With Macomb County leaders stepping up to reduce combined sewer overflows, it’s time for Oakland County to do the same
MACOMB COUNTY, Mich. (March 6, 2025) — Sen. Kevin Hertel (D-St. Clair Shores) is joining Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Candice Miller and a bipartisan group of state representatives in calling on the Michigan Dept. of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) to strengthen its proposed updates to the permit Oakland County is seeking for the George W. Kuhn (GWK) Retention Basin.
“As both a parent and a legislator, ensuring Lake St. Clair is protected for generations to come is my top priority — one that is thankfully shared by other local, state, and federal leaders in Macomb County,” said Sen. Hertel. “Here in Macomb, we’ve made significant investments to build up our water infrastructure and clean up our shorelines. It may not have been easy work to do, but it was necessary to protect our water quality. We’re doing our part, but we are not the only ones who have contributed to the challenges facing the lake. It is time for Oakland County to step up and do the same.”
Having the honor of representing District 12, which spans the entire United States coastline of Lake St. Clair, Sen. Hertel knows how important clean water is and its impact on the health of our community and economy. Lake St. Clair provides drinking water to 4 million people, supports 18,000 jobs, and contributes $1.6 billion in economic activity annually. However, pollution from sewage overflows continues to pose a threat.
In the letter addressed to EGLE Director Phillip Roos, Sen. Hertel applauded the state’s proposed drain changes to the permit but echoed Commissioner Miller’s request for more robust, enforceable measures to be implemented to reduce the Oakland County’s combined sewer overflow (CSO) discharges and protect the quality of Lake St. Clair. Among the desired revisions to the draft permit:
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Providing a hard deadline for meeting dechlorination standards;
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Accelerating the evaluation of gray infrastructure;
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Strengthening and mandating permit modification language;
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Resolving untreated sewage releases; and
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Properly enforcing public notification requirements.
To review EGLE’s proposed permit and to comment on it, click here. The deadline for public input is March 7.
Over the past several years, Sen. Hertel has worked with local officials such as Commissioner Miller to bring nearly $100 million back to the region to reduce CSOs, proactively address aging infrastructure, and protect local waterways. Among the many investments was a $72 million appropriation to construct additional system storage at Chapaton Retention Basin to reduce CSOs into Lake St. Clair by 40%. This project is set to be complete as early as this spring.
“In Macomb, we’ve shown that the issue of clean water transcends traditional political boundaries, and that we’re willing to come together to find funding and implement solutions,” Sen. Hertel added. “But it’s clear that we cannot be the only ones to act — we need our neighbors to the west to join us. I look forward to collaborating with EGLE, as well as leaders from Macomb and Oakland Counties, as we work towards a shared goal of a clean and healthy Lake St. Clair.”
Other investments Sen. Hertel secured to improve clean water infrastructure in Macomb County include:
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$5 million for the Saint Clair Shores Martin Drain District to reduce CSOs. (FY24)
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$5 million for the Chesterfield Interceptor. (FY24)
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$2 million to repair the breakwalls in New Baltimore. (FY25)
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$1.5 million to update Mount Clemens’s sewage treatment plant. (FY25)
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$1.5 million for the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments’ water monitoring program. (FY25)
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