EGLE eyes additional requirements for system accused of releasing sewage into Macomb County waters

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In the midst of a protracted conflict with adjacent Macomb County over allegations of sewage dumped into the Red Run Drain, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) has suggested new water quality regulations in Oakland County.

Oakland County has long been accused by Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller of releasing partially treated and untreated sewage into the Red River Drain from Oakland’s George W. Kuhn Retention Treatment Basin, which has led to beach closures and the development of massive algae beds in Lake St. Clair downstream.

After Macomb County officials had previously asked EGLE to withhold the neighboring county’s permit to discharge treated wastewater into the Red Run Drain until it committed to addressing sewage discharges into the drain, a number of lawmakers from the Macomb and Oakland County areas wrote to EGLE Director Phil Roos in October, demanding action on alleged wastewater discharge permit violations at the treatment basin.

The changes proposed from the previous National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, such as requiring the County to dechlorinate water before discharging it to the treatment basin, evaluating gray infrastructure like sewage system separation efforts, and expanding water storage options in the system, were broken down in Roos’ response to the October request and another letter submitted in January, which was received last week.

The combined sewage system used by Oakland County transports wastewater and stormwater to the Detroit Wastewater Treatment Plant via a single pipe.

Sewage and wastewater can be flushed into neighboring streams by flooding these systems due to heavy rainfall and snowfall. Although both treated and raw sewage may be included in these overflows, Oakland County maintains a number of retention treatment basins, such as the George W. Kuhn facility, where wastewater is stored, screened, and disinfected before being released into the Red Run Drain.

Downstream from the basin, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will also investigate erosion and flood management concerns; EGLE will have the right to amend the permit in response to the Army Corps’ conclusions.

The George W. Kuhn Drainage District will also have to abide with a regional operational plan created by the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA), which supplies drinking water and wastewater services to a significant area of southeast Michigan, and authorized by EGLE, according to Roos.

Hugh McDiarmid, an EGLE official, previously informed the Advance that the facility’s prior permission had been extended while the department drafted a new one, even though it had expired on October 1, 2023. Untreated combined sewer overflows cannot be discharged under the permit, even though treated combined sewer overflows can.

With screens planned every five years to remove any illegal discharges, EGLE has assessed additional drainage systems that discharge downstream from the George W. Kuhn Facility in addition to the modifications in the draft permit. According to Roos, the Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner is also working with towns to identify and monitor sources in order to eliminate unlawful discharges.

The revisions were applauded by State Representative Tom Kuhn (R-Troy), who also announced that EGLE would meet with GOP lawmakers Thursday afternoon to discuss these water quality issues.

According to Kuhn, whose uncle is the namesake of the George W. Kuhn basin, lawmakers from Oakland and Macomb Counties, whose districts are in the watershed, think we shouldn’t be dumping in the watershed. This is a huge step forward for the ecology in our area.

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