EPA enforcement actions against wastewater plants in Michigan
45 formal actions at 31 of 335 plants · $1M in penalties · 34 EPA inspections
EPA's enforcement records list 45 formal civil enforcement cases naming publicly owned wastewater treatment plants in Michigan, 3 of them since fiscal year 2020. The cases involve 31 of the state's 335 plants, with $1 million in penalties assessed. The most common ground is npdes permit violations (9 cases). EPA has inspected 29 plants in the state, 34 inspections in total. Every plant links to its profile, and every case to its report on EPA's ECHO site.
- All plants in Michigan
- Michigan NPDES permits
- EPA enforcement nationwide
- Analysis: enforcement since 2020
- PFAS sources at Michigan plants
Recent enforcement actions in Michigan
| Plant | Date | Type | Law section | Outcome | Penalty | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalamazoo Water Reclamation Plant Kalamazoo | Oct 2026 FY2025 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order No Penalty | — | ECHO 05-2025-0321 |
| Mt Pleasant WWTP Mount Pleasant | Jul 2023 FY2019 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order No Penalty | — | ECHO 05-2019-0331 |
EPA's description: “Final AOC regarding CWA Related effluent violations” | ||||||
| Isabella Reservation WWTP Mount Pleasant | Jun 2021 FY2020 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order No Penalty | — | ECHO 05-2020-0306 |
EPA's description: “AOC sets out measures to correct the alleged violations and bring the facility into compliance.” | ||||||
| Sault Ste. Marie Wastewater Treatment Plant Sault Sainte Marie | Apr 2020 FY2020 | Administrative order | Prevention of Accidental Release/Risk Management Plans (RMPs) | Final Order With Penalty | $11,200 | ECHO 05-2020-7550 |
| Tecumseh WWTP Tecumseh | May 2018 FY2018 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order No Penalty | — | ECHO 05-2018-0302 |
EPA's description: “final and effective Administrative Order on Consent (AOC) designed to bring the City of Tecumseh Wastewater Treatment Plant into compliance with the Clean Water Act.” | ||||||
| Sault Ste. Marie Wastewater Treatment Plant Sault Sainte Marie | Jan 2018 FY2003 | Administrative order | NPDES Permit Violations | Final Order No Penalty | — | ECHO 05-2003-0389 |
EPA's description: “Exceeded permit effluent limits” | ||||||
| Saginaw Twp WWTP Saginaw | Aug 2012 FY2012 | Administrative order | Prevention of Accidental Release/Risk Management Plans (RMPs) | Final Order With Penalty | $8,500 | ECHO 05-2012-7164 |
EPA's description: “This enforcement action was filed in response to violations to CAA 112(r)(7) which were discovered during a Risk Management Plan (RMP) compliance inspection conducted on 7/15/2009. A total of 13…” | ||||||
| Grand Haven/spring Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant Grand Haven | Dec 2011 FY2012 | Administrative order | Prevention of Accidental Release/Risk Management Plans (RMPs) | Final Order With Penalty | $5,338 | ECHO 05-2012-7105 |
EPA's description: “This enforcement action has been filed in response to violations discovered during a CAA 112(r)(7) (Risk Management Plan) inspection which was conducted on 07/08/2008. Violations included: 1.)…” | ||||||
| GLWA Water Resource Recovery Facility Detroit | Dec 2011 FY2012 | Administrative order | General Duty/Accidental Release | Final Order Issued | — | ECHO 05-2012-5012 |
EPA's description: “On December 9, 2011, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued an agreed Clean Air Act Section 303 Order to the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) alleging that a pollution source is…” | ||||||
| City Of Saginaw Wastewater Treatment Plant Saginaw | Oct 2010 FY2011 | Administrative order | Prevention of Accidental Release/Risk Management Plans (RMPs) | Final Order With Penalty | $2,100 | ECHO 05-2011-7018 |
EPA's description: “This enforcement action was filed for violations to CAA 112(r)(7)(Risk Management Plan) which were discovered during an inspection which was conducted on 7/14/2009.” | ||||||
Full case histories, milestones, violation types and EPA's complete case summaries for every plant are shown with a free Klarifi account. Create one
Largest penalties in Michigan
| # | Plant | Date | Type | Outcome | Penalty | Compliance actions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyandotte Wastewater Plant Wyandotte | May 1994 FY1986 | Judicial case | Final Order With Penalty | $413,000 | — | ECHO 05-1986-0288 |
| 2 | Menominee WWTP Menominee | Jan 1996 FY1987 | Judicial case | Final Order With Penalty | $340,000 | — | ECHO 05-1987-0424 |
| 3 | Holland WWTP Holland | Feb 2001 FY2000 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $94,600 | — | ECHO 05-2000-0479 |
| 4 | Milford WWTP Milford | Mar 1992 FY1988 | Judicial case | Final Order With Penalty | $70,000 | — | ECHO 05-1988-0210 |
| 5 | Wixom WWTP Wixom | Jul 1993 FY1986 | Judicial case | Litigated With Penalty | $21,000 | — | ECHO 05-1986-0287 |
| 6 | Milford WWTP Milford | Jul 1989 FY1984 | Judicial case | Final Order With Penalty | $15,000 | — | ECHO 05-1984-0009 |
| 7 | Lowell WWTP Lowell | Aug 1990 FY1985 | Judicial case | Final Order With Penalty | $13,000 | — | ECHO 05-1985-0467 |
| 8 | Sault Ste. Marie Wastewater Treatment Plant Sault Sainte Marie | Apr 2020 FY2020 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $11,200 | — | ECHO 05-2020-7550 |
| 9 | City Of Mount Clemens Wastewater Treatment Plant Mount Clemens | Oct 1993 FY1993 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $10,000 | — | ECHO 05-1993-1561 |
| 10 | Warren Waste Water Treatment Plant Warren | Jun 2007 FY2005 | Administrative order | Final Order With Penalty | $8,766 | — | ECHO 05-2005-0021 |
Actions by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Formal actions | Penalties |
|---|---|---|
| FY2018 | 1 | — |
| FY2019 | 1 | — |
| FY2020 | 2 | $11,200 |
| FY2021 | 0 | — |
| FY2022 | 0 | — |
| FY2023 | 0 | — |
| FY2024 | 0 | — |
| FY2025 | 1 | — |
| FY2026 | 0 | — |
| FY2027 | 0 | — |
EPA fiscal years run from 1 October to 30 September. The current year is partial.
EPA enforcement in Michigan: questions
How many EPA enforcement actions have been taken against wastewater plants in Michigan?
EPA's enforcement records list 45 formal civil enforcement cases naming publicly owned wastewater treatment plants in Michigan, 3 of them since fiscal year 2020. They involve 31 of the state's 335 plants. Informal actions such as notices of violation are not counted here.
Which Michigan wastewater plant received the largest EPA penalty?
Wyandotte Wastewater Plant in Wyandotte: $413,000 assessed in fiscal year 1986 (WAYNE COUNTY, MICH., Final Order With Penalty). Penalties are the amounts EPA records as assessed or agreed, not necessarily what was collected.
What does an EPA administrative order mean for a wastewater plant?
Most cases here are administrative orders under section 309 of the Clean Water Act: EPA finds permit violations, usually effluent limits or discharge without a permit, and orders the plant to return to compliance, often with a corrective action plan, a schedule and sometimes a penalty. Judicial cases go through the Department of Justice and typically end in a consent decree with a capital programme behind it. The latest case in Michigan is from Oct 2026.
Enforcement data: EPA ICIS-FE&C civil enforcement cases and ICIS compliance inspections, via ECHO. Penalties are the amounts assessed or agreed in each case as EPA records them. Latest case status in this data: Oct 2026.
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