About Us

The Water Quality Division (WQD) was established in 1994 to assist Wayne County departments, divisions, communities and agencies with a holistic, watershed-based approach to multi-media pollution management.

A major activity of the Water Quality Division is leadership and oversight of the Rouge River National Wet Weather Demonstration Project (Rouge Project), an EPA-sponsored demonstration of a watershed approach to pollution management. The Rouge Project is designed to identify the most efficient and cost effective controls of wet weather pollution, while assuring maximum use of the resource.

Another major focus of the Water Quality Division is the elimination of illegal discharges to Wayne County surface waters from illicit connections, illegal dumping, and lack of awareness. This program directly results in the annual removal of significant quantities of raw sewage and other pollution that poses a threat to both human and aquatic life. An overview of the mission, vision, organization, staffing and locations of the Water Quality Division is provided below.

Organization

The Division is organized into five operational units: Administration, Engineering Services, GIS and Data Management, and Illicit Discharge Elimination Pollution Prevention Services and Watershed Management.

• Administration Unit is located in Downtown Detroit, 415 Clifford Street in the Neudeck Building on the 5th floor.
  
  
• Engineering Services
  
  
• GIS and Data Management Unit & Illicit Discharge Elimination, Water Management and Pollution Prevention Unit are located at 3600 Commerce Court, Wayne, Michigan.

The Administration unit is responsible for the financial management and oversight of the Division and the Rouge River National Wet Weather Demonstration Project. Information about the Rouge Project is accessible through the internet at http://www.rougeriver.com.

The GIS and Data Management unit is responsible for providing computer services to the Department of Environment (DOE) and the Water Quality Unit , particularly relating to work under the Rouge Project and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) Storm Water General Permit.

The Illicit Discharge Elimination and Pollution Prevention Services (IDEP) unit is responsible for conducting the illicit discharge elimination activities and pollution prevention activities mandated by the MDEQ Storm Water General Permit. This unit is also responsible for water quality-related complaint investigation and public outreach, education and training. All environmental complaints should be called into the DOE 24-Hour Environmental Hotline (1-888-223-2363). The IDEP unit investigates all complaints that threaten Wayne County's surface waters (e.g., dumping, dead fish, etc.).

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