Frequently Asked Questions

What Is an Outfall?

The City of Walled Lake has thirty-six known outfalls into Walled Lake. An outfall is any drain, culvert, tube, pipe or catch basin that empties into Walled Lake. These outfalls drain storm water, snow melt and pollutants from the surrounding watersheds into Walled Lake. Animal waste, illegal sewer dumping, lawn fertilizers, pesticides and other chemicals are only some of the possible pollutants that may enter Walled Lake through these outfalls.

Remember: please report any dumping, pollution or suspicious discharge to the City of Walled Lake at (248) 624-4847 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 
Help Protect Water Quality in the Rouge River, the Huron River, and Walled Lake.

Lawn Watering?
What time of day is best for watering the lawn? 
Early morning and evening are the ideal times for watering your lawn.How much water does my lawn need? 
Lawns require approximately 1 inch of water per week.  Too much water can result in shallow roots, low tolerance to heat and drought, and increased susceptibility to disease.

How do I know if my lawn has too much water? 
One sign of an over-watered lawn is water run-off.  Water running out onto the sidewalk, driveway, or street carries essential nutrients away from your lawn.  To make matters worse, water run-off picks up pollutants and flows into the storm drains.  Additionally, if the lawn has a spongy feeling after watering, the lawn may be receiving too much water.

Does a watered lawn mean a healthy lawn? 
Although it is helpful to water your lawn during long dry weather periods, it does not mean you will have a healthy lawn.  The depth of the roots and the height of grass blades are what indicate a healthy lawn.

What else should I know?
Make sure sprinklers are directed to water only the grass, not the sidewalk, driveway, or street.  This small measure helps to ensure pollutants on those surfaces will not go down the storm drains, along with your money.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding good watershed stewardship when watering your lawn, please call the City of Walled Lake at (248) 624-4847 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.    

Did You Know… The City of Walled Lake is located in both the Rouge River and the Huron River watersheds.  
A watershed is a region of land that drains into a body of water:  lake, river, or stream.  
Walled Lake is the headwaters to the Middle I Branch of the Rouge River.  The northern part of the city is part of the Huron River watershed.

Storm drains connect directly to our lakes, rivers, and streams. When it rains and/or snow melts, anything along the roads, sidewalks, and parking lots runs into the drains and into our waterways.  This is also true if you wash your vehicle in the driveway, wash your driveway off with the hose, or have over-spray when watering your lawn.

You can help! There are several ways that you can help protect our lakes, rivers, and streams.  To learn how, please call the City of Walled Lake at (248) 624-4847 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

  
Where Does the Water Go?
Did you ever wonder where the rain or melting snow and ice goes after it runs down a drain on the side of the road or in a parking lot?  The water, now known as storm water, flows across the ground and pavement, carrying any debris and pollutants found along the way, into a storm drainage system.  Storm drainage systems are connected directly to our waterways.  Therefore, it is important to clean any debris away from the drain, to make sure vehicles and chemical containers do not leak, and to not over-fertilize.  Also, NEVER pour anything into a storm drain.  “Storm drains aren’t garbage cans!”

For additional information, please call the City of Walled Lake at (248) 624-4847 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.   

Alliance of Rouge Communities (ARC) Alliance of Rouge Communities, or ARC, is a 501(c)(3) organization that provides an institutional mechanism to encourage watershed-wide cooperation and mutual support for water quality permit requirements. They restore beneficial uses of the rouge River to residents.  ARC is a voluntary public watershed entity currently comprised of 35 municipal governments, 3 counties (Oakland, Wayne and Washtenaw), 3 educational institutions (Henry Ford College, Schoolcraft College and University of Michigan Dearborn) and the Wayne County Airport Authority as authorized by Part 312 (Watershed Alliances) of the Michigan Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act (MCL 324.101 to 324.90106) as amended by Act No. 517, Public Acts of 2004.The ARC was created to coordinate the water management responsibilities of the Rouge River watershed between its member organizations. Since inception, the ARC, has worked diligently to improve the water quality within the watershed.

Y​ou can also visit the 
Friends of the Rouge for volunteering activities and additional information in partnership with the Alliance of Rouge Communities.

