The Detroit Water Tunnel project began in 1968 and was completed in 1973 to bring clean drinking water to most of southeastern Michigan. During the first phase of construction, Daniel Gassam and Ellis Grant lost their lives while working at the site. At approximately 3:11 pm on December 11, 1971, twenty-two men died in an explosion, the worst industrial accident in Michigan history, and the tragedy changed the lives of their families, friends, and community forever. A committee formed on December 12, 2002, to ensure the men would be formally honored for their sacrifice, and on 11 December 2006, the thirty-fifth anniversary of the disaster, those who died were remembered as husbands, brothers, fathers, and sons who gave their lives building the Detroit Water Tunnel.