Tag: Sen. Sam Singh

Michigan septic bill advances in Senate; introduced in House

Published on June 16th, 2026 by - Blog Posts

What happened.

On June 3, the Michigan Senate Natural Resources and Agriculture Committee voted to advance SB 771, which would create a statewide septic code, and prioritize evaluations for older septic systems near lakes and streams.

Michigan's septic situation.

Michigan does not have a statewide septic code, and there is strong evidence that failing systems are contaminating lakes and streams with human and household wastes.

State Senator Sam Singh introduced SB 771 in January 2026, to create a septic code. Michigan is currently the only state the U.S. without a statewide code, and only 12 of our 83 counties have septic ordinances.

What happens next?

The bill has been recommended to the full senate for a vote.

Similar legislation (HB 6066) was recently introduced by Rep. Phil Skaggs in the House, and has been referred to committee.

What you can do.

To (finally!) get this done, lawmakers in Lansing need to hear from you!

Email your state representative and senator here:

Tell your reps to vote YES for a septic code

Michigan Water Trust Fund Act introduced in state senate

Published on May 6th, 2026 by - Blog Posts, Reports & Media Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 7, 2026

Lansing, Mich. — Today in the Michigan Senate, Sen. Sam Singh (D-28) introduced legislation to address Michigan’s persistent, underfunded water infrastructure needs and support safe, affordable drinking water for all Michigan residents.

MWTFA Fact Sheet (PDF)
Email your Senator

The Michigan Water Trust Fund Act (SB 950 & 951) would raise approximately $300 million annually by imposing a 25-cent per gallon royalty to be paid by bottled water companies that extract and sell Michigan’s public water resources.

“We live in the heart of the world’s largest freshwater system, and yet too many of our neighbors are without clean, safe, affordable water,” said Sen. Singh. “And widespread flooding last month exposed the perilous condition of many of our dams, bridges, and stormwater systems. Michigan’s water infrastructure needs are serious, urgent, and underfunded. This legislation creates a durable, equitable mechanism to support infrastructure improvements throughout the state, without raising taxes or water rates.”

The legislation also ensures that the waters of the Great Lakes and their tributary rivers and streams remain in the public domain, and defines the “waters of the state” broadly to include groundwater, in recognition that all waters are part of the interconnected hydrologic cycle.

The fund is modeled after Michigan’s successful Natural Resources Trust Fund. Established 50 years ago, the NRTF has directed more than $1 billion in revenues from oil and gas drilling on state land to acquire public parks and recreational land across every county in the state. Polling conducted by Lake Research Partners indicates that 71 percent of Michiganders would support companies paying a royalty on Michigan water bottled for commercial sale.

Urban and rural communities alike face many challenges related to Michigan’s aging water infrastructure, including lead pipes, contaminated well water, failing septic systems, stormwater runoff, and unaffordable water bills. Recent widespread flooding further exposed the perilous condition of many of our dams, bridges, and drainage systems.

Michigan’s annual water infrastructure needs total approximately $1 billion, and many municipalities struggle to maintain systems that have been degraded by decades of underinvestment. The Michigan Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers’ 2023 Report Card gives Michigan a lackluster “C-” for its drinking water infrastructure. Despite this critical need, the Trump administration’s proposed 2027 budget would reduce federal support to state clean water and drinking water state revolving funds (SRFs) by 90 percent.

Flow Water Advocates applauds Sen. Singh for leading this important effort to protect Michigan’s public trust waters and promote fairness by shifting the costs of water infrastructure from Michigan taxpayers to the private corporations that extract and sell Michigan’s public water for great profit.

The Michigan Water Trust Fund Act is based in part on legislation developed by Flow and its coalition partners, including Clean Water Action, Friends of the St. Clair River, Huron River Watershed Council, Michigan Lakes and Streams Association, Michigan Resource Stewards, and Oakland County Resource Commission.

