Construction on the Eastside Water Treatment and Water Main Project is slated to begin on Monday, September 8 and run through November of 2028. The $50 million, 15,000-square-foot water treatment facility will be located at E Michigan Ave and Schipper's Lane and is designed to remove iron, manganese and PFAS (Per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances) from the groundwater.
City of Kalamazoo public services director James Baker said the facility will deliver cleaner water and further improve PFAS removal systems that keep the harmful chemicals at bay.
"It's actually a lot of projects all rolled into one, a lot of need going back many years, decades in fact, to address a number of issues including age, condition, some stations that have been in service for a long, long time," Baker said.
"Something that's happening with federal regulations for PFAS is they're actually lowering them in the future."James Baker, City of Kalamazoo public services director
Baker said the city water supply already meets state and federal standards for PFAS levels in groundwater, but added that the system will help ensure the city is compliant with new standards that will be implemented in coming years.
"Kalamazoo already meets those limits, but there's going to be additional protections in place. Kalamazoo is an urban area. There's all sorts of old factories around here. We've had some concerns with PFAS in the past — we know what happened in Parchment for example. This is all going to provide additional protection," Baker said.
In terms of iron and manganese, Baker said the city water supply currently has higher-than average levels of both minerals. While not harmful to human health, they can cause a yellowish-reddish-brown color in the water and an unpleasant taste or odor. Baker said one large goal of the new system is to remove iron and manganese that gives the water a yellow tint and stains clothes and dishes.
"There are portions of City of Kalamazoo that are provided iron removal already. So this just provides that additional enhancement," Baker said. "The future is brighter whites and less rusty water for those customers in those areas as well."
While the crown jewel of the project is the new water treatment plant, it also includes an additional $10 million investment in updated water mains. Workers will be replacing aging water main infrastructure and connecting stations to the new treatment facility.
The new plant will exist at what is currently water treatment station 5, located on E Michigan Ave and Schipper's Lane.
"Station 5 has been in service since 1914. That's been a long time now. So we've certainly got our money's use out of that."James Baker, City of Kalamazoo Public Services Director
Baker said one of the key aspects of the project involves consolidating station 5 with station 14, which is located at Spring Valley Park.
"Station 5 and station 14 are going to kind of come into one. So that's going to also provide better overall water quality in addition to the treatment enhancements that we are making. And we're also replacing wells at those stations, so it increases the reliability and everything else," Baker said.
Though much of the work will be at and around the Spring Valley Park and Michigan Ave/Schipper's Lane area, Baker said there will be several projects happening at the same time across the east side.
"There's going to be a raw water pipeline that pumps water from that kind of new Station 14 area over to Station 5. So that's going to to look like a water main project," Baker said. "And that's going to be on several streets that are kind of in the east side area, Eastwood area that's going to include East Michigan Avenue, Wallace, Humphrey, Bixby, Henson, and Elder Street. So those those streets will be under construction."
Currently, city water is delivered to the city of Kalamazoo and city of Parchment, as well as Richland, Kalamazoo and Comstock townships. Baker said even though the project is on the east side of the city, it will improve the entire water supply.
During the project, the water delivered to homes, businesses and all buildings hooked up to city water will remain the same.
“If we do it right, no one’s going to really notice any change, everybody’s going to have water in their tap every single day. When you wake up in the morning, when you go to bed at night, the water is going to work," Baker said.
As for residents living and commuting near construction zones, Baker said to expect some lanes to be blocked off and operating under lane shifts.
”If we do have any substantial detours, that will be advertised specifically a set date from when it starts, when it ends. And everybody that lives on those streets, that commutes on those streets, we will always maintain access to driveways and homes," Baker said.
The first phase of the project, which will begin in fall of 2025, will focus on water main work near Michigan Ave, Wallace Ave and Elder street. Water main work will continue in spring of 2026 on Hensen Ave, Humphrey St, Bixby Rd, Trimble Ave, Junction Ave, and Spring Valley Park. A city news release said a lane shift will be in effect on East Michigan Ave on Monday, September 8 when work begins.
