Well and septic in rural Alcona County

Alcona County is about as rural as Michigan gets — one small city and a lot of woods, lakes, and shoreline — so outside Harrisville, nearly every home runs on a private well and a septic system. There’s no municipal water or sewer in the townships, which is completely normal here but worth understanding before you buy.

Michigan is the only state with no statewide septic code, so the rules are set locally. In Alcona County that’s District Health Department No. 2, which has an office in Harrisville and issues the permits for new and replacement septic systems and wells. Alcona does not require a point-of-sale septic inspection — there’s no county rule forcing an inspection just because a property changes hands. That leaves it to you, the buyer, so it’s smart to make any offer contingent on a septic inspection and a well water test, even when one isn’t required.

This matters even more on the water. A big share of Alcona’s homes are seasonal cottages near Hubbard Lake or along the Lake Huron shore, and older lakeside septic systems deserve a close look. On any rural property, check the age and type of the septic system, where the drainfield sits, the well depth and water quality, and whether there’s room for a replacement drainfield. A passing soil test (a “perc test”) is part of building on a vacant lot. (Heads up: a statewide septic-inspection bill has been floated in Lansing for years; if it passes, the rules here could change.)