• Almost 1 in 3 residential private sewer line connections is clogged, offset, or disconnected from the City sewer, causing basement back-ups and alley cave-ins 
• Massive repair program is Mayor's latest major infrastructure investment in neighborhoods, following sidewalk replacement and street repair campaigns 
• Program is prioritizing backlog of alleys with known private sewer line connection defects in neighborhoods that meet HUD income requirements. 
• HUD Disaster Recovery grant funds give City the opportunity to fix issues that otherwise would be responsibility of homeowner 

Mayor Mary Sheffield, along with Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) leadership today announced plans for a massive city investment to repair a backlog of 9,000 clogged or broken sewer connections where the line coming from the home meet the city sewer in the alley behind their homes.  Those clogged and broken connections frequently lead to basement backups and alley cave ins.  

Mayor Sheffield, along with DWSD Director Gary Brown and Deputy Director Sam Smalley said that the $184 million Alley Sewer Repair Program (ASRP) will repair private sewer line connections to the city sewer at no cost to homeowners. The program is funded by more than half of the $346 million U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) 2023 Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) awarded to the City of Detroit following major flooding that year.

The first two of seven contracts have been submitted to City Council for approval by as soon as the end of the month before Council’s summer recess.  Pending approval, construction is expected to begin in October and be completed by the end of 2030.  

“My administration is laser focused on bringing investment into neighborhoods across the city that have meaningful impact on our residents and homeowners, and the Alley Sewer Repair Program is the largest one yet,” said Mayor Sheffield. “With this $184 million investment, 9,000 Detroit families will have homes that are more resilient to basement backups and fewer worries.”

Earlier this year, the Mayor announced a $9 million program to address the entire citywide backlog of 6,300 sidewalk replacement requests and a $54 million road and street construction program to improve more than 50 miles of major roads and residential side streets this year.  

About the ASRP

The ASRP repairs the point where a home's private sewer service line connects to the City's sewer main—often the deepest and most expensive portion of a sewer repair. Both DWSD and property owners both have a responsibility to maintain the flow of the city’s sewerage system. Homeowners are responsible for the private sewer line from the point at which it leaves the house and connects at the City sewer collection pipe. The City owns and maintains sewers in the alleys and roadways.

“Thanks to this funding, we have an opportunity to address an issue that thousands of residents face,” said DWSD Director Gary Brown, “Homeowners are responsible for maintaining their private sewer line from their home to the City sewer, including one of the most expensive portions of the repair—the connection to the public sewer. These repairs can easily exceed $10,000, placing them out of reach for many families. This project relieves the financial burden for the homeowner and greatly reduces the risk of sewage backups in the basement.”

The City of Detroit has about 1,800 miles of alley sewers and each home and business is connected through a private sewer line (lateral). Most of Detroit’s housing stock is 60-90 years old, and the private sewer lines have begun to fail due to deterioration of the pipe material, tree root intrusion, shifting soil, and lack of regular maintenance. Neglect of these private sewer lines can cause the pipes to become offset or collapse underground – eventually creating a sinkhole on the surface. Based on DWSD data, one in three private sewer line connections are clogged, offset, or completely fallen off the City’s sewer tap. Offset and failing connections can also cause basement backups and lead to unwanted debris entering the city sewer. Repairing these connections will help:  

• Reduce sewage backups into homes.  
• Reduce alley cave-ins caused by deteriorated sewer connections. 
• Improve the structural integrity of the City’s sewer system by reducing unwanted debris from entering through failing connections.  
• Extend the useful life of existing public and private sewer infrastructure.  
• Increase property values and improve housing stock. 

Project Locations – No Resident Sign-Up Required

Project locations are selected by DWSD using data, including closed-circuit television (CCTV) inspections completed by DWSD, confirming private sewer line connection defects and alley cave-in locations. Federal funding requirements also require eligible project locations to be more in neighborhoods that are more than 50% low to moderate income (LMI) as defined by U.S. Census data. All work will be completed within the right-of-way, and no homeowner applications are required. Project locations will be rolled out in phases throughout the program duration. When a block is scheduled for repair, residents will be notified directly with door hangers prior to construction. DWSD will also conduct virtual meetings and attend neighborhood meetings as alleys are scheduled.  

"Repairing a private sewer connection isn't a simple plumbing repair," said Deputy Director Sam Smalley. "In many locations, crews must excavate at least 20 to 40 feet below ground to reach the City sewer, requiring significant safety precautions and making it an expensive repair. Beyond the significant savings for homeowners, these repairs improve the performance of Detroit's combined sewer system by reducing debris and tree root intrusion, preserving valuable capacity during heavy rain events. Every ounce of capacity is needed during rain events to reduce backups citywide.”