Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) is one of the largest water and sewer utilities in the United States, serving more than 200,000 Detroit residential and commercial accounts that includes a city population of nearly 680,000. DWSD’s water network consists of more than 2,700 miles of transmission and distribution mains and nearly 3,000 miles of sewer collection piping. On January 1, 2016, the City of Detroit began leasing regional water and sewer infrastructure, as well as water and wastewater treatment facilities, to the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA). The regional system built by DWSD, serves 126 municipalities in seven southeast Michigan counties. The agreement between DWSD and GLWA includes a $50 million annual lease payment for 40 years to replace and rehabilitate DWSD’s aging water and sewer system. DWSD has a rich history as a public utility dating back to 1836. Today, DWSD focuses on serving the residential households, businesses, non-profits, faith-based organizations and other account holders that rely on water and sewer services within the city of Detroit.
