Grosse Pointe Farms to purchase new truck for sewer cleaning

GROSSE POINTE FARMS — It’s an expensive piece of equipment, but it’s something that Grosse Pointe Farms officials say is a worthwhile investment.

At a meeting July 8, the Farms City Council voted unanimously to spend $507,730.58 on a Vactor combination sewer cleaner. The price of the specialized truck was secured through a state competitive bidding process for government and fleet sales. Public Service Director Matthew Baka said $510,000 had been budgeted in the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year for this expenditure.

“It’s important to keep our sewer lines clean in terms of stormwater management,” City Manager Shane Reeside said. “Grosse Pointe Park recently spent over $1.5 million to clean out its sewer lines over the last couple of years.”

The Farms has more than 1,600 catch basins and miles of storm sewers, Reeside said. He said the city is “constantly cleaning out” the catch basins.

“The equipment will be used every week,” Reeside said. “Sometimes it will be used every day.”

The new Vactor is replacing an existing one. The average lifespan of a Vactor truck is about 15 years, but Reeside said the Farms had its Vactor for 22 because city staffers maintained it well.

Reeside said the city’s current Vactor truck is out of service and they’ve had to borrow this vehicle from neighboring communities through an informal reciprocal agreement. City Councilman Joe Ricci said it costs about $2,600 to rent a Vactor truck for four hours.

“It’s very expensive,” Ricci said.

City Councilman John Gillooly, whose legal work includes representing municipalities, said the Vactor truck “is vital” because it shields the city from liability.

“Other communities are starving for this kind of equipment” but can’t afford it, Gillooly said. “I think this (purchase) is a very, very good recommendation by the city.”

City Councilwoman Beth Konrad Wilberding agreed, saying that the city “desperately needs” a new Vactor truck.