Title
The Board of Water Commissioners for the City of Detroit, Water and Sewerage Department authorizes the Director to execute a payment to the Great Lakes Water Authority for Disinfection System and Facility Improvements to the Belle Isle (CSO) Facility, for a combined total not-to-exceed amount of $2,501,665.06. This also authorizes the Director to take such other action as may be necessary to accomplish the intent of this vote.
Body
Agenda of November 18, 2026
Item No.: 2026-242
Payment for Repairs to the Belle Isle (CSO) Facility
Amount: $2,501,665.06
TO: The Honorable
Board of Water Commissioners
City of Detroit, Michigan
FROM: Gary A Brown, Director
Detroit Water and Sewerage Department
DATE: November 18, 2026
RE: Payment to the Great Lakes Water Authority for system and facility improvements to the Belle Isle (CSO).
MOTION
Upon recommendation and opinion of Samuel Smalley, Chief Operating Officer, the Board of Water Commissioners for the City of Detroit, Water and Sewerage Department authorizes the Director to execute a payment to the Great Lakes Water Authority for repairs to the Belle Isle (CSO) Facility, for a one-time not-to-exceed amount of $2,501,665.06. This also authorizes the Director to take such other action as may be necessary to accomplish the intent of this vote.
BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
GLWA operates nine (9) Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Facilities. The CSO facilities
provide preliminary treatment and disinfection during wet weather. Some facilities provide
additional settling. To prepare these CSO facilities for their full utilization, the “CSO Facilities Assessment Report” prepared under GLWA Contract No. CS-299 identified a series of repairs and enhancements that are recommended to improve facility reliability, efficiency, flexibility, operation, maintenance, and safety.
This project entails two concurrent phases:
I. Belle Isle - Disinfection System Improvements - Design/Engineering #1
This project will provide engineering services required to meet the disinfection
requirements of the “CSO Facilities Assessment Report” for the Belle Isle (DWSD), Baby Creek and Puritan Fenkell. The project will identify improvements and standardization while addressing the disinfection and necessary support systems at the CSO facilities listed above. The scope of services includes preparation of engineering studies and analysis; computational fluid dynamics modeling; preparation of the basis of design reports; development of design and construction documents; obtaining all required permits; support for construction contract bidding and negotiation; providing construction
assistance/construction engineering; developing system operation and maintenance
manuals; training GLWA’s operations and maintenance team members and providing other services required to deliver the scope of work.
II. CSO Facilities Improvements II, which will address upgrades to the gas monitoring system, safety, and architectural rehabilitation at Belle Isle.
Specific scope of work at Belle Isle includes the following:
• Improved fall protection at hatches and for the chemical storage tanks
• Improve safety at hatches by upgrading lift-assist cylinders
• Improved safety for walkway clearance in odor control area
• Remote gate operation to prevent confined space (safety improvement)
• Architectural rehabilitation around the building for sealant and painting around
• windows, doors, louvers, control joints, coves and masonry joint, pointing, band, or sill repairs, to extend building life.
• Gas monitoring system improvements
• Improvement to lighting on top of basin for safe access
• Improvements to the bridge crane for safe operation
PROCUREMENT METHOD
According to DWSD’s Procurement Policy, Section 7.5, competitive solicitation is not required with any public procurement unit for the shared use of goods or services belonging to one or more of the units pursuant to the terms agreed upon between the parties (Section 7.5.2), and/or Agreements with Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) (Section 7.5.2.4.)
An Exception to Competitive Solicitation (ECS) form was submitted and approved by Director Brown on October 29, 2026. Requisition Nos. 553711 & 553713 were submitted to initiate the payment process and approved by Budget on October 29, 2026.
Phase I: Belle Isle- Disinfection System Improvements - $1,414,132.00
Phase II: CSO Facilities Improvement II - $1,087,533.06
Combined Total Costs: $2,501,665.06
The expense of this repair work will be funded from DWSD’s Sewer and I&E fund.
Funding Source and GL String:
5821-20243-497711-617900-900448-30129-0000-000000 - 100% Sewer
This proposed contract was presented to the BOWC Finance Committee agenda on November 18, 2026. Per DWSD procurement protocol, mayoral approval will be obtained.