FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (WXYZ) — The Great Lakes Water Authority hosted a press conference on Tuesday morning, announcing the group's $81 million plan to improve a 48-inch water transmission main that runs along 14 Mile Road in Oakland County.
The main has broken several times over the past few years. Back in September of 2025, there was a water main break just west of M-5 on 14 Mile in Novi. Then in March, the pipe that GLWA is discussing today broke east of M-5 near 14 Mile and Drake in Farmington Hills. And most recently in May, a water main broke in Auburn Hills.
This isn't the first time Great Lakes Water Authorrity has made an effort to repair this exact pipe. In 2021, after another break, the water authority said they were making improvements, adding 50 years to its service life.
The main will be improved with a $81 million investment, that GLWA says will "strengthen the reliability and resiliency of a critical section of the regional water system that has experienced multiple major water main breaks over the past seven years." GLWA CEO Suzanne Coffey was at the press conference, along with Farmington Hills Mayor Theresa Rich, Acting City Manager Karen Mondora and a pair of state representatives (Samantha Steckloff and Jason Hoskins).
Through VVK PR Creative, GLWA released maps of the Pipe Replacement, complete with an Acoustic Fiber Optic Section.
Pipe replacement section and Acoustic Fiber Optic section (Courtesy of GLWA via VVK PR Creative)
The project to replace, inspect and review this new pipe will take place over the next three years, with GLWA laying out a time line and explaining how the Acoustic Fiber Optics will work.
Project Timeline and how AFO works (Courtesy of GLWA via VVK PR Creative)
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