What to know about well and septic in Marquette County

Marquette County is the biggest county in Michigan by area, and while the cities of Marquette, Ishpeming, and Negaunee have municipal water and sewer, much of the rest of this large, forested county runs on private wells and septic systems. If you’re buying a place out in the townships — a home, a camp, a lot on a lake — the well and septic are worth looking into before you sign.

Michigan is the only state in the country with no statewide septic code. Instead, the rules are left to local health departments — here, the Marquette County Health Department, which issues the permits for installing or replacing a septic system under the Upper Peninsula Environmental Health Code as adopted by the county. Marquette County does not have a point-of-sale ordinance that forces a septic inspection simply because a property is being sold — some Michigan counties do, but this isn’t one of them. There’s one wrinkle worth knowing: when you apply for a new well permit, the county will evaluate the existing septic system as part of approving the well. And as everywhere, many mortgage lenders require proof that the septic works before they’ll close the loan.

What that means for a buyer is simple: outside of a lender’s requirement or a well-permit application, no one is automatically going to inspect the septic for you at sale. It’s well worth arranging your own inspection of the well and septic before closing — whether through the health department or a private inspector — especially on an older or seasonal property. You can reach the Marquette County Health Department through the county website.