MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - The Senate recently passed a bill, SB 753, reducing the liability of townships and other local governments for private sewer systems.

In 2012, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that Part 31 of the National Resources and Environmental Protection Act provides the state Department of Environmental Quality the ability to hold a municipality responsible for raw sewage discharged into the waters of the state by private citizens within its borders.

This law is now being reconsidered with SB 753.

According to Ray Severy, Meridian Township's Director of Public Works and Engineering, Meridian Township has not been effected much by liability issues with the private sewer systems.

"For the single home owner, it really doesn't mean much of anything for them because they've always been responsible for their own system," said Severy. "We wouldn't take those over. For a trailer park or for some larger system, I think what this law really does is clarify things more than anything else."

In addition to trailer parks, the eastern part of Meridian Township is predominantly covered with private sewers systems and will likely be the only areas where citizens are effected.

Severy explained that because the law has changed over the years and there has also been a bit of spoken agreement between Township government and residents, the bill is helping to clarify who is responsible for what.

The bill is now moving on to the House of Representatives for further consideration.