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1.2 million gallons of raw sewage dumped in red run drain
Macomb County public works commissioner is outraged after a million gallons of raw sewage was dumped into a red run drain.
(FOX 2) - The ongoing sewage dispute between Oakland and Macomb counties over alleged illegal discharges into a river that flows between the two municipalities has escalated further.
Michigan's environmental department has issued an enforcement notice to Oakland County's water department for violations.
Big picture view:
The back-and-forth war of words over discharge originating from Oakland County's George W. Kuhn's retention basin and traveling into the Red Run Drain - a waterway that travels from Madison Heights into Warren and Sterling Heights - is now the subject of a potential consent order from the state.
The Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy issued an Enforcement Notice to Oakland County and its water resources commissioner.
The notice warns the county violated state law multiple times when it discharged millions of gallons of untreated sewage. On April 3, 2025, the GWK facility released 1.18 million gallons of untreated sewage into the river, the state said - less than two years after a separate discharge of 2.2 million gallons.
The enforcement notice, sent to water commissioner Jim Nash on June 27, follows several notices of violations from the county.
Signed off by the supervisor of the Warren District Office within EGLE's water resources division, warning fines, penalties, or other actions may follow if Oakland County fails to comply with the law.
The backstory:
Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller has repeatedly complained about raw sewage flowing into the county, including in a video shared on YouTube in 2020.
She said sewage overflows from Oakland County bring trash, wet wipes, and other garbage that pollutes the banks of the Red Run.
The river is a tributary of the Clinton River. Most of the time, stormwater and sewage collects at a treatment basin that is routed to a plant in Detroit. However, when extreme weather brings high volumes of water that exceeds the basin's capacity, the extra flow is diverted for disinfection before being released into the Red Run Drain.
Oakland County has denied the claims, pointing the finger at their neighbors to the east about not investing enough in the public infrastructure to keep their systems clean.
"It's not the first time false claims have been made against this facility," Nash told media from the Madison Heights-based facility in 2024.
A month later, lawmakers from both counties asked EGLE to address the problem with a newer, more restrictive permit on what is allowed in the system.
Earlier this year, Miller sent a letter to EGLE Director Phillip Roos about another discharge of more than a million gallons of sewage that made its way to Macomb County. She said waste products like sanitary wipes, condoms, tampons, and more have flowed into Lake St. Clair.
She requested the state enforce its discharge laws.
Macomb and Oakland County lawmakers call on EGLE to revise wastewater permit
The saga over allegations of untreated water and sewage contaminating a river that flows between Oakland and Macomb counties continued Wednesday after lawmakers called out the state for not addressing the pollution.
The other side:
Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner's Office issued a lengthy statement that included advocacy for EGLE's work and a desire for a regional approach.
It also fired back at Miller, arguing she is "trying to create controversy where there is none – choosing to play politics and cast blame on Oakland County instead of working with the Great Lakes Water Authority on a regional solution that protects all communities in Southeast Michigan."
The statement accused her of issuing "reckless press releases" that are "filled with inaccuracies, misinformation, and false statements."
"The truth is that EGLE’s actions are a routine part of the regulatory process that occurs with many counties, including Macomb County and their recent Sanitary Sewer Overflows," the statement continued.
Referencing extreme weather in December 2023, the statement adds Miller co-signed a letter with Nash that sought a "regional solution" to Southeast Michigan's stormwater woes, before saying she has "turned her back" on the effort.
"That is not effective local government," it says.
What they're saying:
Macomb County welcomed the notice from EGLE for taking action against Oakland County.
"What’s crystal clear today is that the state is not satisfied with Oakland County’s actions for years of repeated sanitary sewer overflows and is ratcheting up the pressure by forcing Oakland to take meaningful steps to prevent further illegal discharges – and rightfully so," Miller said in a statement.
EGLE also released a statement, saying:
"These sanitary sewer overflows are unhealthy and illegal, and EGLE has investigated and addressed multiple sewer overflows across the region related to wet weather events. Any unauthorized discharge of sewage to a public waterway is unacceptable and this is why EGLE has taken action. We remain committed to collaborating with county partners to keep our waters safe. All area communities must work together to reduce stormwater getting into our sanitary systems."
What's the law?
The alleged violations refer to the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, a Michigan law that went into effect in 1994.
Part of the act regulates the discharge of some substances into the environment.
Under Part 31, it's illegal to release substances into the water that could be harmful to public or environmental health.
What's next:
In their enforcement notice, EGLE requested that Oakland County review its sewage system, identify the parameters of its GWK Facility and the profile of water that flows into its overflow chamber, and potential changes to its operation.
The county is also asked to identify any potential improvements it or the Great Lake Water Authority could benefit from that eliminates sanitary sewer overflows.
The department's water resources division proposed entering a consent order with the county that would include a compliance program, fines, and penalties to resolve the violations.
Three days after receiving the notice from the state, Oakland County requested a preliminary meeting with EGLE.
The communication from a government policy attorney notes that EGLE cannot penalize the state or enter a consent order until after the meeting is held.
The Source: Previous reporting, statements from Oakland and Macomb counties, as well as notices from EGLE and county water divisions were cited while reporting this story.