We in the Great Lakes region tend to take our water for granted: it’s there when we need it, and it goes away when we don’t. This is not the case in some areas of the United States, and in many areas of the world.  Here, The Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) services nearly 40 percent of Michigan’s population, including the residents of Farmington Hills, with water of unquestioned quality, as well as effective and efficient wastewater services to nearly 30 percent of the state.

GLWA is all about the movement of water from the environment, to its community partners, and back to the environment. It ensures we get the highest quality water using treatment standards that are stricter than state or federal regulatory requirements. And once the water has been used, its run it through careful treatment process again before returning it to the environment – often cleaner than when it’s received.

At this COHA meeting, let’s learn more about how this all works both for the 3.8 million people serviced by GLWA and, more specifically, here in Farmington Hills.  We’ll have time for your questions.

Speaker Profiles

Michelle A. Zdrodowski

Chief Public Affairs Officer

Michelle Zdrodowski is Chief Public Affairs Officer for the Great Lakes Water Authority. Ms. Zdrodowski guides the organization’s efforts to build and maintain its relationships with internal and external stakeholder communities. Michelle brings 30 years of strategic communications and community engagement experience to GLWA. Previously, she served as Chief Communications Officer for Detroit Public Schools and as Deputy Press Secretary to former Detroit Mayor Dennis Archer. Michelle also spent more than a decade leading the nonprofit/government practice group for a Detroit-based public relations agency.

Ms. Zdrodowski holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Michigan State University. She is part of the GLWA leadership team dedicated to efficiently delivering the nation’s best water and wastewater services to southeast Michigan.

Jody Caldwell

Chief Planning Officer

Mr. Caldwell brings more than 21 years of private consultation, municipal operations and maintenance, and asset management experience to GLWA. Previously, he served as the GLWA Asset Management Director. 

Prior to his service with GLWA, Jody was a Chief Engineer at Oakland County’s Water Resources Commissioner’s Office (WRC) where he worked for 12 years in many different capacities. In this role, he was responsible for oversight of multiple areas including capital, asset management and planning, finance and budgeting, water operations and maintenance, water engineering, and cross connection control.

During his time with WRC, Jody worked closely with the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) and GLWA. He was the Oakland County representative on the DWSD Board of Water Commissioners, served as the water technical advisory committee and wastewater steering committee co-chairs, and was an important part of the DWSD-GLWA transition efforts.

Mr. Caldwell is a registered professional engineer in the state of Michigan and holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from Michigan State University.