Imagine it’s 7:00 a.m. on a typical busy morning and you’re getting yourself and your kids ready for the day. Suddenly the shower goes off, the faucets stop running and the toilets won’t flush. Most likely a water main break has occurred nearby. City DPS workers are on scene to get service restored. But in the meantime, you and the neighbors have to make do with no running water.

With an aging infrastructure, this scenario has played out many times across the city. It doesn’t only affect homes. Businesses, schools and places of worship are all affected when a water main breaks.

With over 88 miles of water lines running beneath the city, total replacement is not practical or economically feasible. Adding to the scope of the problem is that most of the city’s mains are well over 60 years old.

During the Kuspa administration, the city has worked to extend the life expectancy of the city’s major transmission lines through a relining program. Once relined, the longevity of the main is increased by an estimated 30 years. However, the relining process is costly and only a small portion of Southgate’s water system can be relined each year. Therefore, the city continues to look for ways to put less stress on its aging water infrastructure.

Water main breaks happen for a few different reasons – one being the variation in water pressure. Fresh water flows into Southgate from the Great Lakes Water Authority pumping station, located in Allen Park. That facility is not able to adjust for fluctuations in water use downstream. When there is a sudden change in use, the pressure in the pipes changes. Those spikes and dips in pressure create a lot of force inside the water mains. When the pipes were new, those pressure spikes were less damaging, but over time they create a lot of wear and tear.

The installation of industrial pressure relief valves (PRVs) is a proven method to help reduce main breaks during pressure fluctuations. PRVs must be installed below the surface in concrete chambers at each freshwater entry point into the city. Each chamber has a bypass pipe, and a specially calibrated valve that keeps the flow of water into the city at a consistent pressure. It is an expensive project, costing approximately $300,000 for each installation. Southgate would require three PRVs. But thankfully, good news is on the way!

Southgate’s U.S. Congressman, Shri Thanedar, met with Mayor Kuspa and his staff in early 2023. Looking for practical ways to invest in the communities he serves, the congressman understood the city’s water infrastructure issues. He worked diligently to include $900,000 into the upcoming federal budget to cover the cost of installing three pressure relief valves (PRVs) in the city.

Congressman Thanedar’s efforts were successful and the City of Southgate received official acknowledgment of the grant in May.

Once installed, these PRVs will substantially reduce pressure-related water main breaks, keep DPS workers safer with less occurrences and provide long-term cost savings to the city.

These PRVs have been installed in other communities with aging infrastructures and the results have been impressive. Communities report that they have experienced up to an 80 percent reduction in the amount of pressure-related water main breaks since installing PRVs.

Fortunately for Southgate, the three new PRVs means its infrastructure will soon get a big boost in protection. Efforts will continue to maintain, replace and reline water mains throughout the city. But with the installation of the PRVs, residents, businesses, schools, and churches are assured a more consistent and reliable supply of fresh water.