Mission
The Wayne County Department of Public Services Environmental Services Division's mission is to create, foster, and maintain a clean and safe land and water environment for citizens of Wayne County by providing services for cost effective drainage systems, waste water management, and solid waste management. The Environmental Services Division's mission is continuously achieved by talented administrators and employees, guided by the strategic goals of the Wayne County Executive.
Throughout this website, you will be able to learn about ESD's many diverse services and programs. From Western Wayne to Downriver, from Detroit to Asia, ESD's successes and leadership in improving our environment is a model for communities around Michigan and the world. We are proud to serve you, our customers, with high-quality and cost-effective environmental services, and we welcome your comments and suggestions. Thanks for visiting.
The DPS Environmental Services Division is comprised of:
- Land Resource Management - works to protect the land and water resources of the County through their solid waste and soil erosion programs.
- Facilities Management - maintains sewer and drain operations throughout the County.
- Water Quality Management - protects and restores water resources in Wayne County through a watershed management approach.
This web site provides information for ESD programs and their established missions, goals, and organizational structure, along with the services that they provide to the many constituents and communities of Wayne County. Please visit each area's web site and utilize our services to the fullest extent. Our office is located at 3600 Commerce Court, Building E, Wayne, MI 48184. Our office hours are Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. We look forward to serving you.
Public Notices
North Branch Big Swan Creek Intercounty Drain - Notice of Drainage Board Meeting
The drainage board for the North Branch Big Swan Creek Intercounty Drain will meet on Friday, November 6, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. at the offices of the Spicer Group located at 125 Helle Boulevard #2 in Dundee, Michigan. The purpose of this meeting is to conduct necessary and appropriate business of the drainage board. Please click here(PDF, 213KB) to download the meeting notice.
Monroe and Wayne County Line Intercounty Drain - Notice of Drainage Board Meeting
The drainage board for the Monroe and Wayne County Line Intercounty Drain will meet on Friday, November 6, 2025 at 10:30 a.m. at the offices of the Spicer Group located at 125 Helle Boulevard #2 in Dundee, Michigan. The purpose of this meeting is to conduct necessary and appropriate business of the drainage board. Please click here(PDF, 289KB) to download the meeting notice.
United States Drug Enforcement Agency National Drug Take Back Program
The United States Drug Enforcement Agency hosts a national drug take back program. You can safely and properly dispose of all your drugs during this event. Visit this website page to find the location nearest to you - https://www.dea.gov/takebackday.
Detroit River Community Forums - Discuss the Future of the Detroit River
Friends of the Detroit River, on behalf of the Detroit River Public Advisory Council (PAC), is hosting three Community Forums to:
- help raise awareness about the Detroit River Area of Concern,
- explain how and why the past 20 years have been spent doing habitat restoration in the region,
- share what the PAC is working on now,
- and collect community input and feedback on needs and visions.
The goal of the Community Forums is to encourage community input and help marry public interests with future ecological enhancement efforts.
There will be three opportunities to get involved this fall:
Thursday, October 2 @ 6:30 pm on Grosse Ile Click here(PDF, 142KB)
for the flyer
Wednesday, October 15 @ 5:30 pm in Ecorse Click here(PDF, 133KB)
for the flyer
Thursday, November 13 @ 6:00 pm in Detroit Click here(PDF, 133KB)
for the flyer
Calling All Wayne County Downriver Schools!
Help our community reduce water pollution and help your school win up to $1500! As a member of the Alliance
of Downriver Watersheds (ADW), Wayne County invites you to sign up for the Schools for Clean Water Contest running October 8th – October 22nd, 2025.
What is the ADW Schools for Clean Water Contest?
The contest is a public service campaign to reduce pollution in the “downriver” portion of southern Wayne County, Michigan. Schools get residents to pledge to adopt a local storm drain and assign their pledge to a participating school. Schools that collect the most pledges win cash prizes they can use to purchase educational materials or support school projects.
Any school in an Alliance of Downriver Watersheds member community can participate, and you’re one of them! Have your school sign up here: https://forms.gle/kqiFY2iKofY5SihRA
Schools need to be signed up by September 30th, 2025 to participate.
A total of $5000 in prizes will be awarded:
- First Prize: $1500
- Second Prize: $1250
- Third Prize: $1000
- Schools who did not win first, second or third but earn at least 100 pledges are entered into a drawing for one of five $250 wild card prizes!
Visit SchoolsForCleanWater.org for more information. If you have any questions, contact the ADW at info@allianceofdownriverwatersheds.com
North Branch Big Swan Creek Intercounty Drain - Notice of Drainage Board Meeting
The Drainage Board for the North Branch Big Swan Creek Intercounty Drain will meet on Tuesday, September 23, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. at the Sumpter Township Community Center located at 23465 Sumpter Road in Belleville, Michigan. The purpose of this meeting is to conduct necessary and appropriate business of the drainage board and any other business that may come before the Board. Please click here(PDF, 205KB) to download the meeting notice and agenda.
Wayne County Materials Management Planning Committee - Notice of Public Meeting
This committee will meet on Tuesday October 14, 2025, at SEMCOG located at 1001 Woodward Avenue, Suite 1400 in Detroit. This meeting will assist the county in preparing to implement the Wayne County Materials Management Plan pursuant to Part 115, Solid Waste Management, of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994 PA 451, as amended, and its administrative rules (Part 115). Please click (PDF, 191KB)here to download the meeting notice.
North Branch Big Swan Creek Intercounty Drain - Notice of Day of Review of Apportionments
The Wayne County Drain Commissioner will hold a Day of Review of Apportionments on Thursday, July 10, 2025 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Sumpter Township Community Center Gymnasium located at 23501 Sumpter Road in Belleville, Michigan. The Day of Review is an opportunity to review the tentative apportionment of benefits for each parcel and municipality within the North Branch Big Swan Creek Intercounty Drain Drainage District. Please click on the links below to view the Day of Review notice and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).
