Ken Davis, who lives on the corner of Rogers Street and West Division in Cadillac watches city of Cadillac workers install protective sand berms by the lift station at the corner of Leeson Avenue and West Division Street. Davis was worried about water rising enough to reach his home, just a few doors down from houses that were already flooded. “I’ve just been outside trying to get an idea when we should leave.”
Crews haul in sand to build a berm to keep water from continuing to overwhelm the lift station at the corner Leeson Avenue and West Division Street in Cadillac.
City of Cadillac workers dump said to build a berm to block water from flooding the sanity sewer lift station at the corner of Leeson Avenue and West Division Street. The city is pumping storm water out of the lift station in hopes of getting the station back online and restore sewer services to residents on the west side of Cadillac.
CADILLAC — Heavy rains and saturated ground conditions have led to widespread flooding across the area, damaging a key piece of infrastructure that supports sanitary sewer service for Cadillac’s west side.
According to a news release from the city of Cadillac, floodwaters overwhelmed a lift station facility that serves residents in the city’s west quadrant, including the Lake Mitchell Sewer Authority, knocking out both the transformer and pumps essential to its operation.
As of about 7 p.m. Sunday, the situation remained an active emergency. City officials said floodwater overtopped sandbags and berms protecting the lift station, forcing the closure of Leeson Avenue at Division Street.
Crews from multiple public and private agencies continued working to pump water away from the facility so it can be restarted. Officials said it is unknown when service will be restored, and work is ongoing around the clock.
While the lift station remains offline, city officials are urging residents served by the system to avoid using water and bathroom facilities. Without the station operating, sewage cannot be moved through the system to the treatment plant, significantly increasing the risk of backups into homes and businesses.
Officials emphasized that flooding impacting nearby properties is primarily from the lake and surrounding swamp areas and not from a ruptured sanitary sewer main.
Wexford County Emergency Management Director Erik King said he has been working with the city to address the damage.
“Everything that led up to [Saturday] and the rain from [Saturday], the water has to go somewhere,” King said. “Once lakes, rivers and swamps are inundated, it starts seeping into places it’s not supposed to be.”
King said water levels appear to be nearing their peak, but residents should not expect immediate relief.
“I would say we are cresting, but don’t expect the level to drop for a few days,” he said. “As water flows out of these max-capacity areas, we will continue to see localized flooding.”
Cadillac Area Salvation Army Capt. Greg Bock said Wexford County Emergency Management asked for volunteers to help with sandbagging around the Lake Mitchell Sewer Authority. Volunteers began around 11:30 a.m. and worked into the afternoon.
Lake Mitchell Sewer Authority Director of Operations Sheila Hill said they were notified by the city about the lift station, and the decision was made to limit flow from their system. To accomplish that, the sewer authority contracted with Frankie Septic Service to pump and haul directly to the Cadillac Wastewater Treatment Plant.
“We’re just trying to help the city and lessen the burden we’re putting on the system,” Hill said.
Hill said coordination with agencies such as the Wexford County Road Commission and emergency management helped organize sandbagging efforts aimed at isolating groundwater and reducing flow into the system.
The sewer authority used its South Lake Mitchell Drive location as a staging area, where volunteers filled hundreds of sandbags that were later transported to the lift station.
Hill said the community response stood out as much as the emergency itself.
“I wanted to make sure you knew about the wonderful people who were here today,” Hill said.
She said Doug Martin and his team from Martin Power Sports helped deploy sandbags to both the city and the Lake Mitchell Sewer System. Volunteers included Boy Scouts from Troop 125 and a Cub Scout from Troop 150. Local businesses such as Hillside Interior and Hilltop Construction provided trailers and trucks, while Meijer donated cases of water for volunteers. Cherry Grove Township volunteer firefighters, local residents, the Salvation Army and road commission crews also contributed to the effort.
Hill acknowledged that earlier criticism on social media about her using a personal vehicle during the response was discouraging.
“At first, it got to me,” she said. “With everything going on, it felt disheartening that that’s what someone chooses to focus on.”
She said the day’s events ultimately reinforced a stronger message.
“[Sunday], though, I saw something different,” Hill said. “I saw people show up. I saw businesses, neighbors and volunteers come together to help, to support and care for one another. That’s what matters most. Because while it may be easy to criticize, there is nothing stronger or more beautiful than a community that comes together with love.”
Emergency crews have been working since early Sunday morning to stabilize the lift station. King said a request for pumps came in around 5 a.m., followed by additional needs for sandbags and equipment, most of which were sourced locally.
Crews constructed a sand berm around the facility in an effort to contain the water. The plan is to pump water out of the bermed area and dewater the lift station so repairs can begin.
“They have been bringing in sand and creating a berm around it, then slowly pumping the water out,” King said. “Once they can get it dry, they will bring it back online.”
Earlier estimates suggested the station could be operational by late Sunday or Monday, but officials now say the timeline remains uncertain due to continued flooding.
In addition to the lift station emergency, city officials reported ongoing concerns at the Mitchell and River streets culvert. Under the governor’s state of emergency declaration and with coordination from county emergency management, equipment is on site and engineers are monitoring the area for any shifting or further destabilization.
Numerous roads and public areas across the city remain closed due to high water, including portions of Leeson Avenue, Chestnut Street, North Boulevard and Lakeshore Drive. Several parks, boat launches and the Clam River Greenway are also closed.
Residents such as Flower Butler have already felt the effects. Butler said she was shocked to return home Saturday night to find flooding at her property near Leeson Avenue and West Division Street.
“It was such a shock,” Butler said. “We left around 10:30 Saturday morning and it was completely dry.”
Temple Hill Baptist Church Pastor Bart Glupker said water rose rapidly near the church Sunday afternoon, underscoring how unusual the situation is for the area.
“We are not unique,” Glupker said. “It is just unique to think you have to do something like this where we are at.”
Officials continue to urge the public to respect road closures and avoid driving through flooded areas.
“We have definitely seen quite a few people ignore them,” King said. “People have been ignoring them, and it is making bad problems worse.”
King said vehicles driving through standing water can worsen flooding by creating wakes that damage roads and push water into nearby homes.
Emergency management crews remain on site monitoring conditions, while the Salvation Army’s Wright Street location is open to assist displaced residents with shelter, food and supplies.
With more rain possible later in the week, officials say recovery will depend on water levels receding enough for drainage systems and wetlands to stabilize.
Story Highlights • Floodwaters disabled a key lift station serving Cadillac’s west side, knocking out a pump and a transformer which limited sewer system operations in the area. • Officials are asking residents in the affected areas to avoid using water or flushing toilets while crews work to restore the service. • Dozens of volunteers filled hundreds of sandbags Sunday as emergency crews built berms and pumped water to stabilize the facility.