The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) is the City of Detroit's local water and sewer utility. It manages the distribution and collection system inside Detroit city limits — the pipes, manholes, service connections, and meters that serve Detroit residents and businesses directly.
DWSD is separate from GLWA. The Great Lakes Water Authority operates the regional transmission and treatment infrastructure. DWSD handles everything at the local distribution level. If you're doing water or sewer work in Detroit — tapping a main, making a service connection, pulling a permit, or building to standard details — that's DWSD territory.
DWSD is located at 6425 Huber Street, Detroit, MI 48211. Permits and correspondence go to [email protected].
The DWSD Standard Details are the engineering drawing library that governs how physical utility work must be constructed on Detroit projects. Every trench, manhole, hydrant, service connection, and bioretention basin must be built to these drawings.
The current release is the August 2025 compilation — 115 sheets published by DWSD's Engineering Division. Each sheet carries a numbered detail code (e.g., 312333-01, 331419-02) referenced directly in project specifications and contract documents. When a spec says "install per detail 331413-06," that's a binding call to a specific drawing.
The compilation is organized into five categories:
Bid compliance. Referencing an incorrect or outdated detail number in submittals can trigger rejection.
Field inspection. DWSD inspectors verify work against the Standard Details. Trench bedding, pipe joint spacing, manhole frame elevation, erosion sequencing — all checked against the drawings. Deficiencies delay pay application approval.
Change order exposure. When field conditions deviate from a Standard Detail, you must request a deviation with documentation. Understanding the baseline drawing is what makes that case.
Subcontractor scope. The Standard Details define exactly what a sub is contracted to build. When scope disputes arise, these drawings are the reference.
The green infrastructure sheets (G-series) require special attention. Permeable pavement, bioretention, and tree vault installations are now standard elements on many Detroit street and utility projects — not specialty add-ons.
Some G-series sheets are marked with an asterisk (*), indicating they were under development at publication. For those, DWSD requires contractors to prepare their own details and submit them for DWSD-SMG review and approval before installation. Confirm which details are finalized and which require pre-approval before pricing a green infrastructure scope.
Always confirm you have the current version. The August 2025 compilation supersedes all earlier releases.
Any contractor making a new water or sewer service connection to a Detroit property must obtain a DWSD Water and/or Sewer Service Permit before work begins. The permit process runs in three sequential stages.
Before you can apply for the permit, you need engineering approval of your drawings and plans. Submit drawings with the requested service connection(s) highlighted through ProjectDox, DWSD's plan review portal.
Two critical points:
When DWSD requests it, a CCTV inspection of the existing sewer line must be recorded and submitted alongside the drawings before permit engineering approval will be granted.
Once engineering approval is in hand, assemble the complete permit application package and submit to DWSD Permits. The full checklist:
Processing time: 3–5 business days after a complete package is received. Complex submittals or payment delays can extend this. Permits are subject to cancellation if the service is not installed within one year of issuance.
Fees are invoiced after submission and paid at csportal.dwsd.org by credit/debit card or direct bank payment. Fee schedules are set by the Detroit Board of Water Commissioners and are subject to change — always verify the current fee schedule before estimating.
Any work in the public right-of-way requires a separate ROW permit. The issuing agency depends on jurisdiction:
| Jurisdiction | Agency | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| City of Detroit streets | City Engineering Department / DPW | 2 Woodward Ave, Suite 642, Detroit — (313) 224-3935 |
| State-maintained roads | Michigan Dept. of Transportation | 6510 Telegraph Rd, Taylor — (313) 375-2400 |
| County roads | Wayne County Road Commission | 33809 Michigan Ave, Wayne — (734) 595-6504 |
Anyone applying for a ROW permit must be bonded.
DWSD will approve reuse of an existing sanitary service for new construction only if all of the following are true:
DWSD will approve reuse of an existing water service for new construction only if all of the following are true:
When a new water service is required, the owner must pay to have all existing water services to that property formally discontinued. It is the plumber's responsibility to identify existing services through DWSD Permits before installing the new one.
Properties that were previously demolished without DWSD clearance — or are scheduled for demolition — require clearances from DWSD's Demolition Section before a new service permit can be issued.
Every Master Plumber and Contractor applying for a water or sewer service permit must carry and maintain the following insurance while work is in progress. All policies must be from a company licensed to do business in Michigan.
| Coverage Type | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Workers' Compensation | Statutory |
| Public Liability (bodily injury) | $1,000,000 per occurrence |
| Property Damage (including X, C, and U hazards) | $500,000 per occurrence / $1,000,000 aggregate |
| Owner's Protective Liability (City of Detroit, Board of Water Commissioners, DWSD, and their agents as additional named insureds) — bodily injury | $1,000,000 per occurrence |
| Owner's Protective Liability — property damage | $500,000 per occurrence / $1,000,000 aggregate |
Submit a Certificate of Insurance with policy numbers, minimum coverage amounts, additional named insureds listed, and 15-day notice of cancellation noted. The certificate must be signed by an authorized agent.
The water service installation process is not complete until a Department-approved water meter is installed and inspected by DWSD's Meter Operations Division.
The Master Plumber must call DWSD's Permit Unit at (313) 267-8000 at least five days in advance of the date internal plumbing is ready for meter installation to schedule the appointment. An adult must be present during the appointment window. No water service will be turned on until the meter has been installed and approved.
Only authorized DWSD personnel may operate water main valves, service valves, fire hydrants, or water meters. Service activated by anyone else is subject to immediate shutoff without notice.
Before commencing any work in the public right-of-way for sewer service connections, the contractor must visually inspect the upstream manhole to assess flow conditions. If the public sewer is sluggish, not flowing, blocked, or otherwise damaged, notify DWSD's Maintenance Division through the Sewer Permit Inspector immediately.
If DWSD requests it, a formal CCTV inspection of the sewer line must be recorded and submitted.
If the contractor fails to perform the required inspection and a blockage is subsequently found, DWSD will clean the sewer and bill all costs to the contractor. Repeat violations (3–4 per year) can result in recommendation to revoke the contractor's City Registration. Basement flooding claims resulting from the contractor's work are passed through to the contractor and their insurer.