The North Interceptor – East Arm is a large sanitary sewer interceptor, ranging from 17 feet 6 inches to 12 feet in diameter. It conveys sewage flow from the Northeast Sewage Pumping Station at 8 Mile Road and Van Dyke Avenue to the Detroit Water Resource Recovery Facility at Jefferson Avenue and the Rouge River. Constructed by Detroit in the early 1970s, it has required rehabilitation to ensure longevity. Recent assessments indicated the need for rehabilitation, prompting the use of state-of-the-art lining techniques to protect against the corrosive effects of wastewater. Doing so will provide options for handling emergency conditions downstream during heavy rains.

North Interceptor – East Arm Sanitary Sewer Projects

Outer Drive and Van Dyke Avenue – Completed

This contract began in early February 2021 with the construction of an access work shaft in the median of Outer Drive, east of Van Dyke Avenue. The access shaft was built to connect the interceptor underground to the surface, providing an access point for pipe section to be lowered into the interceptor. This included sewer lining operations from the Northeast Sewage Pumping Station to 1,700 feet downstream; 1,700 feet is roughly equivalent to 6 football fields laid end to end. This project was completed in June 2024.

7 Mile Road, Van Dyke, and Mack Avenue – Ongoing

Steel reinforcement and formwork being installed in preparation for a wall of concrete to be poured for the control structure.

Phase I of this project is currently under construction at 7 Mile Road and Van Dyke Avenue. It involves constructing two flow control gate structures to allow the Great Lakes Water Authority to divert flow to the Detroit River Interceptor during dry weather. Flow control is a method by which the flow of water or waste in a sewer or drainpipe is halted, slowed, or diverted to facilitate repairs. Flow control systems are used when repairing sewer and storm water drainage pipes. Phase 1 is scheduled to be complete by the end of the 2024. Traffic control along 7 Mile Road has been removed. The traffic control along Van Dyke will remain until the completion of Phase I. Please note that the construction laydown area southwest of 7 Mile and Van Dyke will remain until completion of Phase II.

Phase II of the project involves spray lining at Mack Avenue and Gratiot Avenue. Spray lining is a technique in which a coating material will be sprayed onto the walls of the pipe using high pressure. The pipe walls are first cleaned and roughened using high-pressure water or sand blasting to allow the lining products to adequately bond to the pipe wall. Once the pipe wall is dry, the coating is then applied. After 24 hours the pipe is cured and ready for flow. This cost-effective process allows us to rehabilitate existing infrastructure while protecting the existing pipe wall from the harmful effects of hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide is naturally occurring in sewers and is highly corrosive to concrete, iron and steel. This phase is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2025. Lane closures will be utilized along Gratiot to facilitate this work.

Neighborhood Promise

We aim to minimize disruption to your daily life. Here’s how we are ensuring the project's smooth progress for the community:

Frequently Asked Questions