EGLE proposes Part 41 operator certifications, new requirements for privately owned sewers; lawmakers press for broader outreach

The Joint Committee on Administrative Rules heard testimony on proposed changes to Part 41 — the state rules for sewage systems — during a committee hearing where Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy staff outlined new collection-system classifications and operator certification requirements and lawmakers pressed for wider outreach and funding details.

Sydney Hart, legislative liaison for the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), told the committee the rule package would clarify who is covered and how compliance would be enforced. EGLE assistant division director Chris Alexander and engineering specialist Steven Eich gave the committee a program overview; certification specialist Alyssa Sarver described the stakeholder process and training options. Eich said, "the language of Part 41 identifies the requirements for sewage systems, which includes your sewer pipes, your pumps, and wastewater treatment facilities."

The rule package would add four proposed collection-system classifications (C4 through C1) based on population served, introduce certification requirements for collection-system operators that mirror wastewater-plant licensing levels, and create a retention-treatment-basin classification for wet-weather facilities. Eich summarized the agency's goals: the rules would ensure the right systems are built, properly maintained, and operated by certified staff so "the public health is protected." Sarver described 18 stakeholder meetings held between 2020 and 2022 and said the draft rules were modified after the public hearing…