Source: http://mowra.org/regulatory_structure_for_sanitary%20Sewage.htm
Timestamp: 2017-09-24 01:26:24
Document Index: 759364240

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 31', 'art 31', 'art 21', 'art 22', 'art 21', 'art 22', 'art 31', 'art 22', 'art 41', 'art 41', 'art 31', 'art 41', 'art 41', 'art 41', 'art 41', 'art 41', 'art 41', 'art 41', 'art 41', 'art 41', 'art 41', 'art 31', 'art 41']

REGULATORY STRUCTURE FOR SANITARY SEWAGE
Summarized by the Technical Advisory Council (TAC)
for Onsite Wastewater Treatment*
The governmental agency and most pertinent regulatory basis regulating the discharge of sanitary sewage varies depending on volume, the type of treatment system, disposal methods, and whether the treatment system services a privately owned entity or multiple owners discharging to a common system. The tables which follow were developed to provide an overview of who provides regulation and the mechanisms involved based on these variables.
The legislation governing all discharge of wastewater is Part 31, Water Resources Protection (formerly 1929 PA 245, as amended) contained in the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994 PA 451, as amended (Act 451). Prior to Executive Order No. 1991-31 the Water Resources Commission (WRC) administered 1929 PA 245, as amended. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) now administers this Act and all rules, guidelines, or policies adopted under it.
Agencies can promulgate rules that have the effect of law, or guidelines, which are a declaration of policy which the agency intends to, follow. Guidelines standing alone do not have the force or effect of law, but could be enforced if incorporated into administrative rules.
Under what is now Part 31 of Act 451, both the Part 21 and Part 22 Rules were promulgated. Part 21 Rules, Wastewater Discharge Permits, contain procedures to obtain a permit to discharge to surface water or groundwater. The MDEQ Water Bureau (WB) regulates both discharges to surface water and to groundwater.
The Part 22 Groundwater Quality Rules, as amended August 26, 1999, define requirements for groundwater discharges. These rules authorize local county, district, or city health departments to approve subsurface sewage disposal less than 1,000 gallons per day (gpd) in accordance with requirements of the local sanitary code. They also authorize local health departments to approve subsurface sewage disposal greater than 1,000 gpd but less than 10,000 gpd provided the disposal system is designed and constructed in accordance with the Michigan Criteria for Subsurface Sewage Disposal (MI Criteria). If the volume of the septic tank or tanks is 6,000 gallons or more or the flow to subsurface sewage disposal is more than 6,000 gpd but less than 10,000 gpd, in addition to obtaining a permit from the local county, district, or city health department, the discharger must submit notification of the discharge to the MDEQ and submit flow monitoring data. A person appealing a local health department decision that was made based on the MI Criteria must file a permit application with WB along with an explanation of the reasons for appeal, the details of the proposal, and a statement of the relief requested. The provisions of Part 31 and its rules would apply to processing the permit application.
The Part 22 Rules also authorize subsurface sewage disposal of less than 20,000 gpd from a constructed wetland or alternative system which provides similar effluent quality. The rules contain design requirements for such a system and it must discharge to a tile field designed in accordance with the MI Criteria and approved by either the county, district, or city health department having jurisdiction or the MDEQ. A permit from MDEQ is required for a constructed wetland or alternative system and for flow more than 10,000 gpd discharge monitoring is also required.
Part 41, Sewerage Systems (formerly 1913 PA 98, as amended), also contained in Act 451, requires a construction permit from MDEQ for both the collection and treatment/disposal system when persons provide collection or sewage treatment service for others. “Public” systems exist where multiple owners discharge to a common disposal system. Examples include systems that serve two or more families, condominiums, shopping centers, municipalities, etc. Part 41 does not apply to single family homes, a development with only one owner (e.g. an apartment complex or mobile home park), or condominiums where individual owners are responsible for maintenance of their own septic tank/tile field system. A Part 31 discharge permit is not required for subsurface sewage disposal of less than 10,000 gpd if a construction permit is issued pursuant to Part 41, and either a construction permit or construction approval is obtained from either the Water Bureau (WB) of MDEQ or the Health Facilities Engineering Section (HFES) of the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH). Notification, as described above, is required if the volume of the septic tank or tanks is 6,000 gallons or more or the flow to subsurface sewage disposal is more than 6,000 gallons per day but less than 10,000 gallons per day. Part 41 permits may or may not include provisions for construction inspection, but they do require submittal of a construction certification statement to MDEQ by the design engineer .
