Board introduces first reading of sewer‑use ordinance changes tied to Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority

The Canton Township Board of Trustees introduced and held a first reading of proposed amendments to the township code of ordinances intended to align Canton’s sewer‑use rules with requirements of the Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority (YCUA) and state regulators.

The proposed ordinance revisions would authorize a special alternative limits (SAL) program to allow YCUA to allocate available treatment capacity to specific permitted industrial or commercial dischargers, rather than applying limits evenly across all member communities. The revisions also update local limits for toxic pollutants and add local limits for certain PFAS/PFOS compounds identified by the state as emerging concerns.

Director Norwood told trustees the change responds to recent YCUA updates and state direction from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). He said the SAL program provides a way for YCUA to accommodate industrial customers when the treatment authority determines it can safely accept higher, permitted discharges under controlled conditions. Norwood added that Canton currently has no specific facilities that would use SAL allocations but the ordinance establishes the legal authority needed if permitted discharges are requested in future.

The board voted to introduce and hold the first reading of the ordinance; further hearings or a second reading were not completed at the meeting. If adopted on second reading in a future meeting, the code changes would give Canton the local legal authority to implement YCUA’s revised sewer‑use requirements and to apply local PFAS/PFOS limits as needed.

Technical note: the proposed amendments reference YCUA operating requirements and state PFAS guidance; trustees and staff used the acronym SAL (special alternative limits) during the discussion.