Do you live in the watershed?
Change your habits to help protect water quality in the Rouge River
Protect the Rouge River at Home 

Stormwater Plan and Ordinance
MS4 Permit - Stormwater Plan - If you would like to comment on the MS4 permit please email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit the following website: https://www.allianceofrougecommunities.com/swplanreview.html
Stormwater Ordinance ARC- Executive Director's Report

What Is an Illicit Connection/Discharge? What’s the Harm?
An illicit connection is when a pipe, intended for a sanitary sewer, ends up in a storm drain or when a pipe, intended for a storm drain, ends up in a sanitary sewer.   An illicit discharge is the introduction of polluting materials into a pipe that drains to surface water or the dumping of polluting material that can impact surface water.  For example: laundry waste discharging to a storm drain, swimming pool backwash water discharging to a storm sewer, or pollutants moving over impervious surfaces to a storm drain.  When observing a storm drain, remember: if it isn’t raining, the storm drain should be dry and the ground water should be crystal clear. 
If you have a pollution complaint or want to report a suspected illicit discharge, please call the City of Walled Lake at (248) 624-4847 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 
OR anonymously report it to the Pollution Emergency Alerting System (PEAS) hotline at (800)292-4706.
You may also call Oakland County's 24 hour hotline at 248-858-0931 or visit www.oakgov/water

For more information on the Rouge River Watershed, visit www.rougeriver.com or www.therouge.org
For more information on the Huron River Watershed, visit www.hrwc.org.Other sites of interest include:www.michigan.gov/dnr
www.michigan.gov/egle
www.epa.gov  

Please Don't Feed the Waterfowl
Feeding the ducks near a calm body of water . . . it seems like a relaxing, harmless activity.  However, did you know feeding the ducks is not healthy for the Rouge River or Walled Lake?  Feeding ducks, geese and other waterfowl encourages them to be dependent on humans.  Instead of migrating south or continuing their flight throughout the area in search of food and shelter, waterfowl stick close to places where they are fed.  As a result, many local parks and ponds are overrun with waterfowl (and their feces).  The type of food we feed ducks and geese presents another problem.  Just like humans need certain foods in their diet (vegetables, fruits), ducks and geese need certain types of food (NOT BREAD).  In addition, waterfowl waste contributes nutrient and bacteria pollution to Walled Lake and the Rouge River.  Just remember, a sufficient amount of food already exists within a lake or river for native waterfowl.  So, for the benefit of Walled Lake, the river and the waterfowl…

Please Don’t Feed the Waterfowl!If you have any questions or concerns regarding waterfowl feeding, please call the City of Walled Lake at (248) 624-4847 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.   

Proper Pet Waste Disposal
Pet animal waste contributes to pollution in our storm drains and waterways.  As a way to keep our parks clean and open for people and pets to enjoy, the City offers Mutt Mitts. These dispensers make biodegradable bags conveniently available for pet owners to clean up after their pets. 
Simply place used bags in the nearest garbage container. That’s all there is to it. 

The dispensers are found at the following parks:  Hiram Sims, Marshall Taylor, Riley, and the City Event Field.  
Please help keep our parks clean and enjoyable by cleaning up after your pets! If you have any questions or comments about the Mutt Mitt program, please call the City of Walled Lake at (248) 624-4847 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.    

Travel Trailer Waste Disposal
You may dispose of travel trailer waste water until mid-October at Proud Lake Campground in Milford at no charge, but you must have a Recreation Passport.  From I-96, take the Wixom Road exit and go north approximately 6 miles to the park entrance.  The park is open year-round with modern camping facilities from April 16 to October 16.  More information on Proud Lake Campground (including driving directions) can be obtained at www.michigan.gov/dnr.  You may also call the park phone number at 248-685-2433 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. daily.  

Car Care and the Environment 
Car care and maintenance is an important consideration, when trying to protect the environment.  Many vehicle fluids such as engine oil, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, brake fluid, hydraulic fluids, and radiator fluid can be dangerous; therefore, it is important to repair any leak your vehicle may have. If you change your oil, put the used oil in a sturdy container, label it, and take it to a business that accepts used oil (such as Murray’s), or take it to one of the scheduled Household Hazardous Waste Days. Antifreeze, which contains ingredients poisonous to people, fish, and wildlife, is also dangerous to the environment, and should be treated in the same manner as waste oil. 
 
