Downriver Wastewater Treatment Facility
The Downriver Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF) utilizes preliminary, primary
and state of the art Ultra Violet (UV) disinfection treatment processes to treat
sewage prior to discharging treated effluent to the Trenton Channel of the Detroit
River. The facility is located on a 34-acre site in Wyandotte Michigan and has 80
employees. The WWTF can provide treatment for an influent flow rate of up to 225
MGD. The primary and secondary treatment processes are designed to treat maximum
flow rate of 150 and 125 MGD, respectively. The facility is designed such that flow
cannot bypass both primary and secondary treatment processes. All flows undergo
disinfection prior to discharge to the Detroit River.
Downriver Plant Design Flows
|
Process |
Design Flow
(MGD) |
|
Minimum Flow |
25 |
|
Dry weather Flow |
50 |
|
Average Annual Flow |
65 |
|
Maximum Rated Flow |
225 |
|
Primary Treatment Capacity |
150 |
|
Secondary Treatment capacity |
125 |
|
Disinfection Rated capacity |
225 |
The Downriver Wastewater System Improvements have been completed by Wayne County
and thirteen Downriver communities. The improvements gave enabled the Wastewater
Treatment Plant to accomplish the following goals:
- Meet the Downriver plant discharge limits set forth in their National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued by the Michigan Department of
Environment Quality (MDEQ)
- Eliminate collection system overflows and back-ups under storm conditions the facilities
are designed to handle
The communities include:
- Allen Park
- Riverview
- Belleville
- Romulus
- Brownstown Township
- Southgate
- Dearborn Heights
- Taylor
- Ecorse
- Van Buren Township
- Lincoln Park
- Wyandotte
- River Rouge
The collection system for the Downriver service area includes local sewer systems
in each of the 13 tributary communities . A network of interceptor sewers connects
the local sewer systems to the Downriver Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF). The
Downriver interceptors include :
- River Drive Interceptor, which transports wastewater from the communities of River
Rouge, Ecorse, and Lincoln Park, and approximately 90 percent of the wastewater
from Allen Park.
- Southgate/Wyandotte and Wyandotte combined sewers, which transport wastewater to
the Wyandotte WWTP from Wyandotte and those portions of Southgate served by combined
sewers.
- Riverview Interceptor, which transports wastewater from the City of Riverview.
- Pennsylvania Interceptor, which transports wastewater to the Wyandotte WWTP from
eight Downriver communities including Belleville, Van Buren Township, Romulus, Taylor,
Dearborn Heights, Brownstown Township, Allen Park, and those portions of Southgate
served by separated sewers .
Downriver Wastewater System...
Department Organizations...
Kerreen Conley 
Division Director, Deputy Drain Commissioner
Phone : (313) 224-7679
Firooz Fath-Azam
Downriver Wastewater Treatment Plant
Phone : (734) 285-5246
Andrew Keller
County Drain Maintenance & Records
Phone : (734) 326-4500
Ancell Noel
Pump Station, CSO Basin and County
Sanitary Sewer Interceptor Maintenance
Phone : (734) 285-9355
Sabu Varghese
Industrial Pre-Treatment Program
Phone : (734) 285-7232
24 Hour Environmental Hotline
Ph: 888-223-2363