My address says New Baltimore. Is my home on city sewer?

Inside city limits, city sewer serves homes throughout town. But by Census Bureau maps, about three quarters of the land in the 48047 ZIP code lies in Chesterfield Township. Your property tax bill names the city or the township your home is in. In the township, sewer and water lead permits come from the Chesterfield Township Building Department.

What does a new septic system cost near New Baltimore?

Start with the county's soil evaluation, since the county sets the system type and drain field size for your lot. A raised mound or an engineered system on wet clay takes more material and more work than a conventional field. If the house plumbing is too low to drain by gravity, St. Clair County's permit calls for a pump. We price the whole job, from the dig to the lawn restoration, and put a free estimate in writing.

Can a septic system go in over the winter near New Baltimore?

In Ira and Casco townships, St. Clair County bars installs from December 1 to March 1 without its prior approval. Its permit says wet or frozen ground can shorten the life of a system. On the Macomb County side, ask the health department about winter work when you apply.

Do I need a city permit for concrete work or a pool in New Baltimore?

Yes. The city's Building Department has an at-grade concrete and pavers application, and a separate swimming pool permit application. A review can take up to ten city business days, so we plan the start date around it. Work on a historic property downtown may also need the Historic District Commission's review.

Does New Baltimore give a sewer credit for filling a pool?

Yes. The city's water department credits the sewer charge on the water used to fill a pool. You need meter readings from before and after the fill, and water through a sprinkler meter does not count. Plan for it at the end of an inground pool build, when the pool gets its first fill.

Septic System Installation in New Baltimore, MI | Sewer, Water Main and Storm Drain Work

Is New Baltimore on city sewer or septic?

New Baltimore treats its own sewage at a city plant under a state discharge permit. The treated water goes into Crapaud Creek. The county sewer district that serves Chesterfield and Lenox townships does not include the city. New Baltimore also filters its own drinking water, at a plant in the corner of Walter and Mary Burke Park.

Inside city limits, the underground job is usually the private line from the house to the main. The city's Department of Public Service handles water service taps and sewer connection inspections. Plumbing permits come from the city's Building Department.

The median home in New Baltimore was built in 1995, by Census Bureau estimates. About one home in ten went up before 1940, mostly near downtown and the waterfront. Slow drains in several fixtures or a soggy patch over the line can point to a failing sewer lead. We run a camera inspection first, then repair or replace the line and leave it open until it passes inspection.

Where septic systems go in around New Baltimore

Ira Township shares the city's east line, and no road separates the two. It sits in St. Clair County and shares a regional sewer system with Clay Township and Algonac. Its 2025 master plan update calls for large lots and on-site septic systems where sewer is not expected to reach.

Lenox Township lies to the north. Its 2026 master plan says township sewer runs along Gratiot Avenue and 26 Mile east of Gratiot. Farms and rural homes cover about 70 percent of its land. Homes off those sewer lines rely on their own septic systems.

The county line decides who issues the septic permit. Lots in Chesterfield and Lenox townships fall under the Macomb County Health Department. Lots in Ira and Casco townships fall under the St. Clair County Health Department. Either way, the owner applies for the permit.

What wet clay means for a septic system here

The ground sets the design. The USDA soil survey rates nearly all of New Baltimore and Lenox Township very limited for a drain field. The main reasons are a shallow water table and soil that drains slowly. St. Clair County's site evaluation form offers two system types: a conventional-raised mound or an engineered system.

In Macomb County, the soil evaluation needs a MISS DIG ticket first, and the owner hires a backhoe for it. We dig those test pits, then build the system to the owner's permit and leave it open for inspection. When an existing system fails instead, septic system repair starts with finding which part gave out.

A home sale can also bring a septic problem to light. Macomb County requires a home on a septic system or a well to have those systems evaluated before closing. The county wants the tank pumped with the evaluator on site, which is work for a pumping company.

Low, wet ground near Anchor Bay

New Baltimore sits low. Its highest ground is near 25 Mile and Baker Road, and the land slopes from there toward the lake. The USDA maps about a third of the city as a very poorly drained silty clay loam. On most of the city, the water table comes within about a foot of the surface part of the year.

FEMA's flood maps put the shoreline from Ruedisale Point to Marsac Point in a flood hazard area. FEMA also maps floodways along Crapaud Creek and Marsac Creek. Check your lot on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center before you plan a dig or a new slab.

On flat, wet lots, water has to be led away from the house. We set storm drains and catch basins and pipe yard water to where it is allowed to go. Where water presses on a basement wall, we dig to the footing and waterproof from the outside.