*This document is for information purposes only and represents the best understanding of the current regulatory structure by the TAC.
(Summarized by Technical Advisory Council)
0-1,000 GPD
System and Wastewater Type
Who Regulates
Applicable Regulatory Basis
Residential with Subsurface Disposal
Local Health Department does construction inspection.
Local Code**
Construction permit only
Multiple Family Residential with Subsurface Disposal*
MDEQ (WB)
Construction permit under Part 41
Separate Local Health Department permit may be required.
Commercial/Industrial with Subsurface Disposal of Sanitary Sewage Only
Local code or MI criteria
Alternative System with Subsurface Disposal
MDEQ for exemption or permit if not handled by Local Health Department. (WB)
Construction permit for tile field from Local Health Department
Exemption or permit from MDEQ
Part 41 construction permit required for “public” systems.
Constructed Wetland or Equivalent with Subsurface Disposal of Sanitary Sewage Only
MDEQ for exemption or permit. (WB)
Land Disposal Other than Subsurface
Exemption or permit
(contact MDEQ regarding permitting mechanism)
*”Public” systems exist where multiple owners discharge to a common disposal system. Examples include systems that serve two or more families, condominiums, shopping centers not under one ownership, municipalities, etc. Part 41 does not apply to single family homes, a development with only one owner (e.g. and apartment complex or mobile home park), or condominiums where individual owners are responsible for maintenance of their own septic tank/tile field system.
**MDEQ rules govern site suitability for subdivisions, site condominiums, and land divisions less than one acre.
1,000-10,000 GPD
Multiple Family Residential with Subsurface Disposal
Part 41 construction permit required for “public” systems. Separate Local Health Department permit required. Notification to MDEQ if >6,000 gallons
May be (MDEQ can require)
Campground with Subsurface Disposal
MDEQ (WB)–Construction approval or construction permit. Annual facility license
Notification to MDEQ > 6,000 gallons
Hospitals, Homes for the Aged and Nursing Homes with Subsurface Disposal of Sanitary Sewage Only
MDCH (HFES)
Construction approval or construction permit
Notification to MDEQ if > 6,000 gallons
Commercial/Industrial with Subsurface Disposal of Sanitary Sewage Only (<6,000 gallons)
MDEQ if Part 41 permit required (WB)
Construction permit – No discharge permit
Part 41 construction permit required for “public” systems
Local Health Department may require annual inspection
Commercial/Industrial with Subsurface Disposal of Sanitary Sewage Only (>6,000 gallons)
Notification to MDEQ if >6,000 gallons
Yes for >6,000 gallons
MDEQ for exemption or permit if not handled by Local Health Department (WB)
Construction permit with variance from Local Health Department
Exemption or permit from MDEQ if not handled by Local Health Department.
Part 41 construction permit required for “public” system. Notification to MDEQ if >6,000 gallons.
MDEQ for permit (WB)
Construction permit for tile field from Local Health Department may berequired.
Permit from MDEQ.
Surface Water Discharge (contact MDEQ regarding permitting mechanism)
*”Public” systems exist where multiple owners discharge to a common disposal system. Examples include systems that serve two or more families, condominiums, shopping centers not under one ownership, municipalities, etc.
Part 41 does not apply to single family homes, a development with only one owner (e.g. an apartment complex or mobile home park), or condominiums where individual owners are responsible for maintenance of their own septic tank/tile field system.
>10,000 GPD
Groundwater discharge permit is required under Part 31.
Part 41 construction permit also required
MDEQ –WD annual license – Construction approval or construction permit.
Hospitals, Homes for the Aged, and Nursing Homes with Subsurface Disposal of Sanitary Sewage Only
CIS – HFES – Construction approval or construction permit
Constructed Wetland or equivalent with Subsurface Disposal of Sanitary Sewage Only <20,000 gpd
Construction permit for tile field from Local Health Department may be required.
Permit from MDEQ