In case of a spill, with any of these types of materials, use kitty litter or sawdust to absorb the spill and sweep up the absorbent material after it has taken effect.  If the spill takes more than one gallon of absorbent material, take the material to a household hazardous waste disposal center.  If the spill is small, place the absorbents in a strong plastic bag and place it in the trash.There are also important tips for washing your vehicle.  Wash your vehicle on the lawn, instead of the driveway, to reduce runoff into the street and down the storm drains.  (You will also water your lawn at the same time).  Reduce the amount of soap you use, using non-phosphate biodegradable detergents and mild soaps.  Using water from a bucket, instead of a hose, saves water.  Wash only one section of the car at a time.  Rinse quickly, using a pistol-grip nozzle with high pressure and low volume.
 
The following are some soap recipes that are environmentally friendly:Car Soap
¼ cup vegetable oil-based liquid soap
Warm water
Mix ingredients in pail. Car Wax1 cup linseed oil
4 tbsp. carnauba wax (available in auto supply stores)
2 tbsp. beeswax
½ cup vinegar
Put ingredients in top half of a double boiler or saucepan.  Heat slowly, until wax melts.  Stir and pour into a heat resistant container.  After wax has solidified, rub it on the car with a lint-free cloth.  Saturate a corner of a cotton rag with vinegar and polish the wax to a deep shine.Vinyl Cleaner¼ cup washing soda (sodium carbonate)
1 cup boiling water
Dissolve washing soda in boiling water.  Let cool slightly, to avoid burns.
Apply with sponge and wipe off with damp cloth. 
For additional information, please call the City of Walled Lake  at (248) 624-4847 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.    Fertilizer InformationMany of us want the ideal green summer lawn and think fertilizer is the answer.  This may not always be the case.  Obtaining a healthy lawn can sometimes be accomplished by simply keeping grass 3 inches tall, which helps promote root growth and helps shade out weeds, and recycling nitrogen and potassium rich grass clippings back into the lawn.  The best way to know if your lawn needs fertilizer is to test the soil.  You can pick up an easy-to-use soil nutrient testing box at the Michigan State University Extension – Oakland County office. 
 
If the soil test determines your lawn needs fertilizer, consider these important items when shopping for the right one.A slow-release fertilizer is highly recommended, because it promotes steady, uniform growth and is water soluble, which is better for water quality.
Avoid fertilizer-herbicide mixtures.
A low- or zero-phosphorus fertilizer is best for surface water quality.  Excessive phosphorus can cause abundant plant and algae growth.
When applying fertilizers.Follow the label instructions EXACTLY.
Never apply fertilizer at rates heavier than recommended.
Fertilize in late spring and early fall.
Only apply fertilizer on the turf and avoid over-spraying.
Keep fertilizer at least 20 feet from the edge of lakes, rivers, streams, and storm drains.

If you need additional information about proper fertilization techniques and their role in protecting the watershed, please call the City of Walled Lake at (248) 624-4847 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

West Nile Virus
To help protect your family from West Nile Virus, remember these important tips.  Wear protective clothing such as long pants and long sleeve shirts.
Limit outdoor activity at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
Apply insect repellants, per label directions, as needed. 
Lessen mosquito breeding grounds around your home, by draining outdoor potted plants and eliminating all areas of standing water.
Clean roof gutters often, to prevent clogging and standing water.
Drain water that collects on the top of a pool cover. 
For more information on West Nile Virus, please call the Oakland County Health Department’s West Nile Virus Information line at 1-877-377-3641 or visit their website at www.oakgov.com/health. 

De-Icing Salt and Water Quality
Salt (sodium chloride) is the most common source used for de-icing roads and sidewalks.  It works by lowering the freezing point of ice and snow, allowing roadways and sidewalks to stay free of ice and snow buildup.  Salt provides safety and mobility to motorists and pedestrians.  In addition, salt is abundant, inexpensive, non-toxic, harmless to skin and clothes, and easy to store and use.  Salt is also environmentally safe, if used and stored properly.Because salt is a mineral found within the Earth’s crust and in the oceans, it makes sense that it is not harmful to the natural environment.  However, high concentrations of salt can be harmful.  Runoff from the roadways and sidewalks go into storm drains, which flow directly into our lakes, rivers, and streams. Therefore, it is important to not spread excessive amounts of salt at one time and to cover the salt when storing.