Day of Review Notice(PDF, 144KB)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)(PDF, 207KB)
North Branch Big Swan Creek Intercounty Drain - Notice of Letting
The drainage board for the North Branch Big Swan Creek Intercounty Drain will meet on Wednesday, April 23, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. at the office of the Spicer Group, 125 Helle Blvd, Dundee, Michigan. The purpose of this meeting is to receive construction bids for the intercounty drain. Please see the meeting notice and agenda for construction bid details.
Meeting Notice (PDF, 138KB)
Meeting Agenda (PDF, 8KB)
Milk River Intercounty Drain - Notice of 2025 Drainage Board Meetings
The Drainage Board for the Milk River Intercounty Drain will meet at the following dates and times in 2025:
February 27, 2025 at 10:00 a.m.(PDF, 157KB)
April 24, 2025 at 10:00 a.m.(PDF, 177KB)
June 26, 2025 at 10:00 a.m.(PDF, 174KB)
August 28, 2025 at 10:00 a.m.(PDF, 168KB)
October 23, 2025 at 10:00 a.m.(PDF, 168KB)
December 18, 2025 at 10:00 a.m.
Meetings are held at the Southeast Macomb Sanitary District Headquarters (SEMSD) located at 20001 Pleasant Street in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. Meeting notices will be added and linked above as they become available. Click on the link to download the meeting notice and agenda.
2025 Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Events
Wayne County's Department of Public Services hosts four Household Hazardous Waste Collections per year for County residents. The collections are designed to accept unwanted household hazardous waste for proper disposal from residents. Only household generated products from Wayne County residents are accepted. The 2025 events have concluded. Wayne County will continue hosting household hazardous waste (HHW) collection events in 2026. The 2026 events will be announced early next year.
In addition, there are other resources available for you to manage your waste materials:
- You can download our "Wayne County Recycles" app from Google Play or the App store. It provides options for safe disposal on a wide variety of household hazardous waste and electronic waste items.
- An online version of our application can be found on our website here. At the bottom of the page you will see the "Resource Recovery Guide" where you can type in the name of an item and receive safe disposal options.
- Obtain a free recycling voucher available to Wayne County residents. See the section below for details on this new and innovative program for recycling household hazardous waste.
- Our processing contractor, Environmental Recycling Group in Livonia, accepts residential drop off of HHW by appointment for a fee. You can call them at 734-437-9650.
Wayne County Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Recycling Voucher Program
Wayne County offers a recycling voucher program to Wayne County residents. This program allows residents to dispose and recycle of their household hazardous waste five days a week at the contractor's Livonia site. Please visit 3600 Commerce Court, Building E, Wayne, Michigan 48184 Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to pick up your voucher. Call 734-326-5708 or email jdemerjian@waynecounty.com if you have any questions. Note that supplies are limited and vouchers are available on a first come, first serve basis.
Recycling Voucher Flyer(PDF, 88KB)
Meijer Prescription Drug Take Back Kiosk
Meijer Pharmacy wants to help you protect your loved ones, the community and the environment. Safely dispose of your unwanted and expired medications the right way by visiting your local Meijer store and look for the receptacle by the pharmacy counter. This is a free service - no questions asked.
Board of Determination Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Download a pdf of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding a Board of Determination(PDF, 87KB).
Wayne County Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Public Notification Plan
Wayne County has developed a public notification plan (PNP) for combined sewer overflows (CSO) that may occur from outfalls located along Detroit and Rouge Rivers, in accordance with NPDES Permits and 40 CFR Part 122.38(c). A CSO is a discharge from a combined sewer system, during wet weather, at a point prior to the downstream wastewater treatment facility. Wayne County's PNP describes how the County provides notification to the public of CSO occurrences from combined sewer systems and combined sewer overflow treatment facilities operated by Wayne County.
Information about combined sewer overflow discharges is available online from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), as follows:
For more information regarding the Wayne County Public Notification Plan, and combined sewer overflow discharges reported under the Public Notification Plan, please contact esghelp@waynecountymi.gov.
General News and Information
SEMCOG Releases New Video on the Alliance of Downriver Watersheds
The Alliance of Downriver Watersheds (ADW) is featured in a new SEMCOG One Water video that highlights the organization's efforts to keep Downriver water resources safe for drinking, fishing, and recreational activities. Click on one of the links below to view this video.
View other SEMCOG One Water videos.
Construction of Improvements to the Milk River Intercounty Drain Drainage District Wastewater Facilities Are Underway
In October 2016, construction began on a multi-year project for improvements to the Milk River Intercounty Drain Drainage District wastewater facilities serving the Cities of Harper Woods, Grosse Pointe Woods, and St. Clair. These improvements will allow the Milk River Intercounty Drain Drainage District to continue to provide efficient transport of combined sewage from system customers during normal conditions and to effectively treat combined sewage overflows into Lake St. Clair into the future.
Construction of Improvements to the Milk River Intercounty Drain Drainage District Wastewater Facilities(PDF, 259KB)
Notice Requirements for Sewage Disposal or Storm Water System Event
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Requests
The Wayne County Drain Commissioner has adopted the County of Wayne's procedures and guidelines for FOIA requests for all county and intercounty drains.
Dispose of Fats, Oils, and Grease Properly
Excessive fats, oils and grease (FOG) washed from sink drains in businesses and homes can block sewer pipes and lead to backups of sewage into buildings and overflows of sewage to rivers, lakes and streams.
Dispose of Fats, Oils, and Grease Properly in the Home(PDF, 533KB)
24 Hour Environmental Hotline
1-888-223-2363
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