“Michigan’s waters are held in trust by the state, which has a duty to protect them for use and enjoyment by the people of Michigan. This important legislation reaffirms public trust protections for our waters,” said Liz Kirkwood, Flow executive director. “When bottled water companies pay their fair share, we can help ensure that every Michigander has clean, affordable water.”

To learn more about the Michigan Water Trust Fund Act, visit FlowWaterAdvocates.org/MWTFA.

New poll: 75% of Michiganders support a statewide septic code

Published on April 14th, 2026 by - Blog Posts, Reports & Media Releases

News from Progress Michigan

Contact: Levi Teitel, levi@progressmichigan.org
Contact: Megan Kelto, megan@flowwateradvocates.org

April 14, 2026

MICHIGAN – Recent polling released by Progress Michigan shows that 75 percent of Michiganders support enacting a statewide septic code. In January, state Sen. Sam Singh introduced a bill (SB 771) that would do exactly that. If the bill passes it would require the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) to establish a septic system sanitary code.

“Michigan is the Great Lakes State, and we want to be able to trust that our water is clean, safe to consume, and healthy for our environment. It doesn’t make sense that we are the only state without a statewide septic code, and voters are clear that needs to change,” said Justin Mendoza, executive director of Progress Michigan. “Failing septic systems are not only a threat to our water systems, they are a threat to our public health.”

“It is high time for Michigan to adopt a uniform septic code,” said Liz Kirkwood, executive director of Flow Water Advocates. “Failing and aging systems threaten drinking water and our lakes and rivers. This legislation establishes common-sense protections that every Michigander can support — because clean water is not optional, it’s essential for our health and communities.”

The poll found that septic code legislation has strong bipartisan support, as well as majority support across demographics. The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Agriculture.

Flow to host webinar about new septic system legislation

Published on February 26th, 2026 by - Blog Posts, Reports & Media Releases

Watch the septic webinar recording on YouTube.

Traverse City, Mich. – Michigan’s water and public health are threatened by an estimated 330,000 failing septic systems, but new legislation (SB 771) recently introduced by Sen. Sam Singh (D-28) proposes common-sense statewide septic standards to help keep human and household wastes out of our lakes, rivers, and drinking water wells. Michigan is the only state in the U.S. without a statewide septic code, and only 12 of Michigan’s 83 counties have septic ordinances.

On March 6, 2026 at 12:30pm, Flow Water Advocates will host a live webinar via Zoom with Sen. Singh to discuss Michigan’s outdated, fragmented approach to septic system oversight and how key provisions in the new bill will protect water quality, property values, and human health.

Sen. Singh will be joined by a panel of experts, including Megan Tinsley, Water Policy Director, Michigan Environmental Council; Dan Thorell, Health Officer, Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department; and Anthony Kendall, Assistant Professor of Environmental Science, Michigan State University. The event will be moderated by Skip Pruss, Flow Senior Advisor and former Deputy Director of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (now EGLE).

The webinar is free to attend, and will include audience Q&A. Registration is available online at www.FlowWaterAdvocates.org/septic and via Zoom.

Meet our panelists:

Sen. Sam Singh, Michigan State Senator (D-28)
Sam Singh is a Democratic Michigan State Senator representing the 28th District and serves as Senate Majority Floor Leader in his first Senate term. He previously served three terms in the Michigan House of Representatives, where he was selected by his colleagues as Democratic Leader and championed education, environmental protection, and economic development.

Anthony Kendall, Assistant Professor in Earth and Environmental Sciences and AgBioResearch, Michigan State University
A lifelong Michigan resident, he studies how climate and land use impact water resources and the human and ecological systems that depend on them. His research reveals the hidden processes shaping water use and informs resource management decisions. Anthony is also a dedicated educator, training the next generation of scientists, practitioners, and decision-makers at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Dan Thorell, Health Officer, Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department
Dan Thorell is a public health leader with more than 29 years of experience in environmental health. He serves as health officer for the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department. He was previously the Health Officer, Deputy Health Officer and
Environmental Health Director at the Health Department of Northwest Michigan. Thorell Executive currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Michigan
Association of Local Public Health.