In the event that a boil water advisory has been issued, as a precautionary measure, residents are advised to:

What precautions are necessary?
Purchase bottled water for drinking and cooking OR purify all water for drinking and cooking

Boiling is the safest method for purification
Bring to a rolling boil for 5 minutes
Let cool for 5 minutes
Pour back and forth between two clean containers to improve taste
Disinfection with household bleach
Use only regular household liquid bleach containing 5.25% sodium hypochlorite
Do not use scented bleaches, color safe bleaches, or bleaches with added cleansers
Add no more than 16 drops of bleach for every gallon of water, stir well, and let stand for 30 minutes
Water should have a slight bleach odor; if not, add 3 more drops of bleach, stir, and let stand for 15 minutes
Distillation of water
Fill a pot half full with water
Tie a cup to the handle of the pot’s lid
Place the lid upside down on the pot-the cup should be right side up and not touching the water
Boil water in the pot for 20 minutes
The water that drips from the lid into the cup is distilled and clean

Water for hygiene
Water does not need to be boiled for normal hand washing and bathing purposes.
Use of soap with vigorous scrubbing and rinsing should be safe.
Purified water must be used for people with conditions such as open sores, lesions, or broken skin.

 Dish Washing
 If hand-washing dishes, wash and rinse dishes and eating utensils in disinfected or distilled water.
According to the Oakland County Health Division, the heat/dry cycle of a home dishwasher is sufficient enough to kill any bacteria in the water. However, if you wish to sanitize the dishes and eating utensils during the uncertain period of the boil water advisory, there is an additional step you can perform.

Place the dishes and eating utensils in the sink and pour boiling water (that has been at a rolling boil for 5 minutes) over them and allow to dry, OR
Immerse the dishes and eating utensils in a solution of a sink full of water and a capful of unscented regular household liquid bleach for 2 minutes and allow to dry

Clothes Washing
Washing clothes will not be affected by the boil water advisory. However, if there has been no water, rust or other particles could stain clothes. Run the washer empty through one cycle to ensure that the water line has been flushed before adding clothes. It is recommended that clothes washers not be used until after pressure has returned to normal for one day.


When is it safe to use water after a boil water advisory is lifted?
As soon as the boil water advisory is lifted, you can safely use the cold water for cooking and drinking. Just run your water for 30 to 60 seconds or until if feels cold. This procedure should be followed anytime the water is not used for more than six hours. You should not drink or cook with water from your hot water tap.

Should I drain my hot water tank after a boil water advisory?
You do not need to drain your hot water tank for a “precautionary boil water advisory”. 

If you have any additional questions or concerns regarding boil water advisory precautions or procedures, please contact 
The Walled Lake Department of Public Service at (248) 624-4849 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The roads within the City of Walled Lake consist of Oakland County roads, major City roads and local City roads.  The Department of Public Service (DPS) maintains the City's major and local roads, while the Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC) is responsible for the County roads.  The County roads are South Commerce, Fourteen Mile, Pontiac Trail, and Maple Road east of Pontiac Trail.

To report a pothole on a County Road, or if you have any questions or concerns about a County Road, please contact the Road Commission for Oakland County at (248) 858-4804 or go to https://www.rcocweb.org/

To report a pothole on any City major or local road, or if you have any questions or concerns, please call the City of Walled Lake at (248) 624-4847 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.   
WHAT IS A POTHOLE?Potholes are a continuous source of aggravation for Michigan drivers, due to our constant freeze-thaw climate.  Water, drainage, and traffic are the main factors that contribute to pavement stress and deterioration.

Potholes develop when the pavement, or the material beneath it, cannot support the weight of the traffic it carries.  Traffic that is too heavy for the road design can cause fatigue cracks in the streets.  Water flows into cracks, freezes, and expands causing the roadbed to shift.  Eventually, temperatures rise and the ice melts, leaving an unsupported gap beneath the pavement.

