Is my Shelby Township home on sewer or a septic system?

It depends on the street. Sewer covers less of the township than water does, so a water bill alone does not prove you have sewer. The Shelby Township Department of Public Works runs water and sewer service and can confirm what serves your address. A tank lid or riser in the yard is a common sign of a septic system.

What does a new septic system cost in Shelby Township?

The price turns on what the county's soil evaluation finds on your lot. A high water table or very fast-draining sand can change the system the county will permit. The size of the tank and field matters, and so does how much lawn or driveway we restore. We put a free estimate in writing after we see the lot, and the county's own fees are separate.

Do I have to connect when sewer reaches my street?

Michigan law lets a township require a home to connect once a public sewer runs within 200 feet of it. The law's outer deadline is 18 months after notice of the sewer is published. The Shelby Township DPW can tell you whether that applies on your street. When the time comes, we dig the trench and lay the new sewer lateral on proper bedding and slope.

Do you work on water service lines in Shelby Township?

Yes, we install new water service line connections and replace old or broken lines. The township DPW reports that its service line inventory found no lead service lines. A home moving from a private well to township water needs a new service line, and we lay those too. The DPW can tell you its tap and inspection steps.

How soon can the county run a soil evaluation?

The Macomb County Health Department says to expect an appointment within three to seven business days under normal circumstances. It sets the appointment only after the date MISS DIG gives for utility clearance. Property lines need to be easy to find for the visit. We call MISS DIG 811 before any dig we do.

Septic System Installation in Shelby Township, MI | Septic Repair, Sewer Lines and Excavation

Where Sewer Ends and Septic Begins in Shelby Township

The county lists Shelby Township among the communities served by its largest sewer district. The township's Department of Public Works (DPW) maintains the local sewer mains. Those mains reach only part of the township.

The township's 2017 master plan puts it plainly. Sanitary sewers are not nearly as widespread as public water lines. The plan names areas where sewer is needed for new building and business growth. Those include Sections 1 and 2 in the northeast corner and parts of Auburn Road in the southwest.

Water reaches more of the township. The DPW buys Lake Huron water through the Great Lakes Water Authority and maintains 466 miles of water main. The 2017 plan noted gaps along some major roads and no water service to most of Sections 1 and 2. A home there may still draw from a private well.

Who Issues a Septic Permit in Shelby Township?

Michigan has no statewide septic code, so the Macomb County Health Department sets the rules here. Its Environmental Health Services division issues septic permits for Shelby Township and inspects the systems. The Shelby Township building department handles building permits, and the township DPW runs water and sewer service.

On a lot without sewer, the county requires an acceptable soil evaluation before it issues a septic permit. The county asks for a backhoe for that test, and we can dig it as part of our excavation work. The permit is the property owner's, and the county sets the tank and field sizes and the setbacks. We build the system to that permit and coordinate the county inspection.

Selling a home on septic or a well? Macomb County requires those systems to be evaluated before closing. The tank is pumped with the evaluator on site, and the evaluation is valid for one year. If it turns up a failing system, the fix may be septic system repair or a full replacement.

Sandy Soil and Septic Design in Shelby Township

A large share of Shelby Township sits on sand. The USDA soil survey maps sands such as Boyer loamy sand and Pipestone sand across much of it. That ground drains differently from the wetter lake-plain soils that cover most of Macomb County.

The township's 2017 master plan calls its soils favorable for septic systems. The soil survey adds a caution and rates most of the township very limited for a conventional drain field. In much of that sand, wastewater can pass down too fast to be cleaned. The township's stormwater page names failing septic fields as one way sewage reaches storm drains and the Clinton River.

Water is the other limit. In about half the township, the soil survey shows a seasonal water table within about a foot of the surface. FEMA also maps flood zones along the Clinton River and Stony Creek. That is why the county's soil evaluation on your own lot drives the design.

Older Neighborhoods and New Homes in Shelby Township

About 80,000 people live in Shelby Township, and its homes span many eras. The median home was built in 1989, and about a third went up before 1980. The master plan describes older neighborhoods in the southern sections on small to moderate lots. Much of the newer subdivision growth sits on moderate to large lots.

Building continues, too. Census permit data counts 187 new single-family homes authorized in the township in 2025. A new home on a lot without sewer also needs its county septic permit.

On a septic lot, plan other projects around the system. The county's septic pamphlet warns against driveways or patios over the system and heavy vehicles on the field. Before we pour a concrete driveway or dig an inground pool, we locate the tank and the drain field. We also pave asphalt drives and pour stamped concrete patios in Shelby Township.