Septic systems are common around Elk Lake and many other lake communities. If they’re maintained, they usually manage to keep bacteria and viruses in check. But failing systems can allow contaminated water to seep into nearby bodies of water.
Great Lakes
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Michigan's 20th Century water systems too big for its shrinking city populations
Cities around the Great Lakes region struggle with the cost of water maintenance and operation as their populations decline.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Water woes loom for Michigan suburbs, towns after decades of disinvestment
Michigan cities rich and poor, big and small have been delaying maintenance on their water systems for decades. Now, even wealthy towns are suffering the consequences of past reluctance to pay for water system upkeep.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
After decades of neglect, bill coming due for Michigan’s water infrastructure
Federal and state governments begin to reverse course on underinvestment to address water’s true cost.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Join Bridge and Circle of Blue for a discussion about aging water infrastructure
On May 11, Bridge Michigan environment reporter Kelly House and Circle of Blue’s Brett Walton will moderate a Zoom discussion about the crisis of crumbling water infrastructure in our state and region.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Michigan scraps special elk hunt in January
Michigan hunters are so adept at hunting elk that state regulators now say a rarely used season in January is no longer necessary.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Daily trout limits in Lake Huron may be reduced due to overfishing
Limits could go from 3 to 2 per day because recreational anglers exceeded limits with Michigan tribes.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
The pandemic that closed the U.S./Canadian border to people may have opened it to the invasive sea lamprey
Great Lakes invasive species cling to shipments and navigate canals to migrate, but one aquatic invader — sea lamprey — benefitted from border closures instead.
Posted inMichigan Environment Watch
Small portions: Michigan puts PFAS advisory on Lake Superior rainbow smelt
Samples taken from the big lake revealed widespread PFAS contamination of rainbow smelt, a popular sport fish. State officials advise consuming no more than a few smelt a month for safety reasons.
Posted inThe Center for Michigan
Watch Bridge’s discussion about Great Lakes invasive species
Bridge Michigan reporter Kelly House moderated a Zoom discussion with three experts about efforts to fight Asian carp and other invasives.