Septic Programs
Resources for Landowners, Wastewater Professionals, and State, Tribal and Local Officials
Misinformation Surrounding the Proposed Septic Amendment - 2019
There is a great deal of misinformation surrounding the proposed amendment to the Mid-Michigan District Health Department (MMDHD) Environmental Health Regulations. Although often referred to as a new septic system ordinance, this is not a new law or ordinance. It is a proposed amendment to the existing Environmental Health Regulations, the laws governing water supply, sewage disposal, refuse disposal, and housing.
Click here to read the existing Environmental Health Regulations.
The MMDHD hosted two public meetings (one in Gratiot County and one in Montcalm County) to allow the citizens of the community a chance to ask questions and become informed about the details of the proposed amendment.
Click here to read the proposed amendment to the Environmental Health Regulations.
Recent water quality studies have shown an alarming level of E. coli. in our local streams. The reports of these studies are now available. Life is not sustainable without clean water. The laws governing pollution are already in place. If an existing system is failing, it needs to be repaired or replaced. If a property has a home but does not have a sewer hook-up or a septic system, one needs to be installed.
There are many sources of information already available on the Mid-Michigan District Health Department’s website including a report titled Failing Septic Systems in Mid-Michigan: An Unseen Threat to Public Health which details the results of a study conducted by the Mid-Michigan Water Quality Management Committee. Also on the website is a draft of the proposed amendment and the existing Environmental Health Regulations.
Click here to read the existing Environmental Health Regulations.
The MMDHD hosted two public meetings (one in Gratiot County and one in Montcalm County) to allow the citizens of the community a chance to ask questions and become informed about the details of the proposed amendment.
Click here to read the proposed amendment to the Environmental Health Regulations.
Recent water quality studies have shown an alarming level of E. coli. in our local streams. The reports of these studies are now available. Life is not sustainable without clean water. The laws governing pollution are already in place. If an existing system is failing, it needs to be repaired or replaced. If a property has a home but does not have a sewer hook-up or a septic system, one needs to be installed.
There are many sources of information already available on the Mid-Michigan District Health Department’s website including a report titled Failing Septic Systems in Mid-Michigan: An Unseen Threat to Public Health which details the results of a study conducted by the Mid-Michigan Water Quality Management Committee. Also on the website is a draft of the proposed amendment and the existing Environmental Health Regulations.
Septic Source Identification and Database Development
In the winter of 2015-2016, the Gratiot Conservation District (GCD) secured a grant from the Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network (WIN) with match funding from the City of Alma and partnerships with the Mid-Michigan District Health Department (MMDHD) and the Gratiot County Community Foundation to conduct a study in the Upper Pine River Watershed identifying properties that were at high risk for contaminating the rivers, streams, and ground water in that geographic area. With the funding provided, the GCD distributed a targeted mailing to properties chosen from a database compiled by the MMDHD.
The MMDHD was charged with the task of digitizing paper records where they documented locations known to have a house or structure on the property. One of the database fields they recorded was the date on which a septic permit had been filed with the health department. Of the 1,000 properties evaluated, 300 did not have a permit for a septic system ever, or within the time period starting 1970 through date of the study. Those 300 property owners were mailed a brochure with education about septic systems and a request to respond to help update the outdated records. Of those 300, a total of 32 landowners responded to report the current state of their property.
This data is a scientific representation of the current state of conditions of septic systems within the watershed, and will be utilized to pursue future programs and grants. Then Gratiot Conservation District Administrator Julie Spencer had the opportunity to speak at the first annual State of the Bay Conference in Bay City in September 2017 sharing details about the septic program and its results.
Update: Julie was also invited to travel to the Southwest side of the State of Michigan to speak on progressive work on septic systems at a conference of The Conservation Fund in July 2018.
Update: The Clinton Conservation District was able to pull funding from an Upper Maple River Watershed Management Implementation grant to conduct this same study for the entire three-county Mid-Michigan District Health Department.
The MMDHD was charged with the task of digitizing paper records where they documented locations known to have a house or structure on the property. One of the database fields they recorded was the date on which a septic permit had been filed with the health department. Of the 1,000 properties evaluated, 300 did not have a permit for a septic system ever, or within the time period starting 1970 through date of the study. Those 300 property owners were mailed a brochure with education about septic systems and a request to respond to help update the outdated records. Of those 300, a total of 32 landowners responded to report the current state of their property.
This data is a scientific representation of the current state of conditions of septic systems within the watershed, and will be utilized to pursue future programs and grants. Then Gratiot Conservation District Administrator Julie Spencer had the opportunity to speak at the first annual State of the Bay Conference in Bay City in September 2017 sharing details about the septic program and its results.
Update: Julie was also invited to travel to the Southwest side of the State of Michigan to speak on progressive work on septic systems at a conference of The Conservation Fund in July 2018.
Update: The Clinton Conservation District was able to pull funding from an Upper Maple River Watershed Management Implementation grant to conduct this same study for the entire three-county Mid-Michigan District Health Department.
City of Ithaca Grant for Wellhead Protection
What is a Wellhead Protection Program?
This is a program designed to help communities manage and protect the area around the municipal drinking water wells. One of the first steps is to establish a team of people involved in groundwater protection. For example, managers, water superintendent, zoning administrators, teachers, fire department officials, business leaders, farmers and residents.
Previous Gratiot Conservation District Administrator, Julie Spencer was informed the GCD would be awarded a portion of the education funds in the form of an Enviroscape Watershed Model and a groundwater model. The models have already been delivered and will be used for educational purposes.
What are the next steps in the process?
The groundwater protection team will work with a consulting firm to conduct a contaminant source inventory of known and potential sites of contamination. This will be used as a guideline to develop a management strategy to reduce the risk of contamination, develop a contingency plan in case of a water emergency, plan for new wells if necessary, and educate the public about drinking water protection.
This is a program designed to help communities manage and protect the area around the municipal drinking water wells. One of the first steps is to establish a team of people involved in groundwater protection. For example, managers, water superintendent, zoning administrators, teachers, fire department officials, business leaders, farmers and residents.
Previous Gratiot Conservation District Administrator, Julie Spencer was informed the GCD would be awarded a portion of the education funds in the form of an Enviroscape Watershed Model and a groundwater model. The models have already been delivered and will be used for educational purposes.
What are the next steps in the process?
The groundwater protection team will work with a consulting firm to conduct a contaminant source inventory of known and potential sites of contamination. This will be used as a guideline to develop a management strategy to reduce the risk of contamination, develop a contingency plan in case of a water emergency, plan for new wells if necessary, and educate the public about drinking water protection.
