Highland Park, Great Lakes Water Authority reach tentative agreement in unpaid water bills
(CBS DETROIT) - A 10-year dispute over unpaid water bills between the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) and Highland Park is coming to an end.
On Wednesday, the State of Michigan announced a tentative agreement, which it will fund infrastructure repairs within the GLWA service area to help lower costs for residents and prevent leaks in the system. Highland Park City Council approved the agreement on Wednesday.
"Every Michigander should be able to live in a community that can deliver safe, affordable, and accessible water. I'm proud that GLWA and Highland Park are one step closer to an agreement to ensure that we can protect access to drinking water for every family in the community. An agreement will help move this community move forward, lower costs, and implement a fairer system for surrounding communities," Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement.
This comes as GLWA and Highland Park are involved in litigation over unpaid water bills. In June, Highland Park paid $1 million to GLWA in an interim agreement that included a $24 million judgment against the city. The tentative agreement announced on Wednesday would dismiss that litigation once approved by all parties.
The nearly 120-year-old system resulted in Highland Park losing about 70% of its water, according to a press release.
Under the agreement, which still needs GLWA's approval, the state is committed to releasing a $25 million sewer infrastructure grant for GLWA, funding a $5 million grant to GLWA for drinking water, and revising the administrative consent order to include settlement terms with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (ELGE).
The state says it will also install master meters on water lines to allow GLWA and the city to read residents' water and sewage usage and avoid any future water bill disputes.