Department of Public Works

Department of Public Works

The Department of Public Works (DPW) is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the infrastructure of the Village of Fowlerville. The following information is merely an example of the many services the DPW provides to the Village and its residents, businesses, and visitors.

During regular Business Hours (8 AM - 5 PM, Monday - Thursday) for DPW inquiries or to schedule work orders, please call 517-223-3771.

For After-Hour Emergencies, please dial the On-Call DPW at 517-712-2478.  

Members of the DPW Team:
Cathy Elliott, DPW Supervisor & Water Operator
Jason Herbert, Backup Water Operator 
Nick Salewsky
Cody Horner
Bryson Lawrence


The Village of Fowlerville Sanitary Sewer Cleaning Notices are published and displayed with specific time frames for specific areas of the Village. The following information is included in the Notice. Please consider this information for any instance the sanitary sewer lines are cleaned.

The sanitary sewer lines are cleaned using high-performance sewer cleaning equipment. A cleaning nozzle is propelled from one manhole to the next using water under high pressure. The nozzle is then pulled back to the starting manhole. As the nozzle is pulled back, water scours the inside of the sanitary sewer pipe. Any debris in the pipe is pulled back with the water. The debris is removed from the manhole with a vacuum unit. This process is repeated on every sewer line cleaned.

During the cleaning of sanitary sewer lines, air occasionally vents into a home through the sanitary sewer service line and ventilation system. When this happens, water in the toilet bowl can bubble or surge, and in rare instances, splash out of the bowl. We remind you that the water that could come from this type of incident is from the bowl itself. Therefore, it would be beneficial to keep the lid of your toilet bowl down to minimize the water splashing from your toilet. 

The common causes of air venting into homes during sanitary sewer cleaning are:

  • air movement from normal cleaning operations,
  • the use of higher pressure needed when cleaning sanitary sewer lines that have a steep slope,
  • sewer lines running close to the building,
  • a plugged roof vent,
  • the size and complexity of the home’s ventilation system.

To minimize water splashing out of your toilet bowl, it is recommended to keep the lid down and put towels between the lid, seat, and bowl.  If you experience a smell, it may be from the traps being dry. Let the water run for a few minutes and the smell should disappear.

If you have any further questions, please contact the Village of Fowlerville Offices at 
517-223-3771


The Village of Fowlerville Fire Hydrant Notices are published and displayed with specific start times for the two annual flushing's for fire hydrants within the Village. The following information is included with the Notices. Please consider this information for any instance the fire hydrants are flushed or serviced.

The flushing of fire hydrants provides several benefits to the water users of our system. Regular flushing allows for the highest quality of water to be delivered to our customers, clearing sediment deposits within the water system lines. Flushing also allows the staff of the Water Department to verify the operation of the fire hydrants and identify areas of the distribution system that require repair and/or maintenance. This also ensures that the fire hydrants are ready should the Fire Department need them. 
The process of flushing the water system often results in cloudy or discolored water. We do what we can to limit this, but it is difficult to avoid completely. The safety of the water we supply is not diminished by this process. 

If you should encounter cloudy or discolored water, it is recommended that you run the outside water faucet, or the cold water taps within your home or business until clear.
If you are driving in the work zone where hydrants are being flushed, please drive carefully. 

 


Yard Waste Collection: 
Brown Compost/Yard Bags are available at the Village Offices at no charge to Village Residents. Bags are also available at Kodet’s Hardware (110 W. Grand River Ave.) outside of the regular Village Office hours.
There is a limit of 5 bags per week. Please show proof of residency during the registration at either location. 
The Compost/Yard Bags will be picked up EVERY MONDAY during the current season: April 1, 2024, through November 18, 2024
Compost must be in paper yard bags (NO plastic bags). All yard bags should be out for pick-up at residential curbs by 7:00 AM on the morning of each pick-up. Bags that weigh in excess of 40 pounds will not be picked up. 
Your diligent efforts help to make this seasonal program a success! Thank you for your cooperation.


