Michigan
Press Release
July 17, 2007
Fouling the waters: Sewage from unregulated septic systems a growing threat to Kent County
Report calls on county leaders to protect public from sewage pollution
Grand Rapids, MI — About one million gallons of untreated waste from toilets and drains are leaking from septic systems each day in Kent County, fouling streams, endangering human health and driving up costs for homeowners and taxpayers, according to a report released today by Clean Water Fund.
Every day an estimated 1 million gallons of untreated waste from toilets and household drains is discharged from Kent County's failing septic systems.
Many residents, especially those who have been connected to a public wastewater system in the past, don't realize that septic systems need regular maintenance to avoid problems like toilets backing up and contaminating groundwater and nearby streams and lakes.
Learn more about protecting homes, groundwater and waterways:
Kent County's Underground Threat/Protecting Families from Failing Septic Systems (4 MB)
Septic System Owner's Guidebook for System Performance, Grand Valley State University, Annis Water Resource Institute
Fact sheet: How septic systems threaten your community's waterways
Checklist for homeowners with septic systems
Information about septic system maintenance and how septic systems operate, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Learn more about septic systems in Kent County, Grand Valley State University, Annis Water Resource Institute
Additional Tools and Resources from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
