MSTA President Dave Snyder Keeps Watchful Eye On
Michigan's Disposal Regulations
Michigan's Disposal Regulations
By Jo Ann Hustis
Special to Sanitation Journal
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Dave Snyder is keeping watch on the future of the state’s septage disposal industry.
"What I see ahead is a sanitation code," he said. "I can see where the state will eventually have every septic tank
and drain field on a big Mother Computer where each owner must show their septic tank has been regularly
serviced, like once every five years.
"In our business, we recommend servicing every two years for a family of four. I think the state would like to do it
every three years, but I’m sure you’ll have people balk at that."
President of the Michigan Septic Tank Association and co-owner of West Michigan Septic, Sewer & Drain Service
Inc., Snyder predicts the state will eventually enact legislation forcing home septic tank users to be responsible for
these systems.
"To show they have been serviced and taken care of," he said. "I also think local health departments will get more
involved insofar as doing inspections and such on septic systems to find the failures before they are failures."
The current check on septic tank systems in Snyder’s county, a rural area north of Grand Rapids, is at the point-of-
sale. Which means the County Health Department inspects the septic system at the time a house is sold. As many
people don’t move much from one home to another during a lifetime, the point-of-sale check on an individual home
may be the only inspection the septic tank ever receives.
Septic systems need to be checked regularly to monitor their function and ensure they are operating correctly.
However, out-of-sight, out-of-mind, and many septic tank users are reluctant to have the check done.
"When someone asks how often a septic tank has to be cleaned, I say, ‘You never have to clean it. You can just
replace your drain field,’" Snyder noted. "‘I tell them, ‘You don’t have to change the oil in your car, ever - just
replace the engine.’ Once you put it in that relationship, they understand."
The average cost to clean a septic tank is about $200.
"I tell people cleaning the tank is cheaper than city sewer bills at $45 or whatever every quarter," he said. "Our job -
our service - is to educate people on their septic systems, especially when we installed the system. We send them
recall cards every two years.
"If you are a family of four, and we installed your system new, you’ll get a recall card from us in two years,
reminding you to get your septic tank pumped. I even send a recall card to my house because I can’t remember to
pump mine, either."
Sanitarians have paid more attention the past 20 years to the types of soils in which sanitary septic systems are to
be installed. They now check such items as whether the soil will percolate, if it will take water well, and if clay
masses or moss is present in the ground.
Special to Sanitation Journal
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Dave Snyder is keeping watch on the future of the state’s septage disposal industry.
"What I see ahead is a sanitation code," he said. "I can see where the state will eventually have every septic tank
and drain field on a big Mother Computer where each owner must show their septic tank has been regularly
serviced, like once every five years.
"In our business, we recommend servicing every two years for a family of four. I think the state would like to do it
every three years, but I’m sure you’ll have people balk at that."
President of the Michigan Septic Tank Association and co-owner of West Michigan Septic, Sewer & Drain Service
Inc., Snyder predicts the state will eventually enact legislation forcing home septic tank users to be responsible for
these systems.
"To show they have been serviced and taken care of," he said. "I also think local health departments will get more
involved insofar as doing inspections and such on septic systems to find the failures before they are failures."
The current check on septic tank systems in Snyder’s county, a rural area north of Grand Rapids, is at the point-of-
sale. Which means the County Health Department inspects the septic system at the time a house is sold. As many
people don’t move much from one home to another during a lifetime, the point-of-sale check on an individual home
may be the only inspection the septic tank ever receives.
Septic systems need to be checked regularly to monitor their function and ensure they are operating correctly.
However, out-of-sight, out-of-mind, and many septic tank users are reluctant to have the check done.
"When someone asks how often a septic tank has to be cleaned, I say, ‘You never have to clean it. You can just
replace your drain field,’" Snyder noted. "‘I tell them, ‘You don’t have to change the oil in your car, ever - just
replace the engine.’ Once you put it in that relationship, they understand."
