Member Spotlight

The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) is rethinking how the city manages stormwater. Through its Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) program, DWSD is using nature-based solutions to reduce pressure on its combined sewer system while improving neighborhoods and helping keep water and drainage rates affordable.

Much of this work is focused on the Upper Rouge Tributary Area. When heavy rain sends too much runoff into Detroit’s combined sewer system, it can contribute to combined sewer overflows, basement backups and street flooding. GSI projects capture, slow and absorb stormwater before it reaches the system. That capacity is increasingly valuable as Detroit and the Great Lakes region experience more intense rainfall.

The Far West Detroit Stormwater Improvement Project, now under construction, is one example of DWSD’s approach. By managing runoff closer to where it falls, projects like this can help reduce flooding risks and the volume of stormwater the sewer system must handle. They can also bring visible improvements to the neighborhoods where they are built.

DWSD’s strategy has a financial benefit, too. Reducing stormwater flows into the combined sewer system can lessen the need for costly traditional infrastructure, such as new tunnels and treatment facilities. DWSD reports that it has exceeded the $50 million expenditure requirement in its NPDES permit and is now directing investment toward larger neighborhood projects designed to deliver cost-effective results. This work also aligns with the Great Lakes Water Authority’s Wastewater Master Plan.

The department is extending its efforts beyond public projects. Detroit’s amended Post-Construction Stormwater Management Ordinance requires new developments to manage runoff, while DWSD’s Drainage Charge Credit System offers private property owners an incentive to install GSI. Planned projects in Brightmoor and on the east side, along with coordination with the City’s Demolition Program to reduce impervious surfaces, are part of a broader effort to manage stormwater across the city.

DWSD’s work shows how utilities can address several community needs through one coordinated strategy. By investing in green infrastructure, Detroit is working to reduce overflows and flooding, strengthen neighborhood resilience and manage long-term costs for the people it serves.