FAQ
What phase are we in on the waterline extension project?
Water Infrastructure Holdings, LLC, (“WIH”) has been refining the layout of the water main and designing the route of customer piping from the water main to each customer’s house and connections on each customer’s property. This includes locating water wells, connections to indoor plumbing and outdoor spigots, and other utilities. Representatives of WIH have met with each customer to review the planned routing.
Next steps will include finalizing the design and specifications for the connection to the Village of Metamora water system, a booster pump station that will ensure that water delivered to residents has adequate pressure, road crossings, a control system, water meters at the connection to the Village and for each customer, valves, etc.
What is the schedule for construction?
Dependent upon timely receipt of all signed easements, the design will be completed by the end of the year (2022). Once the design is complete and meets Michigan Department of the Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), Village of Metamora, and other requirements, the work will go out for bid and a construction contractor will be selected. It is anticipated that the bidding and contractor selection will be a three-month process. WIH plans to begin construction in Spring 2023, and all connections will be completed by the end of 2023. However, the construction schedule is dependent upon timely receipt of all signed easements.
Why is this taking so long?
Understandably, you and your neighbors would like to have the waterline extension installed as soon as possible, and our objective is the same. Please understand it is very important that design and construction proceed in a methodical and thoughtful manner so that the extension provides adequate water consistently into the future.
Will you connect my barn, pool house, shed, etc.?
The Village of Metamora limits the amount of water that can be purchased each month. To keep within those limits, water use will be limited to residential indoor use (e.g., drinking, cooking, bathing, clothes washing, etc.). Your existing water well will be connected to your outdoor spigots and any outdoor plumbing system.
Is the well water safe for my horses, and other pets to drink?
EGLE samples your water well annually, and provides you with the results and identifies whether your well water is safe for drinking and cooking for your family.
Will water use be limited?
Yes, the Village of Metamora limits the amount of water that can be purchased each month. To keep within those limits, water use will be limited to residential indoor use (e.g., drinking, cooking, bathing, clothes washing, etc.).
Will we be able to keep our well?
Yes, WIH will disconnect the existing water supply well from the in-home potable water service plumbing. The existing water supply well will be connected to an outdoor spigot(s) for outdoor uses such as lawn watering, irrigation of plants, washing automobiles/trucks, filling of swimming pools, ponds or other water features, etc.
Will we need to pay for the water?
Yes, WIH will issue monthly water bills, at the then current Village of Metamora water system published rate for residential water users.
How will it connect to my house?
WIH will install a pipeline from the road to your house and will connect to plumbing at your house for indoor use. The connection will likely be at the same location where water from your pump currently enters the house. The existing water supply well will be connected to an outdoor spigot(s) for outdoor uses.
Where will the pipeline connect to my house?
The connection will likely be at the same location where water from your pump currently enters the house.
Will my lawn be restored to the condition it was in prior to the pipeline installation?
Yes, landscape repairs will be made to return the ground to its pre-existing condition.
Is my well water safe for outdoor use such as for my lawn and pool?
Based on the parameters tested annually by EGLE, your water well is safe for outdoor uses, such as lawn watering, irrigation of plants, washing automobiles/trucks, filling of swimming pools, ponds or other water features, etc.
What is the location and direction of the main waterline?
The waterline will connect to the Village of Metamora water system at Dryden Road near Timbro Drive and extend directly north to Stock Road. It will service Stock Road, Markins Drive, Woodside Trail, Shalimar Ridge and Hawk High Hill Road. A booster pump station will be located on the 254 Stock Road property north of the landfill to ensure water at the proper pressure is provided to customers.
How will customer piping from the water main to my house be installed? Will it damage my lawn?
WIH has determined that it will install customer piping using directional drilling techniques. The piping will be installed approximately five feet below ground surface. The ground surface above the pipeline, including any driveway, landscaping and associated structures, will not be disturbed by installing the customer piping using directional drilling. Temporary pits will be dug at the beginning and end of the pipeline to allow the directional drilling equipment to install the piping at the correct depth. Depending on the length of the piping, additional pits may need to be dug at 500 to 2,000-foot intervals. Some digging will be necessary to connect homes to the system.
How will the water main along the roadway be installed?
The water main along the roadway will be installed by trenching. Existing vegetation along the water main alignment will be cleared, a trench will be excavated, the water main will be laid in the trench and the service stubs and curb boxes for each connection will be installed. The system will be tested and the trench will be backfilled, graded and seeded. The water main will likely be installed in segments, so that the entire length of the water main is not open at any one time.
Can the area above the pipeline be used after the pipe is installed?
Yes. The area above customer piping connecting the water main to the house will support normal driveway use, gardening, walking, mowing, etc. If however, the customer piping needs repair, the customer will need access to the pipe.
In easement areas over the water main, customers are not to locate buildings or structures of any kind, impound water, remove soil or disturb the grade or plant deep-rooted vegetation (i.e., trees and other woody vegetation).
How do we know if the water provided by the Village of Metamora is safe?
The State of Michigan and USEPA require the Village of Metamora to test its water on a regular basis to ensure its safety. The Village is required to meet annual monitoring and reporting requirements. The most recent Annual Village of Metamora water quality report is available at the Village Office, located at 48 E High Street, and at the following link: Plans, Ordinances & Reports – Metamora Village . The report is titled 2021 “CCR REPORT”.
Is the waterline designed to provide fire protection?
No, the waterline is not designed or intended for use for firefighting. The volume of water available from the Village of Metamora is not sufficient to support firefighting requirements.
Who is responsible for changing plumbing for irrigation and outdoor use?
If a customer connects in 2023 during construction of the water system, WIH will replumb the water well to supply outdoor uses. If a customer connects to the WIH water system after construction is complete, the customer will be responsible for any replumbing.
Will the pressure be strong enough to reach our house?
Yes, WIH will build a Booster Pump Station to ensure that water delivered to residents has adequate pressure according to the Drinking Water and Environmental Health Division of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy Administrative Code 325.11015, which is 35 psi under normal operating conditions.