The average cost to clean a septic tank is about $200.
"I tell people cleaning the tank is cheaper than city sewer bills at $45 or whatever every quarter," he said. "Our job -
our service - is to educate people on their septic systems, especially when we installed the system. We send them
recall cards every two years.
"If you are a family of four, and we installed your system new, you’ll get a recall card from us in two years,
reminding you to get your septic tank pumped. I even send a recall card to my house because I can’t remember to
pump mine, either."
Sanitarians have paid more attention the past 20 years to the types of soils in which sanitary septic systems are to
be installed. They now check such items as whether the soil will percolate, if it will take water well, and if clay
masses or moss is present in the ground.
"Also, in rural areas like mine, developers are installing cluster septic systems," Snyder said. "The houses have
individual septic tanks, with one big drain field for an entire community of 25 to 50 houses. Cluster systems are a
big thing now."
The septic disposal business has been around forever, but it is just becoming more environmentally conscious
because of Michigan’s population growth and expansion. Almost half of new construction in the state is in rural
areas not serviced by municipal sewer systems.
"About 43 percent of the new home permits issued in Michigan are for the rural areas. Which means more septic
tanks and systems, drain fields, and such," he said.
"Our natural waterways are a big selling point for the state. One of the biggest contaminants of our lakes and
streams, rivers, springs and such, is failed septic systems, so that’s something the state is really watching."
Michigan has no state sanitary code. A proposal for one is in the making, however. Snyder was on the committee
which helped draft the measure. He does not know when, or if, the proposal will go before the General Assembly
for ratification.
Snyder said the state may be losing additional revenue through lack of a statewide sanitary code. But because 2006
is an election year, the push to promote the measure has lessened, he noted.
The 170-member Michigan Septic Tank Association, with Snyder in his third year at the helm, is strongly pushing
adoption of the bill. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality has written what is known as the "white
paper" regarding the measure, but is now faced with obtaining a sponsor for the legislation.
"When you get something such as that written up, the legislators want to tear it apart, organize their own committee
to look at it, dissect it, and see if it’s worth anything to do it, or not do it," he said.
"It’s going to take funding - taxpayers’ money. MSTA members know their senators and representatives, and have
talked to them. But they all seem to have something else going on, and they don’t want too many things on their
plate, so you kind of have to know when to step in and when to step out of it."
The MSTA is most active in promoting legislation and enforcement affecting the liquid waste industry in Michigan.
Several years ago, the association willingly allowed the state to increase operating license fees to fund enforcement
of laws governing the disposal of septage.
Snyder said the MSTA learned about eight years ago the state planned to cut back on financing for the septage
disposal program, which basically affects septic haulers.
The state first intended to raise the cost of the licensing fees, but when current Gov. Jennifer Granholm was
elected to the office, she wanted to cut the program instead. The MSTA hired a lobbyist, who kept the organization
abreast of the state’s involvement in the liquid waste industry in Michigan. The septage disposal legislation was
approved Oct. 12, 2004.
The licensing and handling of domestic septage is regulated under Part 117, Septage Waste Servicers of the Natural
Resources and Environmental Protection Act. The Michigan DEQ, Surface Water Quality Division, administers the
program with assistance of the state’s county health departments.
Part 117 was enacted to protect human health and the environment by regulating disposal of septage.
"We ( MSTA) sat down with the DEQ and the state senators and representatives, and helped write the new law. It
did increase our fees, and the money going to the state from the haulers and such. But, we are also getting more
enforcement. The state is to hire more help," Snyder said.
"This is just starting. It takes a couple years to get people hired and trained, and to get the health departments on
board. We want to make sure our industry is being fair. Those who are illegally disposing of septage on the ground
or creeks or waters or wherever they do it, we want to make sure they’re caught and fined and put out of
business."
There are 1.2 million septic systems in Michigan. On average, each tank is pumped every 10 years, and yields about
1,000 gallons of septage. Each year, 120 million gallons of septage is pumped from home septic tanks in Michigan.
