LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Despite Michigan’s title as The Great Lakes State, Michiganders still do not have a uniform statewide septic code to mitigate water contamination, but some lawmakers are hoping to change that. 

“We (Michigan) advertise and try to bring people here for the beautiful waters for fishing and swimming, yet we’re failing to provide this very basic level of protection,” said Megan Tinsley, the water policy director for the Michigan Environmental Council, a nonprofit that works on environmental policy. “It’s very startling.”

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According to the Michigan Environmental Council, while roughly a third of Michigan households utilize septic tanks to discard waste, more than 25% of those tanks are failing which can result in human waste leaking into the ground and then groundwater, as well as other water sources such as lakes and streams. 

“The human waste does carry viruses and pathogens,” Tinsley said. “By just letting that waste go untreated, if you have a failing system and it’s not been detected, that’s either possibly making it into someone’s well water that they rely on for drinking or into a river or stream that’s used for recreation purposes.”

Representative Phil Skaggs (D-Grand Rapids) has co-sponsored two bills that would mandate statewide inspections of septic tanks every five years.  According to Skaggs, a big chunk of contamination comes from human feces and a large part is coming from leaking septic systems. 

“Michigan is home to abundant freshwater resources. We owe it to our environment and the people of Michigan to protect our ground and surface water. Instituting a statewide septic code — something that 49 other states have done — is critical to achieve this goal,” Skaggs said in a statement. “West Michiganders deserve a healthy Grand River, Thornapple River and Lake Michigan. We need uniform, statewide regulations in place to ensure wastewater systems are in good working order, so Michiganders have access to pristine and clean water. If we are serious about being the Great Lakes State, we need a statewide septic code.” 

Kent County Health Department Director Adam London also supported the legislation. 

“Michigan is uniquely blessed with extraordinary surface and groundwater resources,” London said in a statement,  “Their quality is essential for human health, native species, economic growth and sustainable agriculture. Michigan is also uniquely lagging in policies to protect this precious resource from contamination originating from failing septic systems. These bills, and the ensuing legislative process, represent the next step forward in developing better policy for Michigan’s future.” 

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Similar legislative efforts in the past were criticized for serving merely as a mandatory inspection when a property was sold by executives of Michigan Realtors, but now they support the new legislation. 

“Protecting Michigan’s water and private property rights can be accomplished together. With a statewide septic code, we can finally end the inconsistent patchwork of regulation that fails to safeguard Michigan’s rivers, lakes and streams,” Natalie Rowe, 2023 president for the Michigan Realtors said in a statement. 

The bills would establish a requirement for regular inspections, and rely on the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) to maintain records of the inspections.