Brush Collection: 
Brush and branches (NO lumber materials) are scheduled for pick-up on the SECOND TUESDAY of the month, April 9, 2024, through November 12, 2023.
The brush must be stacked in the same direction, parallel to the curb, and no more than 5' from the roadside. Branches should be no longer than 4 feet and between 1 and 6 inches in diameter. 
[Twigs and smaller branches need to be bagged and put out in the brown yard/compost bags for regularly scheduled pick-up on Mondays.] Please note: this service is not for tree removal debris. 
Please have brush out by the residence curb by 7:00 AM, no sooner than three (3) days prior to the scheduled pick-up date.
The brush should not be piled on or around fire hydrants or over utilities, such as curb stops/meter pits or AT&T junction boxes. If existing mailboxes, utility poles, or infrastructure pose as an obstacle to placing brush safely out for pick-up service, please contact the Village of Fowlerville Offices to make an alternative site for pick-up or other accommodations. Thank you for your efforts and cooperation.
Informational purpose: brush is properly stacked in one direction parallel to the street within 5' of the curb


*Large Items or additional trash needs to be scheduled for pick-up directly with The Garbage Man, LLC. at 810-225-3001
*The regular garbage service day = Tuesdays and the route starts at 6 AM.*


Street and Road Maintenance:
The DPW provides snow removal, shoulder maintenance, pothole patching, sidewalk repair, and signage services for the Village of Fowlerville.

Informational purpose: Infographic showing to make a cleared pocket area to the right of the driveway approach for snow to empty into instead of the driveway opening. Infographic courtesy of Livingston County Road Commission from 2014

Don’t Plow It into the Street!

It is actually illegal under Michigan Law (Section 257.677(a) of the Michigan Vehicle Code) to shovel or plow snow or ice onto any road or highway or deposit snow on a road in such a way that it blocks motorists’ views of traffic.
Two main concerns are when residents and businesses pile snow at the ends of driveways and when snow is pushed across the road/street, leaving snow/slush on the road surface to ice-over.
Please remember to clear sidewalks of snow/ice for pedestrian safety and to keep our community walkable. As a reminder, sidewalks should be cleared after any snow/sleet storm ceases within the following timeframes:
 ≤ 4 inches = 24 hours             > 4 inches = 48 hours


Don't Blow It into the Street!


Do not blow leaves or yard debris (grass clippings) into the streets. Leaves, grass clippings, and yard debris clog the Village’s Storm Water Drain System. This can result in backed-up storm drains that flood and/or start to smell from decomposing vegetation.

What should you do with compost/yard trimmings? Sweep, collect, and bag grass clippings for curbside collection in yard bags (picked up on Monday mornings until November 18th, 2024). Blow grass clippings back onto the lawn where they become mulch and natural fertilizer. Rake or blow leaves into a compost pile where they can decompose without odor or benefit from the Village’s curbside leaf collection service (place leaves out near the roadside and the Leave Vacuum equipment will collect them regularly throughout the season).
If you have questions about leaves or yard debris, please call the Village Offices at 517-223-3771. 

Seasonal Leaf Vacuuming in the Village
The Leaf Vacuum is often out mid-October to mid-November for seasonal leaf collection. The DPW crew will be in different areas at the beginning of this seasonal service. Their first route will cover the whole Village before moving to quadrants. As you see the Leaf Vacuum and truck in your area, please expect to see it return to your area in the next couple of days. As more piles of leaves are out in the greenbelt (the area between the sidewalk and the curb), the crew will expand their routes and take longer to return to their starting points. Thank you for your patience as the crews work hard to complete routes as quickly and efficiently as possible. Here are suggested ways you can help make this seasonal service more effective and safer:

