Water & Wastewater Departments
Jason L. Karmol, Director of Public Works
Donald B. Dailey, Assistant Director of Public Works
Business Hours: 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM, Monday through Friday
975 North Huron Street, PO Box 39
Cheboygan, MI 49721
Ph: (231) 627-2582
Fx: (231) 627-2279
Emergencies: (231) 290-2900 (after regular business hours and weekends)
Wastewater Treatment Plant Tour
Water / Sewer Billing
The City of Cheboygan system users are billed quarterly for their water and sewer usage. The water and sewer bill is divided into 2 categories: fixed costs (called “Ready to Serve”) and variable costs (called “Usage”). Please see Frequently Asked Questions regarding Water/Sewer Billing here.
The fixed portion of the rate is used to cover fixed costs associated with maintaining the Water & Wastewater Treatment Plant and infrastructure. The usage portion of the rate is used to cover the variable costs of treatment and providing the services to our residents. Usage is billed per 1,000 gallons of water used during a 3 month period. The readiness to serve fee is determined by the meter size.
New rates were adopted at the June 28, 2022 City Council meeting. Attached is the slideshow that was presented at the Council meeting by the City’s DPW Director.
Water and Sewer Rate Analysis Presentation
Below is Exhibit A – Option 1 that was previously adopted by the City Council.
On June 13th, 2023 City Council voted to approved a Resolution to increase water and sewer usage rates by 3% on the 1st of July and for the next 5 years.
The Resolution and updated rate schedule is linked below:
Resolution to Establish Water and Sewer Rates and Charges
Audio for both the City Council meetings is also available. Click on the ‘Resources’ tab then click ‘Meeting Minutes’.
Need Assistance with your Water or Sewer Bill?
Northeast Michigan Community Service Agency (NEMCSA) may be able to help! Please visit their website by clicking here or call 989-358-4600 to see if you are eligible.
Water Department
The City of Cheboygan Water Department maintains approximately 49 miles of distribution piping, four production wells and one 500,000-gallon water storage tower.
The average daily production is approximately 910,000 gallons.
The Department is also responsible for installing new service taps.
There are approximately 2,021 residential and commercial billing accounts. The Department also serves several customers outside of the city limits, per established intergovernmental agreements.
The City’s water is supplied via groundwater. The water is disinfected with chlorine to ensure that no harmful bacteria are present in the distribution system. We also add a blended phosphate solution (80% polyphosphate and 20% orthophosphate) to control taste, color, and odor complaints that are a result of the dissolved minerals usually found in groundwater sources.
- 2022 Water Quality Report
- Official Laboratory Report
- Sump Pumps Handout
- Project Plan for Wastewater Treatment Plant Upgrades (Draft)
Wastewater Department
The City of Cheboygan Wastewater Department maintains approximately 40 miles of collection system piping, six lift stations and the wastewater treatment facility. It provides service to approximately 2,073 residential and commercial accounts. The department is also responsible for installing new service taps.
The treatment facility currently treats an average of approximately two million gallons per day (2.0 MGD). The plant is rated for an average of 2.5 MGD, with a peak flow capacity of 5.0 MGD during wet weather conditions. During heavy rain events, a 1.3 million gallon flow equalization basin stores excess flow until it can be treated when flows return to normal.
The City of Cheboygan also treats sewage from a small portion of Inverness Twp. and has a contract to maintain their collection system and four main lift stations.
The treatment facility was expanded in 1978 to provide secondary treatment using Rotating Biological Contractors (RBC’s). RBC’s are large disks closely spaced along a rotating shaft that is partly submerged in the wastewater. These disks provide surface for the microorganisms to grow. As they grow, these organisms remove the nutrients in the wastewater. The organisms are later removed from the treated water, and disinfection using chlorine follows, leaving the water clean enough to meet the stringent limitations of our National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.
The facility is equipped with a full laboratory and staff for monitoring the discharge quality. The water discharged from the Cheboygan Wastewater Treatment Facility is sent to the Cheboygan River approximately ½ mile from the mouth of the river, where it flows into Lake Huron.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions frequently asked of the Water and Wastewater Departments.
Why is my usage so high?
If your usage and or bill is an usual amount compared to your normal usage, it is likely you have a small leak. Some leaks can go unnoticed until your meter is read. Please review the following document:
Leak Information
Do I need a water softener?
The City’s water supply contains about 8 to 9 grains of hardness, so a water softener is not necessary.
Who pays for cleaning plugged sewer lines?
City policy states that a customer should call the Wastewater Department before contacting a plumber. City personnel will check and clean the public sewer lines serving the residence, and advise the resident of their findings. Blockage of the service line from the building to the sewer main is the responsibility of the owner/resident. Blockage of the sewer main is the responsibility of the City.
Who do I contact for connecting to the water or sewer system?
Call (231) 627-2582 during normal business hours.
Who do I call if I have a question about my water and sewer bill?
Call Sarah at City Hall. Her direct line is (231) 627-3592.
What is the cost to connect to the water and/or sewer system?
A request for a new Water or Sewer service has the following pricing for a connection where utilities are located near proposed property.
The property owner will be required to get contractor bids for the excavation from property to utilities.
Water Tap Fee pays for City staff to tap the water main and install a shut-off within the Right-of-Way.
Sewer Tap Fees pay for the City to tap and create a size appropriate connection to the sewer based on water meter size.
If the connection requires the removal of pavement, repaving the affected area is in addition to the prices and will be based on actual quotes from paving contractors for area removed.
City of Cheboygan Tap Fees (Effective July 1st, 2022)
| Meter Size (inch) | Water | Sewer |
|---|---|---|
| ¾” | $2,000 | $2,000 |
| 1” | $2,750 | $2,750 |
| 1½” | $4,000 | $4,000 |
| 2” | $7,000 | $7,000 |
| 4” | $30,000 | $30,000 |
| 6” | $50,000 | $50,000 |
The Contractor will then finish the installation to the property.