Municipalities spend a great deal of money, time and effort repairing potholes.  Often temporary patches are made until a road crew can return to the damaged road and repair it properly, as time and money permit. 

To report a pothole on a County Road (Pontiac Trail, East West Maple, Fourteen Mile, and South Commerce), contact the Road Commission for Oakland County at (248) 858-4804 or go to https://www.rcocweb.org/ To report a pothole on any local road, please call the City of Walled Lake at (248) 624-4847 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

ROAD SIGNSTo report a road sign that is down or damaged along one of our County Roads (Pontiac Trail, East West Maple, Fourteen Mile, or South Commerce), contact the Road Commission for Oakland County at (248) 858-4804 or go to https://www.rcocweb.org/

For signs that are down or damaged on any other street within City limits, please call the City of Walled Lake at (248) 624-4847 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with detailed information regarding sign location.

RIGHT OF WAY MAINTENANCE
Property owners adjacent to road right of ways are responsible for routine maintenance, such as grass cutting, hedge trimming and removal of leaves or other debris. 

TREE PLANTING
A permit is required to plant a tree in the right of way. Why you may ask? Trees planted in the road right of way may interfere with utilities such as electricity, gas, water, sanitary sewer, and storm water drainage systems. In addition to those vital utilities, trees may block clear vision areas needed for safe vehicular traffic.  Each permit is handled on a case-by-case basis.

For more information, please call the City of Walled Lake at 248-624-4847 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

DITCHES
Roadway ditches provide drainage for storm water runoff and melting snow along roadways. An open ditch drainage system allows sediments to settle for later removal and before contaminates enter our lakes, rivers and streams. In general, property owners may not fill a drainage ditch in a road right of way.  A filled drainage ditch may cause flooding or damage the roadway. Additionally, flooding caused by an illegally filled ditch may create a traffic hazard, if roadway flooding occurs.

If you have any questions about drainage ditches, please contact the City of Walled Lake at (248) 624-4847 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

DITCH MAINTENANCE
If you have a ditch in your yard, it is important to maintain it, to ensure proper flow and drainage.  Take a few minutes and clear out leaves, sticks, trash, and any other debris that may have collected.  Cleaning the debris out of the ditch will help the water travel properly down your street and not onto your yard.   SNOW REMOVAL POLICY
 The DPS operates on a 7-day, 24-hour schedule, 365 days per year.  The department currently has five vehicles equipped with snowplows.

The first priority of the department during a heavy snowfall is to clear the City Hall driveways to allow the Fire Department, Police Department, and Public Service staff to enter and exit the grounds in emergency situations.

The second priority is to clear the major roads, which includes intersections, sharp curves and hills.

The third priority is to clear the local roads and City-owned parking lots. 

Please be patient during heavy snowfalls.  The Public Service staff is working diligently to make the City of Walled Lake’s roads safe for its citizens.  Residents can aid the effort, by removing all parked vehicles from City streets, so the plows can do their work safely and efficiently.

As a reminder, if you are driving during inclement winter weather and you see a salt truck or snow plow, use care and caution.  Drivers are trained to drive salt trucks and snowplows, but the trucks are much larger than most vehicles.  The large vehicles take longer to stop and need more room to turn.  Drive safely! Please give them plenty of room to do their job! 

If you have any questions or concerns about snow removal policy or service within the City, please contact us at (248) 624-4847 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

The City of Walled Lake continues to work with DTE Energy to expedite repair and maintenance of streetlights in our community. Reporting a streetlight outage is easy. 

Click here to report a streetlight problem. • Provide information about the specific streetlight location: nearest crossroads, nearby businesses, etc. To help us address the problem efficiently, please include the following information in the report.

• Is the pole wood or metal?

• What is the pole number?
  (This number is located at the base of metal poles and at a height of approximately eight (8) feet on wood poles.)

• Provide details about the outage: light off during the night, light turns on and off at night, light stays on during the day, etc.  

In cases of a pole being knocked down or any other streetlight emergency, please contact DTE Energy at (800) 477- 4747.