Pump Maintenance & Retention Treatment Basins The WRC operates and maintains more than 190 facilities comprised of sewage pump stations, retention treatment basins, community well and water treatment sites, pressure reducing facilities, elevated and ground storage reservoirs, sewage retention facilities, lake level augmentation sites and storm water retention facilities. Services include: • Preventive maintenance at our facilities • Automated control of remote sites • Trained and licensed staff (Michigan Department of Environmental

Quality (MDEQ) Wastewater, Water Treatment and Water Distribu- tion System licenses)

• Compliance with multiple Combined Sewage Overflows (CSO) basin National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits

• 24-hour on-call service, seven days a week • A fleet of vehicles equipped with cranes and necessary tools and

electrical test equipment to diagnose problems in order to trouble- shoot and repair equipment

• Maintenance of more than 2,000 residential grinder pumps • Plan review of new and upgraded facilities • Start-up inspection of residential and commercial grinder pump systems

• Construction inspection of new sewage pump stations and commu- nity well-houses, water treatment plants and water storage reservoirs

Systems Control The Systems Control staff operates and maintains the Supervisory Con- trol and Data Acquisition System (SCADA) an electronic notification system for monitoring system status, alarms and security at well houses, pressure reducing valves, wastewater treatment plants, sanitary sewer lift stations, rain gauges, lake levels, etc. Staff provides engineering plan re- view and control system inspections for new sewage pump stations and community well houses and maintains sites to both the National Electri- cal Code and Oakland County standards. Additional services include: • Providing 15 portable generators for emergency power • Personnel lift application providing elevated height service and

maintenance • Gas detector maintenance and calibration. (Maintaining more than

100 portable gas detectors and seven fixed-site gas detectors) • Grinder pump dialers for automatic dial-up to our 24-hour, seven

days a week emergency dispatch center • Master electrician review of site plans for new water or sanitary

facilities

I nfr a s t r u ct ur e S e r v i ce Wastewater Treatment & Laboratory Services The WRC operates and maintains several wastewater treatment plants and community septic systems, ranging in capacity from 1,000 gallons a day to 3.5 million gallons a day. Services include: • Commitment to operations excellence and regulatory compliance

(Recipient of the National Association of Clean Water Agencies’ Peak Performance Awards)

• Trained and licensed staff with expertise in various wastewater treat- ment technologies and processes

• 24-hour on-call service, seven days a week • Plan review of new and upgraded wastewater treatment plants • Operational suggestions, expertise and technical support provided to

system owners who need to upgrade and/or modify their existing treatment systems to meet new or more stringent discharge permit requirements

• Biosolids land application programs • Septic and sewage hauling services and disposal • Operation of a full-time, in-house Michigan Department of Environ-

mental Quality (MDEQ)-certified laboratory for wastewater and drinking water sample analysis

Water & Sewer Engineering Support Our office is experienced in developing and adhering to system budgets, oversight of system compliance and regulatory reporting. We handle all sewer flow and rain gauge data used to verify billing and monitor con- tract compliance for current customers. We are responsible for monitor- ing overflow events, controlling retention basin dewatering and assisting with direct maintenance efforts.

Wastewater treatment plant operated and maintained by the WRC

Lab testing

Lake Level Controls The WRC is the delegated authority to operate and maintain certain lake level control structures at designated Oakland County locations. Fifty- three lakes in Oakland County have court-ordered lake levels, regulated by 36 control structures and eight augmentation pumps.

Lake Improvement Boards The WRC staff serves as one of the five members on designated lake im- provement boards across Oakland County. There are 50 lake improve- ment boards in Oakland County. We offer a step-by-step comprehensive Lake Improvement Board Manual for use by all lake boards.

Long Lake level control

Tipsico Lake Dam 8

Insp ect ion/Pl anning /Per mitt ing Ser vice

Reviewing plans

Acacia Drain relief inspections

Backflow prevention device

Inspecting for backflow

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Engineering Review The WRC has a dedicated staff that oversees and reviews new construc- tion project plans that involve water, sewer and drainage facilities under its jurisdiction. These reviews are done to ensure that the detailed con- struction plans are in compliance with the adopted specifications estab- lished for the system. The appropriate permits for this work are issued upon approval.

Engineering staff:

• Reviews plans for new residential and commercial developments under WRC jurisdiction

• Evaluates permits issued for municipal projects and local road commission and Michigan Department of Transportation projects

Inspections The WRC staff can provide a variety of inspections associated with drain, sewer and water system construction.

Inspections include:

• Major construction projects and improvements, drain permits, sewer and water system extensions and house lead connections, as well as handling customer concerns

• Plans to ensure that new facilities are properly constructed, that the integrity of the existing system is maintained and that proper compli- ance with federal, state and local laws and ordinances is observed

Cross Connection This program is designed to prevent backflow or backsiphonage of con- taminated water into the drinking water supply. Staff is also responsible for water quality sampling and water quality investigations. Our Cross Connection staff is responsible for the inspection, elimination and preven- tion of cross connections in commercial, industrial and residential facili- ties.

Industrial Pretreatment Program (IPP) The Cross Connection staff is charged with enforcing IPP standards in accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality regulations.

• The staff issues wastewater discharge permits and monitors permit- ted industries through regular wastewater sampling and comprehen- sive facility inspections.

Insp ect ion/Pl anning /Per mitt ing Ser vice

Project Management Under the provisions of the Michigan Drain Code, through municipal petition or citizen initiative, storm drain facilities can be constructed and established as a county drain. WRC staff members manage the construc- tion and improvements of these facilities. New water and sanitary sewer facility construction is likewise managed by our staff upon request from local municipalities. Project management also includes easement acquisi- tion and survey services.

Easement acquisition services include:

• Acquisition of easements for the construction of storm drains, sani- tary sewer systems, water supply systems and other miscellaneous projects ( sidewalks, bike paths, etc.)

• Obtaining acceptable easement agreements from individual property owners for these projects

Survey services include: • Surveying for the construction layout of county drains, sewers and

water supply systems and other miscellaneous projects • Site topography and the staking of easements and right of way

boundaries

Jamian County Drain

Survey equipment

Soil Erosion Our Soil Erosion staff issues permits for construction activities to control soil erosion on behalf of many communities in Oakland County. Con- struction sites are inspected on a regular basis to ensure soil erosion pre- vention measures are in place and functioning as intended. This service is provided to protect our lakes, streams and wetlands from the effects of soil erosion and sedimentation.

Silt fencing for soil erosion

Miss Dig The WRC provides onsite Miss Dig service which identifies the location of underground water, sewer and drain facilities. We stake the existing utility either with flags or by marking the ground with paint. Locating the underground infrastructure helps minimize the risk of damage during construction activities.

Miss Dig water flags

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The WRC Administrative Building

One Public Works Drive Building 95 West

Waterford, MI 48328-1907

Phone: 248-858-0958 Fax: 248-858-1066

E-mail: wrc@oakgov.com Web site: www.oakgov.com/water Oakland County 24-Hour Pollution

Hotline: 248-858-0931