The legislation had to happen, Snyder noted. He said the state asked the MSTA to come on board. "They (DEQ)
knew they had to sell the legislation to somebody, and they knew they had to sell it to us," he added.
"They picked our brains on some things they wanted to do, and if we shot them down, they looked it over again,
and redid it sometimes. They knew they had to have some state senator and representative support. And for them
to support it, they wanted approval from an association saying this was okay."
"There’s big teeth in the legislation," Snyder said. "Some big fines, and there are a few haulers who have been fined
pretty heavily already, like $25,000 and $35,000."
The DEQ told Snyder the agency is not there to charge every hauler for each little offense, but it does want to help
correct the problem of illegal dumping of septage.
"In Michigan, we have a lot of land appliers - they apply septic disposal on the ground. It’s a management type
arrangement that’s great for the soil. But, there are some people out there who just don’t know how to go about it,"
he said.
"I’m one who doesn’t have to do that. We have a wastewater treatment facility to go to. But for those who have to,
or want to go land disposal, there’s a lot to it. You have to know your agriculture regulations, such as what kind of
crops to put in the ground to take the phosphate and other elements from the septage."
In Michigan, land application of domestic septage is also controlled by federal regulations. Snyder said some waste
haulers were not learning the state and federal regulations very well.
"So instead of just going out there and levying fines, the DEQ asked (MSTA) to help construct a course for them to
teach to help people keep their records straight. We had a course in April, and it went off really well. They are
trying to educate the haulers."
Snyder and his partner, a high school buddy, went into business in 1987. His partner built a pump truck and
pumped the first septic tank on Snyder’s birthday, April 21. The business did everything related to septic tanks.
Snyder quit his other job and joined the business full-time in 1989 at age 32. "I said if I don’t do it now, I won’t be
able to do it, because I’m just not going to, so I did," he said.
The business added an excavating service two years later. The partners then bought another sewer drain company.
They added more septic trucks, and acquired a second excavating company. Now they do it all, from installation of
septic systems, drain fields and water lines, to digging basements and cleaning septic tanks and lines.
"It took a long time to see the business make money to where we can sit back and kind of enjoy it a little now,"
Snyder said. "And, we’ve got a passion for it. It’s crazy. People don’t understand it, but we do."
individual septic tanks, with one big drain field for an entire community of 25 to 50 houses. Cluster systems are a
big thing now."
The septic disposal business has been around forever, but it is just becoming more environmentally conscious
because of Michigan’s population growth and expansion. Almost half of new construction in the state is in rural
areas not serviced by municipal sewer systems.
"About 43 percent of the new home permits issued in Michigan are for the rural areas. Which means more septic
tanks and systems, drain fields, and such," he said.
"Our natural waterways are a big selling point for the state. One of the biggest contaminants of our lakes and
streams, rivers, springs and such, is failed septic systems, so that’s something the state is really watching."
Michigan has no state sanitary code. A proposal for one is in the making, however. Snyder was on the committee
which helped draft the measure. He does not know when, or if, the proposal will go before the General Assembly
for ratification.
Snyder said the state may be losing additional revenue through lack of a statewide sanitary code. But because 2006
is an election year, the push to promote the measure has lessened, he noted.
The 170-member Michigan Septic Tank Association, with Snyder in his third year at the helm, is strongly pushing
adoption of the bill. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality has written what is known as the "white
paper" regarding the measure, but is now faced with obtaining a sponsor for the legislation.
"When you get something such as that written up, the legislators want to tear it apart, organize their own committee
to look at it, dissect it, and see if it’s worth anything to do it, or not do it," he said.
"It’s going to take funding - taxpayers’ money. MSTA members know their senators and representatives, and have
talked to them. But they all seem to have something else going on, and they don’t want too many things on their
plate, so you kind of have to know when to step in and when to step out of it."
