GLWA Continues Emergency Response Work on 54-inch Water Main in Southwest Detroit
GLWA CONTINUES EMERGENCY RESPONSE WORK ON 54-INCH WATER TRANSMISSION MAIN IN SOUTHWEST DETROIT
Replacement pipe segment now on-site and being prepared for installation
GLWA crews and contractors have removed a 12-foot section of damaged pipe.
Pipe assessment contractors are inspecting the condition of the transmission main on either side of the break in preparation for the repair process to begin.
DETROIT – The Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) continues its critical role as a part of the broader emergency response to a break on a 54-inch steel water transmission main at Beard and Rowan in Southwest Detroit that occurred in the early morning hours of Monday, February 17, 2025.
Today, a 19-foot segment of replacement pipe arrived on-site.
In the last 24 hours, GLWA crews and contractors removed an approximately 12-foot section of damaged pipe, and pipe assessment contractors have begun inspecting the condition of the existing pipe on either side of the break location in preparation for the repair process to begin.
The timeline for completion of the repair and returning the main to service is expected to be at least two weeks.
More updates will be provided as they become available.
Residents impacted by the water main break can call (313) 774-5261 to be connected to emergency resources through the City of Detroit.
Jeffrey E. Small
Chief Information OfficerJeffrey E. Small has served as Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the Great Lakes Water Authority since August 2016. In this role, he provides strategic IT leadership, customer service, innovation, and information security for the regional authority. Jeff is adept at leveraging technology in conjunction with business process re-engineering to improve productivity and internal efficiencies across the utility.
Jeff brings 30 years of information technology, project management, and business process experience to GLWA. Immediately prior to joining the GLWA team, he served for four years as Deputy Chief Information Officer at Wayne County, Michigan. Prior to his work at Wayne County, Mr. Small held IT leadership roles at several global companies in a cross-section of industries, including retail, sourcing, brand management and consumer products.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from The George Washington University and an MBA in Computer Information Systems from Baker College. Jeff also serves on several nonprofit boards related to technology in both the public and private sector included currently serving as Board secretary for the Michigan Government Information Sciences (Mi-GMIS) organization whose membership includes IT leaders from the State and local governments throughout Michigan. Jeff was named 2019 IT Professional of the Year by the Michigan chapter of the Government Management Information Sciences (Mi-GMIS) and was recognized as a 2020 Special District Program Award Winner from Government Technology magazine in the Technology and Innovation Leadership category.