Nik Rajkovic / news@whmi.com

Hartland Township officials are preparing for a sharp increase in demand for water with a handful of new housing developments getting underway.

Trustees recently approved nearly $90,000 for Spalding-DeDecker to design and engineer an extension of the township's main water line along the northside of M-59, east from Bella Vista to just past Bullard Road.

"We are at the tail end of changing all the media in the water plant, but this is kind of the next phase in our water improvements for the township," Manager Mike Luce told trustees last week.

"This project, we did not have it budgeted for this year because we didn't know if we would get to it at this point. But knowing the necessity of looping this system only serves us well in the future for any developments on the east side of the township."

Typically, a developer would pay to connect to the main water line, but this extension runs through undeveloped wetlands.

"We essentially have a giant dead end right in front of the Lockwood development. So this is going to increase flow, circulation, and just better fire flows to that end of the township," said Public Works Director Scott Hable.

Luce says the 'loop' will be completed once the main water line crosses M-59 to the new Hartland Reserve development in front of Hartland Glen Golf Course.

"That particular subdivision is actually designed as the water main, if you will, will come along M-59 on the south side, the very top of the development. It will stop at the property line for the next property owner to hook into that water main and bring it to and through," he said.

"But as the water main progresses down through the development, it actually ties into the southside by Hartland Glenn Golf Course. So that is where you get loop for it."

Meanwhile, Hartland Township is considering bond funding for construction of the main line extension, along with other water system improvements.

A video of the Board of Trustees meeting and agenda are linked below.