by Therese Boudreaux
Michigan lawmakers continue to condemn Oakland County for polluting nearby waterways, demanding the county end its decades-old practice of dumping wastewater overflow through drains that empty into nearby waterways.
“Protecting our waterways and strengthening our infrastructure is one of the most important responsibilities that elected officials in Michigan have, whether we serve at the local or state level,” Rep. Donni Steele, R-Orion, said Monday. “Oakland County officials can’t claim to care about the environment while they continue to put residents and wildlife at risk through this dangerous practice.”
The county discharges its overflow wastewater into the Red Run Drain after an inch of rain, when its treatment facilities reach capacity. The partially treated sewage flows from the drain into the Clinton River and Lake St. Clair, which had led to beach closures and waste build up along the waterways.
“The fact that Oakland County is causing so much pollution is simply unacceptable. We need to be better,” Steele said. “Our kids swim in Lake St. Clair and the Clinton River. Yet, Oakland County continues to dump raw sewage into those same bodies of water every time it rains a little too much. It may be expensive, but I cannot think of a more deserving investment than to ensure our children don’t have to share the lake with their own waste.”
The Oakland County Water Resources Commission is responsible for reviewing all sewage engineering plans, as well as monitoring lake levels controls. The WRC’s jurisdiction includes Bloomfield Hills, Farmington Hills, parts of Novi, Oxford Township, Pontiac, Royal Oak Township and White Lake Township.
Although the county’s discharge permit expired last year, state law allows it to continue operating as usual until the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy approves or denies its renewal application.
“Residents should be outraged that this dumping has been allowed to continue under an expired permit,” Steele said. “It’s our job as government officials to protect the safety of our children by investing in infrastructure. The health risks to our communities are blatantly evident. It shouldn’t take a lawsuit for Oakland County to stop using our waterways as its own personal toilet. We can’t wait any longer; too much is at stake.”
The WRC did not respond to a request for comment.
Oakland County’s website says the WRC “is a key component in providing you with quality water supply, drainage systems and sewage disposal systems, and doing it in a way that keeps our environment safe and promotes responsible growth.”
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Thérèse is an apprentice reporter covering Michigan and Wisconsin for The Center Square, under the mentorship of Midwest Regional Editor J.D. Davidson. Her work focuses on election-related news in these two states. Previously, she interned at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Thérèse graduated with a major in politics from Hillsdale College in May of 2024, where she produced award-winning radio journalism.
Photo “Faucet” by Sarah Chai.
