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Taking action for you by testing the sludge on Lake St. Clair

Posted at 6:04 PM, Jan 22, 2020
and last updated 2020-01-22 18:04:38-05

HARRISON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — We’re taking a closer look at the latest sludge that’s gathering on Lake St. Clair in Harrison Township.

We contacted expert “Sludgebuster” Doug Martz who started fighting against sewage discharges in the 1990s on the Water Quality Board. He’s also lived with the sludge in his own back yard.

After our story on the new sludge on Monday, the Macomb County Health Department took samples on Tuesday. We did too along-side the health department. They even helped us gather samples.

We took ours to the state certified Mcrobiological Associates in Farmington Hills.

The county is testing for E. coli - the material that closes beaches in the summer. Our testing will be the same.

The new sludge has covered dozens of back yards along Lake St. Clair.

Oakland County and Warren reported they discharged some 800 million gallons of sewage two weekends ago with heavy rain. The treated sewage discharges are allowed by the state.

Many believe that treatment falls way short of clean and safe.

Macomb County and our test results will be known tomorrow.