A Look at Michigan’s Onsite
Regulations
Part 1
Kristine Rendon, REHS
Michigan Department of Environmental
Quality
[email protected]
The State of Michigan
Over three thousand miles of
shoreline.
11,000 inland lakes
Millions of acres of forest cover
Nearly 10 million residents in the
Mitten State
Spread out over eighty-three
diverse counties
Where in Michigan?
Michiganders have a portable,
always available map that is
attached to their arms.
How Are We So Lucky?
How did we get a state shaped like a mitten?
GLACIERS!!
A long time ago, in a land not so
far away….
Scientists believe there have been four Ice Ages in the Earth’s history.
The last Ice Age began and lasted from two million years ago to
approximately 12,000 years ago.
During this time, warm and cool temperatures alternated and
glaciers carved and influenced much of today’s landscape, including
the Great Lakes and our state of Michigan.
Climate changes caused winters to lengthen in the northern part of
the continent, and snowfall to increase but not melt in the short, cool
summers.
Great masses of ice accumulated over a period of years to form
continental glaciers.
Movement of Ice
Ice fanned out and pushed southward to central Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. Completely covering the area of
Michigan.
As the glacier moved forward, it enveloped the loose surface materials developed during earlier ice ages.
The glacier worked into breaches and ledges of exposed bedrock and plucked off chunks.
By the time the glacier reached Michigan, the ice had incorporated an enormous volume of all kinds of rock
debris.
The glaciers filled in valleys, blocked drainage patterns of rivers, and gouged out major basins.
Travel the Path of Least
Resistance
It is believed
that the Great
Lakes were once
ancient
riverbeds.
Glaciers followed
these rivers
south seeking
areas of least
Resistance.
With each
advance and
retreat of the
glaciers, the
shape and water
level of the
ancient
riverbeds
changed.
This took
thousands of
years.
Retreat!!
As the glacier continued to move
southward into the old Mississippi River
System, the climate changed.
Cold gave way to warmth.
This started the grand retreat of the glacier
that gave rise to the formation of the Great
Lakes.
The retreat was not continuous, but was
marked with many halts and occasional readvances.
Creating the Mitten
• When the ice retreated, the melt-water did not have
an unrestrained flow southward away from the ice
front because of sediment deposits left behind.
• This born the beginning of the first ancestors of the
Great Lakes.
• It took about 2,000 years for the natural rainwaters
to fill the lake. basins.
The Great Lakes
Kettle Lakes
Many of Michigan’s inland lakes and wetlands
were also formed from the Glacier movement.
These are called Kettle Lakes.
Kettle Lakes were created when chunks of ice
would break off of the glacier and become
embedded in the ground.
When the ice chunk would melt, a kettle hole
would be left and filled by water from natural
sources creating lakes and wetland depressions.
Sediment Deposits
As the ice melted, the sediments were deposited to create huge
landforms.
Some sediments were deposited in large ridges and hills while
others were carried away by vast amounts of meltwater from the
melting ice sheets.
There is considerable diversity in Michigan, from the glacial lake
plains near Detroit, to the sand dunes bordering the shores of Lake
Michigan, to massive moraines in the northern lower peninsula.
The slope and soil variations associated with the sediment deposits play
a major role in agriculture, economy and population density in various
parts of Michigan.
Soils of Michigan
The conglomeration of soils in the State of
Michigan are from the various advancement and
retreat of the glaciers.
When the ice front of the glacier halted, the ice
would dump its load of soil onto the surface.
Areas of thicker ice and heavy load would have a
larger amount of sediment deposit.
Soils of Michigan Continued…
Areas of Southern Michigan were formed under times of rapid
retreat of the glacier leaving behind rolling to flat ground. They
are predominately clay loams and sandy loams.
Areas of Northern Michigan contain soils left behind from large
quantities of water that flowed from the melting ice and
depositing glacial outwash consisting of layers of sand and gravel.
Areas of the “thumb” were once an area where ponded water
would form in front of the melting glacier. These ancient lakes
eventually drain after the ice is gone. What was left was flat
plains with sediment deposits of clay from the ancient lakes. This
area also has ridges of gravel and sand that were once beaches.
Large portions of Michigan’s northern land consists of rugged
hills, shallow rocky soils with rock outcrops, rolling sandy plains,
extensive swamps, inland lakes and streams.
How does this all pertain to
Onsite Wastewater?
Onsite Wastewater Treatment system design is
determined through the classification of site specific soil,
landscape, groundwater, and effluent characterization to
ensure the protection of the public health and
environment through proper treatment techniques.
The proper treatment of Onsite Wastewater pertaining to
the physical characteristics of the site, has a direct
implementation on the protection of Michigan’s Public
Health.
Michigan Public Health
Michigan’s public health system is made up of state and local governments, communities, the health care delivery system,
employers/businesses, media, and universities/colleges. Each playing an important role in assuring success of the
public’s health.
Local Health Departments (LHDs) are ultimately responsible for local public health administration and governance in
response to state and local laws, rules and regulations.
Michigan has 83 counties served by 45 Local Health Departments (LHDs) through a city, county, or multi-county district
heath department.
Local Public Health Departments
• The health of
Michigan and its
residents depend
collectively on the
protective
network of the
Local Public
Health
Departments in
cooperation with
the State of
Michigan and the
Federal
Government.
• Local Public
Health
Departments in
Michigan are
governmental
entities with a
legal
responsibility to
assure the
public’s health
through the
Michigan Public
Health Code,
Public Act 368 of
1978.
