Peters Secures $5.5 Million for Two Macomb County Drainage Projects to Help Minimize Potential Flooding of Nearby Homes, Businesses and Improve Drinking Water Quality

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) successfully secured $5.5 million in federal funding for two critical drainage projects in Macomb County at the Chapaton Retention Basin and Martin Sanitary Diversion Drainage District. This federal investment will be used for infrastructure projects that will help minimize potential flooding at nearby homes and businesses when there is heavy rain and help improve drinking water quality. Reducing sewage overflow with this funding will benefit the Great Lakes region and Lake St. Clair, which serves as the drinking water supply for 4 million residents—about 30 percent of Michigan’s population. Peters supported the requests for these two Macomb County projects, which were included in the bipartisan government funding bill for Fiscal Year 2022, which Peters helped pass out of the Senate last week and was signed into law this week by President Biden.

Macomb County will use $4.5 million of the funding to reduce combined sewage overflows (CSO) to the Chapaton Retention Basin, which services the sewage needs for the cities of Eastpointe and St. Clair Shores. Currently, excess flows are discharged to Lake St. Clair. In addition, $1 million will go toward a project to construct In-System Storage devices in the Martin Drain Pipe at Harper Avenue to maximize the use of existing infrastructure and increase sewer storage capacity. This aims to reduce combined sewage overflow by 20 percent a year and in turn will help alleviate the possibility of flooding during heavy rain events. Peters previously visited the Chapaton Basin with Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller to support their effort to strengthen this critical infrastructure.

“It’s critical Michiganders have access to clean drinking water and that we take steps to strengthen our water infrastructure to better withstand heavy rain and extreme weather events,” said Senator Peters. “I’m pleased this significant federal investment will help the Martin Sanitary Diversion Drainage District in Macomb County fund projects that can both improve drinking water quality and reduce sewage overflow that can cause flooding that damages the basements of people’s homes and businesses.”

“We’re very grateful and appreciative for Senator Peters’ effort to secure funding for the Martin Retention Basin. These important funds will help improve the water quality of Lake St. Clair and downstream by reducing combined sewer overflows which are discharged into the lake during heavy rain events,” Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Candice S. Miller said. “These funds will be used to improve underground infrastructure in order to protect Michigan’s natural resources.”

This federal investment in the Martin Sanitary Diversion Drainage District is among dozens of high-impact public local projects in Michigan that will benefit from federal assistance, which Peters successfully secured in the government funding bill. You can view a full list of these Peters-secured projects here.

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