Hi Plumbers!

Hoping to find someone who is at all knowledgeable about this process in Detroit and working with the DWSD. I purchased an old house at auction to rehab as my own residence. I'm knowledgable and experienced enough to do most of the work myself, and have pulled all the permits to rehab, but I'm getting hung up on working with the city to have water service restored. First, there was the long process of getting it removed from the demolition list and into a rehabilitation probation program before they'd even let me talk to DSWD. That's done, so moving on. Went to DWSD today and expected to just schedule a meter installation and turn-on, but was given a stack of forms and applications about excavation plans and Urban Planning and Non-Residential Stormwater Drainage and was told I need a Master Plumber to apply for a service connection. This all makes it seem like I need to excavate and tap into the water main like new construction, plus all this other stuff, but there is already a 3/4" line coming into the house that I know was supplying water to the house in the past.

Can anyone point me in a direction towards what I actually need to accomplish?

 

I have do not have any exact knowledge to help you. Since you need a plumber to make the application, that's where I would start. Call one up(3 or more would be better), tell them what you need and hear what they have to say about it.

It sounds like they handed you a stack of forms that may or may not apply to you. You certainly have nothing to do with non-residential storm run off. Let us know how it all goes.

 

Thanks, pulling in some contractor connections to pint me to some plumbers, so hopefully I'll have some help soon. I'm also concerned about how the application says that any plumber applying for this permit needs to show proof of 1 Million dollars in liability insurance coverage which I expect must also be VERY expensive... especially if all he's doing is splicing in a meter and turning a key at the main shut off valve at the street. I have had zero luck pulling any info off the internet so far, so I'll be happy to post my progress on this as it unfolds.

 

Thats because they think you need a new service. They need that insurance to say open the road up, and what not...

Now what material is the current service? Even though there is a service they may want it replaced to meet current code...

Or your project was explained wrong and the township desk jockeys just follow protocol..

 

It's not very expensive. Rates may vary per trade and of course per location, but I was able to purchase a policy for $1 million per incident with a max of $2 million per year for around $1200. That is a yearly cost, not a per job cost.

 

Called a plumber this morning and he immediately told me that the city is responsible for installing meters, and plumbers can't do that! So, I called DSWD again, and this time the person I talked to simply scheduled me a meter installation. WOW.

She says theres was a "bypass alert" on the account whatever that means. I wonder if that has anything to do with all the confusion.

 

Don't you just love bureaucrats.

 

Seriously, I feel like I haven't been able to accomplish anything with the city on this house without massive confusion or misinformation. Granted, I am one of their first guinea pigs in this new program to rehab blighted properties. And, I guess they can waste all my time that they want for giving me a great old house for almost nothing. I'll still come out ahead in the end.