Michigan Public Health
MCL 333.2441
Local Health Department
Environmental Health
Regulations
The state of Michigan has a diverse selection of Sanitary Codes/Environmental
Health Regulations that is enforced through the county/district health
departments to ensure the implementation of environmental health
regulations pertaining to onsite wastewater for their jurisdiction.
Each LHD has their own set of regulations to help implement the Onsite
Wastewater Program.
For the past year, all regulations pertaining to Onsite Wastewater in the
State of Michigan are being categorized for comparison/contrast. The
following information is a preliminary review as not all of the codes have
been looked through.
Michigan varies greatly across the state in diversity of the land, soil, and
population.
1990 Michigan Census Report
Percentages of Homes in the Counties of
the State of Michigan having an onsite
wastewater system range from 1.5% in
Wayne County (population 2,111,687)
to 92.7% (population 10,145) in Alcona
County.
Regulation Adoption/Revision
Dates
•When charting the sanitary code/regulations, it was noted that the range was between
1946-2016
•The most striking characteristic of these regulations is that they contain elements that
are ranging across the timeline when it pertains to adoption dates. The antiquity of
some regulations being 70 years old to the most current one only a few months old.
•Quite possibly, these laws often do not reflect contemporary scientific understandings of
onsite wastewater, risks and treatment for the protection of public health.
•Just as the environment is always changing, the threats of the public health from the
environment is ever changing in times. Not only are threats changing but science and
technology changes rapidly as well.
Site Suitability
Looking comparatively only at the depth to water table from grade.
Numerous LHD do not specifically address minimum site suitability.
Other LHD can issue variances on site suitability if two reserve areas can be obtained at
time of installation. A variance can be written to isolation distance to water table if it does
not indicate a hazard to public health.
Site Suitability: Isolation to Water
Table from Ground Surface
Variability in Application Rates,
Absorption Bed Square Footage
The various application rates among
each health department varies greatly in
the regulations. For Example:
Minimum absorption bed square footage in Sandy Loam (SL) for
a 3BR house ranges from:
600sq ft – 1800sq ft.
(Numerous LHD did not mention SL in their regulations.)
Minimum absorption bed square footage in Sandy Clay Loam
(SCL) for a 3BR house ranges from:
Not suitable- 975sq ft- 2250sq ft.
(A few LHD did not mention SCL in their regulations)
Isolation to Seasonal High Water Table
from Bottom of Absorption Area
Isolation distance from bottom of
Absorption Area ranges from 18” to 48”.
Isolation to Surface Water
Isolation distance between Absorption Area
and Surface Water ranges from:
50’-100’.
Septic Tank Storage Capacity
The septic tank storage capacity
ranged from 1000gal-2000gal.
Outdated?
Out of the Regulations studied, 11 of those
regulations allow the installation of a Dry Well/
Seepage Pit.
• Some give specifications as a “last resort” for existing structures.
• As a fix for areas with space limitations and excessive depths of
impermeable soils.
According to the USEPA
• Seepage Pits May Endanger Groundwater Quality.
• Discourages the use of seepage pits for onsite
sewage.
• Poses a possible hazard for Cave-ins
Are there other options available?
• Advanced Treatment?
Uniformity
The regulations among the
LHDs vary so significantly in
definitions, methods, age and
scope that they defy orderly
categorization. This could
bring the argument that there
is good reason to push for
greater uniformity among the
LHDs in matters of public
health.
Environmental Health threats
are rarely confined to a single
area. In the case of onsite
wastewater contamination to
a ground/surface water
supply, countless
areas/public could be
impacted from the
contamination as water is in
motion.
Protect
Changes in Michigan life over the years are challenging the public’s health.
What was once small seasonal cottages on postage stamp properties on one of our many lakes, are now
being turned into multi level full time residences.
The impact of the onsite wastewater issue is fully affecting all of Michigan water both in public health
contamination issues as well as environmentally impacting our water ways (ie: algae blooms)
Positive relationships between all units of government should be strived for and work must be done
together to foster the joint mission of protecting Michigan’s Public Health and our environment.
Part Two….
References:
Busken, Sara. “Michigan’s Glacial History & Landforms.”
http://blogs.monashores.net/buskens/files/2009/03/michigan-glacial-historylandforms.pdf
Ettema, Hannah. “Why Michigan is shaped like a mitten: A Glacial Review”. Michigan
Nature Center. https://michigannature.wordpress.com/2010/09/22/why-michigan-isshaped-like-a-mitten-a-glacial-review/
Farrand, William R. “The Glacial Lakes Around Michigan”. Michigan Department of
Environmental Quality, Geological Survey Division.
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/deq/GIMDL-BU04pixs_216120_7.pdf
Kelley, R.W. “A Glacier… Passed This Way”. Michigan Conservation, Special Great Lakes
Issue, July-August 1960, Vol. XXIX, No. 4: Michigan Department of Conservation,
Lansing, Michigan.
“Michigan: the Last Ice Age”
www.umsl.edu/~naumannj/.../michigan%20The%20Last%20Ice%20Age%20b.ppt
Sommers, L.M. “Michigan: A Geography” as referenced in Glacial Landforms in Michigan
(an Overview). http://geo.msu.edu/extra/geogmich/glacial_landforms.html
Michigan Department of
Environmental Quality
www.michigan.gov/deq
(800) 662-9278