Townships OK study of new Salem wastewater plan

    Officials in both Canton and Plymouth townships continue their years-long opposition to a new Salem Township Sewer Treatment Plant proposed near their community borders.
    In separate meetings last month, a “feasibility study” was approved by members of each of the township boards of trustees to determine if the Salem Township plant could be connected to the Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority (YCUA) rather than treat the sewage on site. The study will explore the possibility of a 12.5 mile pressurized pipeline as an alternative to onsite treatment of sewage at the proposed facility to be located near M-14 an Napier Road. The proposed pipeline would be underground in Van Buren Township, along with Canton and Plymouth.
    Since the announcement of the planned facility, residents in both Canton and Plymouth have expressed serious concerns regarding odors, flooding and environmental damage, along with the impact on residential values in the area.
    The proposed treatment plant is part of a planned Urban Service District in Salem Township. The development would be located in a 1,400-acre area near M-14 and Gotfredson Road and include commercial, industrial and residential development. While some infrastructure for the development is complete, neighboring townships continue to dispute the plan to treat wastewater on the site near their borders.
    An attorney for Salem Township, Ed Plato, warned members of the Plymouth Township board that the development was going to proceed. He noted that while Salem “doesn’t want” a wastewater disposal plant, the project would move forward. The plan to connect the Salem plant to the Ypsilanti facility for treatment would require Salem Township to provide and fund all maintenance.
    Plymouth Township trustees approved the study by a 5-2 vote with Treasurer Bob Doroshewitz and Clerk Jerry Vorva casting the dissenting votes.
    Vorva was vocal in his opposition noting that the plant “can be put someplace else.” He said he believed the Salem offiicals deliberately located the plan near the Plymouth border in an effort “intimidate” Plymouth officials and “force our hands.” Vorva’s suggestion to move the issue to a special meeting with notice to residents for their input did not receive support from the trustees.
    Doroshewitz agreed with Vorva and said he had doubts that Salem would treat wastewater in a plant so close to future residential development.
    “I’m having a difficult time believing that they would build a wastewater treatment plant and then try to sell 400 homes within a mile of it if this thing was going to be such an animal to manage, to build, and operate,” Doroshewitz said.
    Plymouth Township Supervisor Chuck Curmi was strongly in favor of the possible pipeline compromise as an effort to protect residents from the negative impacts of a treatment plant on the western border of the community and urged trustees to approve the study costs.
    Canton Township trustees, however, were unanimously in favor of the study noting that the treatment plant could impact the area which suffered severe flooding in 2023 along Fellows and Fowler creeks. Officials noted that the addition of a possible 850,000 gallons of treated wastewater per day from the proposed Salem plant would seriously impact flooding in the community.
    “I believe there are over 14,000 households on the Fellows Creek,” said Clerk Michael Siegrist, reminding board members that the August 2023 storm generated millions of dollars in property damage. “That’s 14,000 basements and I just can’t imagine another million gallons of water under a severe storm event going into those 14,000 basements,” he said.
    “This is important,” Supervisor Anne Marie Graham-Hudak said. “EGLE is basically about to issue the permit for this wastewater treatment facility…they don’t want to do this because it’s a small treatment facility, however, they said they really have no alternative at this point.”
    Salem Township previously explored connecting to the Canton-based Western Townships Utility Authority (WTUA), but that plan fell through. A previous agreement with YCUA also failed when Superior Township successfully blocked the sewer route in court.
    The feasibility study is expected to take several months and is designed to evaluate the technical and financial viability of the sewer pipeline proposal.
    “It is only giving consent to do the feasibility study,” Plymouth Township attorney Kevin Bennett said. “It is not granting consent for the installation of sewer pipelines.”

To the rescue

    Specialized team saves utility workers

    Firefighters from both Canton Township and the City of Romulus were called on Feb. 25 to aid in the rescue of two workers trapped in a collapsed trench in Wyandotte. The rescue effort was led by the Western Wayne County Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team. First responders from several

surrounding communities were called to help rescue the workers trapped in the trench which collapsed as they were performing utility repairs.

    Romulus Director of Community Safety Kevin Kraus noted that the USAR team is one of the most skilled in the region. Every member is highly trained in multiple rescue disciplines and undergoes monthly training to continuously improve their skills. Their expertise includes building collapse, rope rescue, water rescue, trench collapse, confined space operations, and wide-area search, he explained in a prepared release.
    Canton officials noted that while the USAR team isn’t called upon every day, the team members are always ready. USAR serves as an insurance policy for municipalities throughout Wayne County and despite the rarity of their use, their work is incredibly specialized.
    “In critical situations like this, the return on investment is immeasurable,” Kraus said. “Two individuals were saved and can return home to their families and loved ones.”
    “The incident highlights the remarkable dedication and courage of our firefighters, as well as their unwavering commitment to saving lives. We are incredibly proud of their work and the critical role they play in keeping us all safe,” Canton offiicals said.

Move to new Northville Township Service complex begins

    The Northville Township Emergency Dispatch Department, along with the police detective bureau officially moved into the new essential services complex last week.

    The new complex, located on Traditions Drive off Seven Mile Road, is on property formerly occupied by the Northville Psychiatric Hospital which was demolished. The new, 96,000 square-foot public services building will be the cornerstone for enhanced public safety for Northville Township, officials said. The building will house the new police headquarters, Fire Station 2, a new Department of Public Works headquarters and a Northville Parks & Recreation Trailhead Building for Legacy Park, officials added.
    The Northville Public Safety Dispatch officers handle all 911 calls as well as non-emergency calls for both Northville Township and the City of Northville. All the necessary equipment has been transferred to the new location.
    Once construction progresses, the rest of the Police Department staff will shift to the new facility, officials said.

Dingell honored as ‘Champion’ by public broadcasters

    Congresswoman Debbie Dingell was recently presented with the Champion of Public Broadcasting Award by America’s Public Television Stations (APTS). The Champion of Public Broadcasting Award is the highest honor of the organization, given annually to champions in Congress and state government for their extraordinary support of public television. Dingell has shown unwavering leadership as a champion of public television for her entire Congressional career and beyond, recognizing the valuable services public broadcasting provides to the people of Michigan and throughout our nation, noted Kate Riley, president and CEO of America’s Public Television Stations.

    “Congresswoman Dingell has been a stalwart and effective supporter of public media. Time and again, Congresswoman Dingell has shown steadfast leadership on our issues by consistently supporting our annual funding requests, helping stations address pressing infrastructure needs, supporting the efforts of stations like Detroit PBS to meet the challenges of the COVID pandemic and provide the highest quality resources to their communities when they were needed most,” Riley said.
    “We greatly appreciate Congresswoman Dingell’s keen understanding of the unique role of local public television stations in the media marketplace and our extraordinary public services from education as demonstrated by the Michigan Learning Channel, to our role in public safety through the PBS WARN system and all that our local stations do to connect communities to each other and highlight the stories, history and culture that are uniquely theirs.
    “America’s Public Television Stations are profoundly grateful for Congresswoman Dingell’s leadership and support, and it is my honor to present her with the well-deserved 2025 Champion of Public Broadcasting Award,” Riley said during the presentation ceremony.
    “Public television stations provide an irreplaceable service by sharing public safety, educational and local programming, every day, for free, and remain among the most trusted sources of information for their communities,” said Dingell. “We must continue to invest in public broadcasting, which benefits every American, especially those in rural communities. I am honored to be a Champion of Public Broadcasting and will continue to advocate for strong federal support for public TV.”
    Dingell represents Michigan’s 6th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.