The MSTA is most active in promoting legislation and enforcement affecting the liquid waste industry in Michigan.
Several years ago, the association willingly allowed the state to increase operating license fees to fund enforcement
of laws governing the disposal of septage.
Snyder said the MSTA learned about eight years ago the state planned to cut back on financing for the septage
disposal program, which basically affects septic haulers.
The state first intended to raise the cost of the licensing fees, but when current Gov. Jennifer Granholm was
elected to the office, she wanted to cut the program instead. The MSTA hired a lobbyist, who kept the organization
abreast of the state’s involvement in the liquid waste industry in Michigan. The septage disposal legislation was
approved Oct. 12, 2004.
The licensing and handling of domestic septage is regulated under Part 117, Septage Waste Servicers of the Natural
Resources and Environmental Protection Act. The Michigan DEQ, Surface Water Quality Division, administers the
program with assistance of the state’s county health departments.
Part 117 was enacted to protect human health and the environment by regulating disposal of septage.
"We ( MSTA) sat down with the DEQ and the state senators and representatives, and helped write the new law. It
did increase our fees, and the money going to the state from the haulers and such. But, we are also getting more
enforcement. The state is to hire more help," Snyder said.
"This is just starting. It takes a couple years to get people hired and trained, and to get the health departments on
board. We want to make sure our industry is being fair. Those who are illegally disposing of septage on the ground
or creeks or waters or wherever they do it, we want to make sure they’re caught and fined and put out of
business."
There are 1.2 million septic systems in Michigan. On average, each tank is pumped every 10 years, and yields about
1,000 gallons of septage. Each year, 120 million gallons of septage is pumped from home septic tanks in Michigan.
The legislation had to happen, Snyder noted. He said the state asked the MSTA to come on board. "They (DEQ)
knew they had to sell the legislation to somebody, and they knew they had to sell it to us," he added.
"They picked our brains on some things they wanted to do, and if we shot them down, they looked it over again,
and redid it sometimes. They knew they had to have some state senator and representative support. And for them
to support it, they wanted approval from an association saying this was okay."
"There’s big teeth in the legislation," Snyder said. "Some big fines, and there are a few haulers who have been fined
pretty heavily already, like $25,000 and $35,000."
The DEQ told Snyder the agency is not there to charge every hauler for each little offense, but it does want to help
correct the problem of illegal dumping of septage.
"In Michigan, we have a lot of land appliers - they apply septic disposal on the ground. It’s a management type
arrangement that’s great for the soil. But, there are some people out there who just don’t know how to go about it,"
he said.
"I’m one who doesn’t have to do that. We have a wastewater treatment facility to go to. But for those who have to,
or want to go land disposal, there’s a lot to it. You have to know your agriculture regulations, such as what kind of
crops to put in the ground to take the phosphate and other elements from the septage."
In Michigan, land application of domestic septage is also controlled by federal regulations. Snyder said some waste
haulers were not learning the state and federal regulations very well.
"So instead of just going out there and levying fines, the DEQ asked (MSTA) to help construct a course for them to
teach to help people keep their records straight. We had a course in April, and it went off really well. They are
trying to educate the haulers."
Snyder and his partner, a high school buddy, went into business in 1987. His partner built a pump truck and
pumped the first septic tank on Snyder’s birthday, April 21. The business did everything related to septic tanks.
Snyder quit his other job and joined the business full-time in 1989 at age 32. "I said if I don’t do it now, I won’t be
able to do it, because I’m just not going to, so I did," he said.
The business added an excavating service two years later. The partners then bought another sewer drain company.
They added more septic trucks, and acquired a second excavating company. Now they do it all, from installation of
septic systems, drain fields and water lines, to digging basements and cleaning septic tanks and lines.
"It took a long time to see the business make money to where we can sit back and kind of enjoy it a little now,"
Snyder said. "And, we’ve got a passion for it. It’s crazy. People don’t understand it, but we do."
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