Overview:
-15 families remain in hotels as of Thursday, says Mayor Mike Duggan.
-Cleanup efforts are ongoing after Southwest Detroit flood, with the city negotiating a one-year warranty for all replaced appliances and repair work.
-There's no limit on the dollar amount of damages a person can claim, says DWSD Director Gary Brown.
Detroiters must file a claim by April 3 to receive payment for uninsured damages caused by a February water transmission main break that flooded several neighborhood blocks.
Detroit Water and Sewerage Department Director Gary Brown said 378 claims have been filed as of Thursday, and checks are being sent out for 12 that were processed. Mayor Mike Duggan, during a press conference, said he expects all claims will be processed in the next six weeks. The total cost of damages is unclear, and Brown said it’s too early to estimate, but some residents are worried they won’t receive the full value of their lost goods.
Tammy Brock was operating a burger stand out of a trailer that was totaled in the flood. She filed a claim for $75,000 that includes the trailer, her truck and other property damage in her home. She’s still negotiating with the city but lost her source of income in the meantime.
Brock said replacing her trailer, which had hot water, propane lines and cooking equipment, could cost $20,000. She said the city offered her $13,000 for the trailer. That’s not enough, she said, especially considering she’ll have to get a new food service license for the vehicle. Brock said she’s hopeful the city will increase its offer.
“If not, I’ll call a lawyer and I’ll just sue,” Brock said. “I’m sorry to say it, but I’m sure I’m not the only person. If we all stick together, we’ll get what we want.”
Damage costs mounting
It’s been five weeks since a water transmission line at Beard and Rowan ruptured, blasting water normally bound for neighboring suburbs into surrounding streets and homes. Roughly 400 homes were affected, causing 260 families to seek shelter in hotels paid for by the city.
Duggan said there are 15 families, as of Thursday, who remain lodged in hotels. The city replaced 125 furnaces and 126 hot water heaters that were damaged; there are roughly five of each left to go. A 24-hour emergency line for residents to arrange temporary shelter, food, transportation to work, and other needs will be shut down by March 31.
DWSD and the Great Lakes Water Authority are sharing the cost of covering damages. During the press conference, Brown said DWSD could have claimed governmental immunity, but that would have been wrong.
Duggan added that a class action lawsuit would have been guaranteed if the government didn’t step up.
“We would have said GLWA has had responsibility of these pipes for 10 years and it’s their fault, and GLWA would have said the city built these pipes 93 years ago and it’s their fault,” Duggan said. “We’d have spent years of litigation pointing fingers at each other and it wouldn’t have done these neighbors any good.”
Duggan and Brown both said covering the cost of hotel stays, food assistance and damages was the right thing to do and the surest way to help residents.
“We could have tried a FEMA process, but given what’s going on in DC I don’t know if FEMA is going to exist,” Duggan said. “People could have been stuck for months.”
Brown said there’s no limit on the dollar amount of damages a person can claim. There are no income restrictions to get assistance.
“I’ve seen some pretty high numbers,” Brown said. “More than $100,000 for some.”
Brown said funding for the city’s half of damage claim payments will come from the current budget year, which expires in July. He has 67 staff vacancies, providing a source of “several millions of dollars” of unused funding that can be used.
The City Council allocated $6 million in surplus funds for emergency flood response, but Brown said that was used to cover housing and food needs.
Jerry Reynolds lives five houses away from where a water transmission line broke in February 2025, flooding his basement and causing thousands of dollars in damages. BridgeDetroit photo by Malachi Barrett.
Jerry Reynolds said he submitted a claim for $50,000 and hasn’t yet heard back. Reynolds said he’s probably spent $5,000 from his own pocket to replace tools and get a storage unit. Reynolds said many of his neighbors are unsure what’s eligible to be replaced.
His family lost everything in their basement, from the drywall, car parts, and utilities to priceless items like his wife’s wedding dress and personal items from grandchildren that died prematurely.
“You can’t put a dollar amount on that,” Reynolds said. “I keep hearing different things from other people. My driveway was busted up from the tractors and trucks, I don’t know if we’re responsible for that.”
Duggan said eligible damages include personal property and “real property,” which includes land, buildings, and permanent fixtures attached to them.
