14 Mile 42-inch Water Main Project

The Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA), in collaboration with its member partner communities of Commerce Township, Walled Lake, Wixom and Novi, has developed an action plan to continue building resiliency in the regional system after a 42-inch water transmission main broke on 14 Mile Road, west of M5, at the end of September. This plan was developed based on extensive data garnered from the recent inspection of nearly four miles of this transmission main.

The action plan, which involves both water main replacement and renewal, will occur in three phases over the next seven months, spanning mid-January 2026 through late April, with road restoration expected to be completed by the end of June.  

GLWA estimates that it will be investing $12.8 million in this critical infrastructure resiliency work. Within the last year, GLWA also completed a more than $110 million redundancy loop project in the water transmission system which allowed restoration of water service much more quickly than in previous breaks. 

Project Updates 1/21/26

Our team has made great progress in the field on the 14 Mile 42-inch project. Updates include:

• The Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) repair on the 42-inch pipe on West Maple Rd. have been completed. Final cleaning and inspections at this location are being completed this week. Contractors are now moving work to 14 Mile Rd. near Beachwalk Dr. for the CFRP repair on the second. A pit has been dug for pipe access, and the operation is projected to be completed in 7-10 days.
• Teams have been working to install the underground conduit for the fiber optic cable at the Wixom Pump Station meter site. After work is done, the crew will install a conduit for the Acoustic Fiber Optic (AFO).
• Due to ongoing construction, eastbound 14 Mile Rd between Walled Lake and M-5 have been closed. Traffic is being detoured to either W Maple Rd or 13 Mile Rd.