Megan Tinsley, Water Policy Director, Michigan Environmental Council
The Delta Charter Township resident comes to the Environmental Council with 12 years of combined experience at two Audubon Societies. She began as an Everglades science advocate and policy associate at Audubon Florida, where she coordinated with scientists and other allies to advance restoration projects like increasing freshwater flows to Florida Bay. She then moved to New Jersey Audubon as a conservation associate and a policy director.

Septic systems standards legislation introduced in Michigan state senate

Published on January 28th, 2026 by - Blog Posts, Reports & Media Releases

January 28, 2026

Lansing, Mich. – Today in the Michigan Senate, Sen. Sam Singh (D-28) introduced legislation to establish the state’s first-ever comprehensive framework for the oversight and maintenance of onsite wastewater treatment systems, also known as septic systems. The legislation (SB 771) will modernize Michigan’s outdated approach to septic system oversight, and protect the health of communities and the state’s lakes, rivers, and groundwater.

Michigan is the only state in the nation without a statewide sanitary code for septic systems, despite widespread evidence that failing and aging systems contribute to bacterial and nutrient contamination in drinking water wells and surface waters. The legislation recognizes that while properly functioning septic systems are an effective and affordable wastewater solution, septic system failures pose serious risks to public health, safety, and the environment.

Michigan has attempted to pass a statewide septic code over a dozen times and counting over the past decades, but previous efforts have repeatedly stalled in the legislature. The new bill requires the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) to develop a Statewide Sewage Code within three years, creating uniform performance-based standards for both conventional and alternative septic systems. If the legislation is passed and signed into law, Michigan will have consistent, enforceable protections to prevent failing systems from contaminating groundwater and surface waters — a critical step forward for public health and water quality.

Key provisions of the bill include:

  • Homeowners with high-risk or older systems (20+ years and within 500 feet from any surface water or within a high-risk erosion area, critical dune, or 100-year floodplain) are evaluated first, followed by routine 10-year inspections and checks before any change or increase in use.
  • The bill defines a septic system “failure” and authorizes local health departments to inspect, evaluate, and enforce compliance.
  • The law establishes a Technical Advisory Committee: a group of highly qualified experts — including local health officials, engineers, soil scientists, and environmental organizations — that will guide EGLE in developing rules and performance standards.
  • A new Onsite Wastewater Treatment System Administration Fund, which will provide grants to local health departments, support digitization of septic records, fund public education campaigns, and assist low-income homeowners with inspection and repair costs.
  • The legislation allows the use of approved alternative and innovative treatment technologies to meet state standards, ensuring flexibility for communities and property owners.

To ensure compliance, the bill includes civil fines, liens for chronic noncompliance, and criminal penalties for falsifying reports or conducting unregistered evaluations.

“It is high time for Michigan to adopt a uniform septic code,” said Liz Kirkwood, Flow Water Advocates executive director. “Failing and aging systems threaten drinking water and our lakes and rivers. This legislation establishes common-sense protections that every Michigander can support — because clean water is not optional, it’s essential for our health and communities.”

Flow applauds Sen. Singh for his leadership in addressing one of Michigan’s most persistent and under-regulated sources of water pollution. The legislation builds on years of collaboration among environmental organizations, local health departments, and clean water advocates to create a fair, science-based approach to septic management that works for both rural and urban communities.

“Clean water begins at home,” Kirkwood added. “With this legislation, Michigan finally recognizes that protecting our water means maintaining the systems that return it to the ground.”

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Flow Water Advocates is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Traverse City, Michigan. Our mission is to ensure the waters of the Great Lakes Basin are healthy, public, and protected for all. With a staff of legal and policy experts, communicators, and community builders, Flow is a trusted resource for Great Lakes advocates. We help communities, businesses, agencies, and governments make informed policy decisions and protect public trust rights to water. Learn more at www.FlowWaterAdvocates.org.