NOVI (WXYZ) — Temporary water lines running through a Novi neighborhood and large bumps in the road are hard to miss in the Cedar Springs Estates subdivision. The city says it is all part of a long-term fix for aging water infrastructure plagued by repeated main breaks.
Watch Christiana Ford's video report below:
Getting through the Cedar Springs Estates subdivision is not easy right now. Residents are navigating pipes, bumps and construction every day. For Rami Haddad, that includes a large hole at the end of his driveway.
"Just look: it's almost 12 feet and I just replaced driveway, sidewalk, paver, paver," Haddad said. "It's bad. It's bad. But it is what it is."
Steven Hamilton says the construction felt like it came out of nowhere.
"We understand the work needs to get done. Obviously, the water issues have been big over here. The communication from the city has been less than stellar. That's kinda been our big pain point. Waking up to see all of the pipes was really kind of a surprise," Hamilton said.
The city of Novi says it notified residents of the project to address a long-standing issue, repeated water main breaks in the Cedar Springs Estates subdivision.
"Over the last decade, we've had several main breaks in in Cedar Springs. So whenever that happens, we look at solutions and how we can fix it. So the most important thing is to minimize disruptions in service. So the project that we're doing now will eliminate that," Jeff Herczeg, director of the Department of Public Works, said.
Instead of fully digging up and replacing the main water system, the city is using a less invasive process called Cured in Place Pipe Lining, or CIPP. Bypass pipes are running through the subdivision, carrying water from a fire hydrant up driveways and into homes so water service is not interrupted while the fix is underway.
"Traditionally, we'd have to dig the pipe up, all the structures, all the services and replace it all, but this technology allows us to go in. It's the least invasive, so we're not damaging other infrastructure. We're not tearing concrete up. We're not losing trees, but we can actually replace the pipe with a structural lining," Herczeg said.
Some residents say they appreciate the approach.
"The work is necessary. I'm not liking the tearing up of the yard, but the way the process is being done, I'm appreciative of it," said Ruth Rickard, who has experienced five breaks in the past three years.
"I think it's important to keep our infrastructure healthy and I know for a lot of people, this is an inconvenience, but we're happy that it's being done to make sure that our water is healthy and our water systems are gonna last a long long time. And they're doing a good job of keeping it so that it's not digging everything up," Matt Nickels said who was visiting his mother in the area.
The $2 million project started in June and is expected to be complete by the end of August. The city plans to repair landscaping and damaged concrete when construction wraps up. Updates can be found on the city's website.
Novi previously used the same method successfully in the Westminster subdivision near Haggerty Road about two years ago, which helped officials decide to use the technology again in Cedar Springs.
Hamilton says he's trusting the process.
"It's gotta get done, so," Hamilton said.
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