Saline Township officials are reviewing whether construction dewatering at the Related Digital data center site contributed to a nearby pond dropping about 2 feet.
Township engineering consultant Dan Cabage gave the update during the July 8 Township Board meeting. He said the township is also tracking truck traffic, lighting, generators, well data and utility work at the site.
Cabage said two full-time inspectors are watching utility installation and checking compliance with project plans and county and state requirements, including permits from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.
Work is continuing on utilities for the buildings, he said. Generator information, including locations, use and sizing, is expected to be posted on the township website. Cabage said one generator is gas-powered and the rest are diesel.
Lighting concerns discussed at earlier meetings appear to have improved, he said. A temporary emergency access bridge that township officials and the fire chief said needed replacement will be replaced. The Michigan Department of Transportation is also reviewing options as construction employee traffic increases.
Cabage said dewatering at the site was permitted through county or state agencies, not the township. He described dewatering as a common construction practice used to keep trenches safe while crews install deeper utilities, some as deep as 14 feet.
The project has used well points for isolated dewatering in areas where crews are working. Monitoring wells on site track groundwater levels, and Cabage said the groundwater table in the isolated work area had dropped about 4 to 5 feet.
Cabage said the township became aware that a nearby resident’s pond had dropped during dewatering and warm weather. No residential wells had been reported affected to his knowledge, he said, but the township will continue monitoring groundwater levels through the summer.
The township was not initially told about some corrective steps taken by Walbridge, the project contractor, Cabage said. He said the township knew there was a pipe running to the pond, but later learned Walbridge had used a tanker truck to add clean water from a permitted dewatering well.
“We did have Walbridge on the phone,” Cabage said. “I’ll say we scolded them for not notifying originally the method of correction or their actions taken.”
Cabage said a pond consultant was hired to test for pH, iron, oxygen and other constituents. An aerator was also added, which Cabage said he understood was done with the homeowner’s approval.
Cabage said he planned to follow up with EGLE about the permit and dewatering work.
“I committed to following up with EGLE afterward,” he said. “I want to talk to the person that did issue the permit and just get their input.”
The township’s data center update page shows dewatering, lighting, generator information and well-monitoring data have also been discussed through the project’s advisory committee.
Featured Photo: Township engineering consultant Dan Cabage speaks during the July 7 Saline Township Planning Commission meeting. Photo by Heather Finch
114 North Main St Suite 10 Chelsea, MI 48118