  • NO PLAYING IN LEAF PILES - Please keep children and pets from playing in leaf piles out for collection by the Leaf Vacuum. Not only is it not safe, especially unsupervised play, but leaves typically do not stay in the nice, neat piles out for the collection service and become road hazards. You would not want your efforts dismissed by others. Thank you for your efforts to keep our community, children, and pets safe.
  • LEAVES ONLY - To make sure the equipment stays running, please do not rake anything other than leaves into the green belt.  If items other than leaves are placed, service will not be provided until the items are removed.
  • WATCH OUT FOR OBSTACLES - Please do not rake leaves around utility poles, mailboxes, street signs, or other permanent fixtures (like fire hydrants) that would inhibit the 9"-diameter hose of getting to the leaf pile(s). Vehicles that frequently park in parallel spaces for street-side parking block leaf piles and prevent the equipment from reaching the pile(s). The Leaf Vacuum regularly comes back to routes/your area and will collect the leaves at the next opportunity. Thank you for your patience!
  • DISTANCE FROM ROADSIDE - Leaf piles that are too far from the roadside/curb create problems. Leaves should not be piled in the street/roadway for traffic safety reasons, and to avoid clogging drains. However, leaves that are not piled between the sidewalk and the curb/roadway cannot be reached by the Leaf Vacuum hose. For residents that do not have a sidewalk or curbed street, a good rule of thumb is to place the leaf piles as close to the roadside as possible (about 2'-3' away) without being IN the street. Thank you for piling the leaves in the proper place during this seasonal program.
  • YARD BAGS ARE STILL AVAILABLE - The Yard Bags are still available at the Village of Fowlerville Offices, and at Kodet's True Value Hardware outside of the regular business hours of the Village Offices. Both the Leaf Vacuuming and the Yard Bag programs are available to help our residents and certainly are not meant to substitute what works best for residents, whether that be composting leaves, mulching them, or using the leaves for garden cover for the Winter. Residents are not obligated to use either program, the collection programs are simply in place as alternate methods to dispose of compostable yard debris. 

Finally, thank you for your cooperation and ongoing efforts. The Village staff and the DPW crew are happy to be able to offer such programs to our residents and we appreciate you working with us in partnership.

Information purpose: Proper leaf pile placement picture showing leaves piled neatly between the sidewalk and curb for leaf vacuuming


Water and Sewer Infrastructure:
Village water users with issues in water meters, water mains, or other water/sewer system problems can contact the DPW for service, Monday - Thursday at the Village Municipal Offices (517-223-3771). Weekends, after 5 PM Monday - Thursday or after 3 PM on Fridays, the DPW can be contacted directly for water/sewer emergencies at the After-hours On-Call line at 517-712-2478. 
Note: The After-hours On-Call line is only available during the time specified. Messages left for DPW emergencies at the Village Municipal Offices outside of regular business hours (8 AM - 5 PM, Monday - Thursday) will not be addressed or returned until the following business day. 


Call MISS DIG:
You may be surprised by what's buried in your yard. That's because most electric, gas, water, sewer, and telecommunications companies are delivering utility services to you underground. To avoid personal injury and damage to those underground lines, state law requires you to contact MISS DIG before starting a digging project, regardless of the project size or depth. MISS DIG's services are free, there are no fees associated with web access, and if by phone, the call is free

You can prevent injury and avoid damage by following these four important steps:

Make sure you notify MISS DIG if you are doing any of the following projects: 

  • Decks & Patios
  • Trees or Shrubs
  • Swing Sets
  • Signs
  • Fountains
  • Tents
  • Fences
  • Mailbox Posts
  • Room Additions
  • Gardens
  • Swimming Pools
  • Landscaping

Buildings, Parks & Cemetery, Special Events:
The DPW handles the maintenance of Village of Fowlerville buildings, vehicles/equipment, as well as grooms the Centennial and Community Parks. The DPW team also provides maintenance and support for Greenwood Cemetery and burials, with Cathy Elliott as Greenwood Cemetery Sexton. Annual festivals and special events within the Village are supported by the Department of Public Works.