Eastside Water Treatment & Water Main (Station 5 & 14)

• Project typeWater Treatment
• Project value$60,000,000
• Project scheduleSeptember 8, 2025 - November 1, 2028
• Contractor namePeters Construction (Water Main), Station Reconstruction (E&L Construction Group)

The City of Kalamazoo is making a massive investment in the safety and reliability of our drinking water. A new $50 million water treatment facility will be constructed on Kalamazoo’s east side to remove iron, manganese, and PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) from the water supply, ensuring cleaner, safer water for decades to come. An additional $10 million will be invested in a new water main to transport water produced at nearby wells to the new treatment facility and replace the existing water main, service lines, and storm sewer in the project area. 

Water Treatment Plants 5 (at Michigan Ave and Schippers Ln) and 14 (at Spring Valley Park) provide drinking water to thousands of residents in Kalamazoo and surrounding townships. This project will improve water quality, safeguard supply, and strengthen the entire water system, ahead of more stringent regulations that are scheduled to take effect in 2029.

Project Components

• Construction of a new 15,000-square-foot treatment plant at Station 5, designed to remove iron, manganese, and PFAS from water produced at both Station 5 and Station 14.
• Station consolidation, with water from Station 14 transported to the new treatment plant at Station 5. This eliminates the need for multiple points of entry into the water system, improving efficiency, simplifying operations, and enhancing long-term water quality control.
• New water mains connecting Stations 5 and 14. While installing these lines, older water mains, service lines, storm sewers, and roadways along the route will also be replaced.
• A fiber optic communication link between the two stations for more efficient operation and monitoring.
• Facility upgrades at both Station 5 and Station 14, including new well enclosures, electrical systems, and building renovations.

Construction Timeline

2025-2026: Water main installation

• Michigan Ave, Wallace, and Elder are scheduled to start on September 8, 2025 be completed in 2025.
• Trimble, Humphrey, Bixby, Junction, and Hensen will be completed in 2026.

2025-2028: Construction of the new treatment plant

• Expected completion: November 2028.

Project Funding

This project represents a $60 million investment in Kalamazoo’s water system: $10 million for water main installation and $50 million for the construction of the new treatment plant.

Funding is provided through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF), a state program that offers low-interest loans with partial principal forgiveness. In 2025, the City of Kalamazoo secured $90 million in DWSRF funding, including $17 million in loan forgiveness, making this project possible at a significantly reduced cost to local ratepayers..

Benefits for the Community

• Improved Water Quality: Removal of PFAS, iron, and manganese for cleaner, safer drinking water.
• Regulatory Compliance: Proactively meets new federal PFAS standards before they take effect in 2029.
• Station Consolidation: Streamlines the water system by centralizing treatment, improving consistency, efficiency, and reliability.
• System Reliability: Protects against a major loss of supply, ensuring continued service to residents and businesses.
• Infrastructure Renewal: Replaces aging water mains, service lines, and related infrastructure along the project route.
• Long-Term Investment: Strengthens the water system for future generations while taking advantage of state and federal funding opportunities.

Detour & Traffic Information

This work will require a lane shift on E Michigan Ave when the project begins on Monday, September 8. 

On Wednesday, September 17, Wallace Avenue will close to through traffic for water main work. The closure is expected to last through mid-November, but dates may change depending on project progress. The following detour will be in effect during this part of the project:

On Monday, September 29, East Michigan Avenue will close to through traffic between Nazareth Road and East Main Street. The closure is expected to last through mid-October, but dates may change depending on project progress. Once this closure begins, the following detour will be in effect: