Man sentenced for emptying septic waste in farm fields
By Hannah Mose
Click here for updates on this story
SAGINAW CO., Michigan (WNEM) — The owner of a Saginaw County septic hauler was sentenced for unlawfully applying septic waste to farm fields.
On Dec. 9, 2020, staff with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy received reports from the Saginaw County Health Department about a septic hauler emptying septage waste to farm fields, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources said.
The health department responded to complaints of septic trucks in farm fields emptying waste in Maple Grove Township. According to the DNR, health department officials said the owner of the septic company explained that he was using the septic trucks to spread water from underground tanks onto the fields.
Health department staff checked the fields and found evidence of septic waste where the trucks had been operating. The owner said his septic trucks were cleaned out in the fields and then used to spread water and manure, the DNR said.
The health department said that the septic hauler had also been investigated for the same actions in May of 2020. The Saginaw County Health Department informed the owner at that time of the violations, the DNR said.
The man was charged with one misdemeanor of land applying septic waste on April 5, 2021. He was arraigned on April 14 and plead not guilty. After multiple rescheduled court dates, he plead guilty on Sept. 1, 2022. He was sentenced on Dec. 12, 2022, and was fined $755 with a 6-month delayed sentence, the DNR said.
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
