DENIAL

Last significant improvement to reduce CSOs was at the George W. Kuhn done in 2006 by increasing storage capacity to 124 million gallons and adding enhanced screening and disinfection processes.

Oakland County Public Works office refuses to accept responsibility in the case of sewage discharge

Taking Action in Lansing

Brown Alert Plan ( House Bill 4427)

State Rep. Alicia St. Germaine (R-Harrison Township) led the Michigan House with strong bipartisan support in approving her plan to quickly notify residents when raw sewage or dangerous bacteria contaminate local waterways.

House Bill 4427, also known as the “Brown Alert” plan, would ensure the public is warned when public drains, river systems, and lakes become unsafe due to E. coli or sewage contamination. Under this bill, when a county health department determines that a body of water has reached dangerous contamination levels where it is unhealth to touch, they must notify the county’s emergency manager. The emergency manager would then issue a “Brown Alert” through the Wireless Emergency Alert system, notifying residents of unsafe conditions.

 The alerts could warn communities of unsafe waterways, swimming areas, risks to drinking water, or potential harm to local fish and wildlife.

EGLE finally issued a June 27 enforcement notice to the Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner’s Office citing violations of the state’s Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, including a massive discharge of 1.18 million gallons of untreated sewage in April and more than 2 million gallons in August of last year. The state now plans to impose an Administrative Consent Order requiring corrective action, financial penalties, and potentially further legal consequences if violations continue.