Baraga, Gogebic, Houghton, Keweenaw, and Ontonagon Counties, MI – The Western Upper Peninsula
Health Department (WUPHD) has scheduled a public hearing on February 27th, at 5:30 PM (ET) to hear
public comments on the proposed Upper Peninsula Environmental Health Code.
The proposed document updates the current well and onsite septic construction code that has been in
place since 1998. Included in this revision are reduced isolation distances and the ability to bring the
permitting of small business systems under local rather than state control. The revisions are expected to
have a positive impact on the local economy.
“The majority of counties in the Upper Peninsula have already adopted this new code and we have
received overwhelming support for the changes from local contractors and engineering firms,” said Kate
Beer, Health Officer at WUPHD. “The new language will provide uniform sanitary construction guidance
across the region. This code revision ensures local control of the permitting process and will ease the
construction cost burden on homeowner’s and small businesses in our district.”
The public hearing will be held at: Michigan Tech Lakeshore Center Community Room, 600 E. Lakeshore Drive, Houghton, MI 49931. The WUPHD hopes to have the code in place and effective for the upcoming construction season.
The proposed code language is available for viewing at all WUPHD offices. It can also be found along
with the meeting link on their website at www.wuphd.org.
Proposed U.P. Environmental Health Code
