Oakland County held its first-ever sustainability conference at the Waterford Oaks Activity Center on Nov. 17 and representatives from 20 communities came to learn from each other about sustainability efforts happening around the county.
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Welcome to the Water Resources Commissioner’s blog on Water Affordability. I am Demar Byas, and I’ve worked for WRC for the past 10 years. In March of 2022, I was promoted to be the office’s first Water Affordability Coordinator. In my role, I attend public meetings and events to educate residents, organizations, and community leaders about the affordability plans that are available to assist customers, as well as our continued efforts to create a statewide water affordability plan.
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Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner Jim Nash announced a new partnership with SewerAI, a California company that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to transform the way sewer infrastructure inspections are conducted. This technology allows Oakland County to harness the power of artificial intelligence to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of sewer maintenance.
Previously, sewer maintenance crews reported any irregularities or defects in a pipe’s interior by manually inspecting videos captured by closed-circuit television. Now, those videos are uploaded to SewerAI which uses its software to assess the pipe’s condition and identify abnormalities.
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Earlier this year, Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner Jim Nash began the Norton Street Innovation stormwater improvement project in Pontiac. This project will improve water quality and create a gathering space for the community to enjoy. The $1.3 million project is being funded by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy Clean Water State Revolving Fund and the American Rescue Plan with 100% loan forgiveness.
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Earlier this month, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) awarded the Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner’s Office a $95,000 grant for a green infrastructure project at the George W. Kuhn Retention Treatment Basin in Madison Heights. The project focuses on transforming the facility’s existing turf grass into native growth zones and incorporating a large rain garden to collect stormwater runoff.
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