Only one damage claim needs to be filed per household. It takes roughly 45 to 60 days to process each claim, which is being administered by Mackinaw Administrators on behalf of the city. Brown said there were 30 claims wrongfully filed by opportunists who don’t live in the impact area and will be denied.
“I’ve given the Mackinaw claims adjusters a very liberal amount of money that they can negotiate with without coming back to DWSD,” Brown said. “That’s why you hear that some of the claims have already been approved. We’re going to be very liberal in our approach to approving those claims.”
Mackinaw Administrators has a dedicated hotline for questions about claims at 877-311-3664 or email DWSD@mackadmin.com.
Residents will be reimbursed for each vehicle that has verified damage due to the flooding in the amount of the comprehensive deductible for their vehicle insurance. Mackinaw will inspect vehicles that don’t have insurance and offer fair market value for repairs or actual cash value if the vehicle is totaled.
Once the claim is processed, Mackinaw will determine the appropriate amount of money that should be paid for damaged items. If the claimant agrees with the amount, they will be required to sign a release waiver prior to the issuance of payment. If the claimant declines Mackinaw’s determination, options will be discussed with DWSD.
Brown said DWSD is negotiating with the American Water Works Association to provide a one-year warranty for all replaced appliances and repair work performed by city contractors.
City officials cited a state law that requires claims for sewer overflows to be filed within 45 days of the incident. The final date to submit a claim is Thursday, April 3. When asked whether the law applies to a water main break, Brown said there is a possibility of extending the deadline if DWSD lawyers find a legal justification.
MORE SOUTHWEST DETROIT FLOOD COVERAGE
Southwest Detroit school built atop contaminated site not impacted by nearby flood, officials say
Roberto Clemente elementary school sits across the street from homes that were flooded on Feb. 17. The site is capped to prevent exposure to chemicals left over from a legacy of industrial use.
Water service returns ‘shortly’ in Southwest Detroit neighborhood devastated by flood
Claims process prioritizes vehicles, mud cleaned out of sewers, GLWA to invest in preventative maintenance.
Southwest Detroit flood repairs will take 6 weeks ‘minimum’
In the wake of the Southwest Detroit flood, city officials project a six-week timeline to restore homes. ‘It’s sad,’ says Elvin Nolasco, whose parents are staying in a hotel.
Cleanup efforts continue
Brown said the water main break is completely repaired. A hole dug to gain access to the water main is covered and will have asphalt laid over it soon.
“In the next couple of weeks, the street will be repaired and it’ll be like it never happened,” Brown said.
Duggan said there are a handful of houses with more extensive repair needs, like replacing lateral sewer lines, removing asbestos and lead contamination discovered when waterlogged drywall was torn out, and home water pipes that froze and burst when the heat went out.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan holds a March 27, 2025 press conference on the status of flood recovery efforts in the Central Southwest neighborhood. BridgeDetroit photo by Malachi Barrett.
“We expect to have all of this done by next week,” Duggan said. “People have been remarkably understanding as we’ve gone through item by item.”
The mayor reflected on lessons learned from the catastrophe, saying if he could have done one thing faster it would have been to partner with community groups sooner. Duggan said he plans to invite volunteers to his residence at the Manoogian Mansion this summer to celebrate their new partnership.
“We had some trust issues at first,” Duggan said. “When this happened it was a time of especially high anxiety in the immigrant community. Folks weren’t exactly sure who was knocking on the door. The only way this response happened was because trusted groups intervened.”
Duggan said community organizers were vital to navigating language barriers and sharing information between the city and residents.
“I think this whole situation showed that the city and community groups, when it’s needed, we know how to work together and come together,” said Jessica Ramirez, president of Detroiters Helping Each Other.
Duggan personally thanked Frank Venegas, Jessica Avila, Maria Salinas, and the Congress of Communities, Council Member Gabriela Santiago-Romero, local plumber Jimmy Rios, the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation, Southwest Pride, the Southwest Detroit Business Association, Urban Neighborhood Initiative, and Detroiters Helping Each Other.
“They were pointing out problems that we needed to fix,” Duggan said. “They were doing it because they were trying to help, and the advocacy of these groups is a big part of where we are today.”
“I think we underestimated the logistical challenge of 200 families overnight, leaving the neighborhood and going to Southfield and Dearborn. How do I get to work? How do I get to school? In many cases, their cars were underwater. It was a remarkable logistical challenge to respond to the needs of the people that had been displaced.”