Summary of HB 6066 (2025-2026) — Environmental protection: sewage; onsite wastewater treatment systems; regulate, and provide for assessments and evaluations
Purpose and scope
- Establishes a comprehensive framework for regulating onsite wastewater treatment systems (OWTS), including conventional systems, innovative/alternative systems, greywater systems, and related management through Part 127 and new Part 128.
- Creates a statewide approach to require evaluations, inspections, permits, fees, educational funding, and a technical advisory committee to guide rules under a statewide sewage code.
Key provisions and changes
Definitions (Sec. 12751)
- Introduces and clarifies terms for acceptable greywater systems, acceptable innovative/alternative waste treatment systems, holding tanks, public sanitary sewers, structure definitions, violation notices, and related concepts.
- Distinguishes between conventional septic/drain-field systems and alternative/innovative technologies.
Regulation of onsite wastewater systems (Sec. 12752)
- Public sanitary sewer systems are emphasized as essential; failing/undermanaged OWTS pose public health and water quality risks.
- Requires connection to available public sewers when feasible and authorizes local health departments to regulate OWTS under Part 128.
- Grants department and local health departments inspection and enforcement authority; allows collection of fees; imposes a $5.00 Public Education and Training Fund fee on OWTS applications.
Innovative/alternative systems and greywater combinations (Sec. 12757)
- Allows installation and use of acceptable innovative/alternative systems, including combinations with acceptable greywater systems.
- Local health departments may inspect annually and charge fees for inspections, plan reviews, and installations.
- Department will promulgate guidelines with the state plumbing board to determine acceptable systems.
- Exempts certain innovative systems from mandatory connection fees when not connected to public sewers; may allow sewer availability fees in lieu of connections in some cases; potential exemptions from fees by local government.
Outhouses (Sec. 12771)
- Maintains rules governing outhouses; requires sanitary conditions and adherence to statewide sewage code when applicable.
- Violations constitute a misdemeanor; outhouses may be declared public nuisances.
Part 128 — Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (OWTS)
Definitions (Sec. 12801)
- Defines alternative systems, approved OWTS, authorized local health departments, proprietary products, evaluations, failures, management, and related terms.
Plan and staffing (Sec. 12803, 12805)
- Local health departments must develop implementation plans for conventional and alternative systems within specified timelines after rules are promulgated.
- Departments set staffing qualifications and training requirements for OWTS programs, including education, field experience, and ongoing competency standards.
- Exemptions exist for certain experienced/overseeing staff.
Permits and installation (Sec. 12807)
- Construction permits required for installing/altering OWTS; permits can be coordinated with other NR-Act permits.
- Government building permits and occupancy certificates require OWTS permits/inspections; noncompliance may trigger enforcement actions.
Product registration and standards (Sec. 12811, 12813, 12817)
- Proprietary OWTS products must be registered for use in Michigan; registration includes a 5-year validity and adjustable fees (starting at $3,000, with CPI-based adjustments every 3 years after year 3).
- The department may deny/suspend/revoke registrations for fraud, poor performance, or noncompliance.
- Establishes minimum standards and criteria for different OWTS types (nonproprietary tech, proprietary products, and未installed-but-permitted systems).
Technical advisory committee (Sec. 12815)
- Creates a Technical Advisory Committee to advise on standards, performance, evaluations, training, ethics, and administration.
- Broad composition including local health representatives, engineers, product distributors, installers, service providers, users, soil scientists, and other experts.
- Provides for meetings, governance, FOIA, compensation, and advisory timelines.
- Committee’s early recommendations due within 2 years; ongoing advisory role.
Statewide sewage code and rules (Sec. 12817, 12825)
- Department, with the advisory committee, must promulgate a statewide sewage code within 3 years of the act’s effective date.
- Code covers qualifications, product standards, installation standards, effluent standards, continued use standards, variances, and additional requirements to implement Part 127 and Part 128.
- Establishes standards for evaluating OWTS and related reporting; requires ongoing audits and potential adjustments.
Evaluator registration and oversight (Sec. 12823)
- Establishes registration for OWTS evaluators, including an application process, annual renewals, continuing education, and penalties for noncompliance or unethical conduct.
- Initially temporarily relaxed requirements for experienced evaluators (3 years) during transition.
Evaluations, reporting, and timelines (Sec. 12821, 12825)
- Beginning 45 days after rules are published, non-sewered properties must obtain OWTS evaluations on a defined schedule.
- Timelines depend on system age, proximity to surface waters or high-risk areas, and whether a previous construction permit exists.
- Evaluations must be conducted by authorized local health departments or evaluators, with detailed on-site assessment procedures, pumping requirements when needed, and reporting requirements within 14 days.
- Post-evaluation actions include determining system status (failure, nonconforming elements, compliance) and issuing corrective actions with specific deadlines.
- Fines and penalties for failures to evaluate or remedy; potential waivers for low-income or financially stressed owners.
- Establishes a lien mechanism on property after civil fines begin, with conditions for termination upon compliance.
Fees and funding (Sec. 12821(13-15), 12825)
- Local health departments/ evaluators may charge evaluation fees (up to cost) plus a $50 state administrative fee.
- Fees collected go to the state treasurer for the Online OWTS fund; CPI adjustments apply for admin fee every 3 years.
- State-level database: creates an electronic registry of evaluations, locations, and related records with controlled access.
Penalties and enforcement
- Violations of OWTS requirements can lead to misdemeanors with fines (up to $10,000 per day for certain actions in 12818; up to $15,000 total for ongoing noncompliance under 12821-9/10).
- Civil fines may be treated as liens after 2 years, with procedures for resolution and release upon compliance.
Compliance timelines and implementation
- Rules under 12817 to establish statewide code within 3 years.
- Local health departments plan creation within 180 days after rulemaking; authorization and implementation within 1 year (for conventional systems) and 2 years (for alternative systems).
- Evaluations mandated on a schedule beginning 45 days after code rules are promulgated, with staged timelines based on system age and site conditions.
Potential impact and who is affected
Local health departments
- Key administrators for OWTS permits, inspections, evaluations, enforcement, and plan implementation.
- Must hire or train staff to meet stringent qualifications and maintain compliance records.
Property owners and structure occupants
- Must obtain OWTS construction permits, operate and maintain systems per code, and undergo periodic evaluations.
- Possible fees (evaluation, admin) and potential fines for noncompliance or failure to evaluate/remediate.
- Some owners may be exempt from certain sewer connection fees when using innovative/alternative systems not connected to public sewers, subject to local government discretion.
OWTS manufacturers, installers, evaluators
- Proprietary products face mandatory registration and periodic renewal with performance verification.
- Evaluators must be registered and comply with training, reporting, and ethical standards.
Public health and environment
- Aims to strengthen protection of groundwater and surface waters, reduce public health risks from failing OWTS, and improve overall wastewater management through standardized code, accountability, and education.
Notes on scope and complexity
- The bill creates a multi-year transition toward a statewide code with significant regulatory, administrative, and fiscal components.
- It balances promoting innovative/alternative systems with public health safeguards, including mandatory evaluations, reporting, and potential fees or penalties to ensure compliance.
- Local autonomy is preserved for some decisions (e.g., certain fee exemptions) but subject to statewide rules and oversight.
If you’d like, I can condense this into bullet-point briefing for policymakers or generate a side-by-side comparison with current Michigan Public Health Code provisions.
