Well and septic in Leelanau County

Most of Leelanau County is rural or lakefront, and outside the villages and a few sewered areas, homes here run on private wells and septic systems — the county has well over ten thousand of them. If you’re buying in one of the townships, this is important, because Leelanau now has one of the stricter septic rules in the region.

Michigan is the only state without a statewide septic code, so the rules are set locally. Leelanau County is served by the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department, and as of a countywide ordinance adopted in 2022, a home’s well and septic system must be inspected and approved before the property can be sold or transferred to a new owner — what’s called a “time of transfer” evaluation. (It’s modeled on a rule Benzie County has had since the 1990s.) Plan ahead, because the evaluation can take a few weeks, so it’s smart to start early rather than risk holding up a closing. A few places are on municipal sewer instead — including the villages of Suttons Bay and Northport, the Leland area, and parts of Elmwood Township — so the septic part may not apply there.

On a rural or lakefront property, look at 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 — many of the county’s older systems are reaching the end of their life. A passing soil test (a “perc test”) is part of building on a vacant lot.