Macomb County Officials: Sewage Spill in Fraser Sinkhole A Minor Setback

About one and a half million gallons of sewage spilled into a trench in Fraser Tuesday.

Fraser Sinkhole Trench Construction 082317 - bt

Bre’Anna Tinsley/WDET

A trench being used to repair the sinkhole in Fraser filled with sewage early Tuesday morning. No one was hurt in the spill.

Macomb County is in the process of pumping out an estimated 1.5 million gallons of sewage from the trench.

Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller says the cause of the spill is still unclear.

“We are looking at possible options,” Miller says.  “But the thing that residents need to know is that even though we had a bit of a temporary setback here with sewage filling up our shaft, we are getting it cleaned out. And we are going to be back on schedule and within budget.”

Miller says the spill was contained in the trench. The sewage is being returned to the sanitary sewer system further downstream.

She says repairs are still on schedule to be completed in December. 

Author

  • Bre'Anna Tinsley
    Bre'Anna Tinsley is a reporter for Detroit Public Radio, 101.9 WDET. She covers city government and housing, as well as co-hosting the "Detroit Evening Report" podcast.