Septic Programs
The Gratiot Conservation District distributed a targeted mailing to properties in the Upper Pine River Watershed in the summer of 2017. The properties were chosen from a database compiled by the Mid-Michigan District Health Department (MMDHD) that was created with grant funding from the Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network (WIN). 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property owners were mailed a brochure with education about septic systems and a request to respond to help update the outdated records.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. 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 sharing details about the septic program and its results.
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. Gratiot Conservation District Administrator, Julie Spencer was asked to participate on the City of Ithaca Wellhead Protection program grant committee. While in attendance, Julie 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. This is a project for which the GCD has requested funding from a variety of sources in the past and were rejected. The models have already been delivered and put to good use.
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. Gratiot Conservation District Administrator, Julie Spencer was asked to participate on the City of Ithaca Wellhead Protection program grant committee. While in attendance, Julie 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. This is a project for which the GCD has requested funding from a variety of sources in the past and were rejected. The models have already been delivered and put to good use.
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
