A much-needed drain project in rural Berrien County took its first steps on Tuesday.
At their regular meeting, Benton Charter Township trustees passed a resolution allowing the Berrien County Drain Commission to begin the process of creating a drainage district in Millburg.
The ultimate goal of building a Millburg Drain is to alleviate storm water issues stemming from the area, according to Drain Commissioner Christopher Quattrin.
“The drainage district is what we need to do to tackle the issues we’re seeing in there,” said Quattrin, addressing trustees. “There is a discharge that is an ongoing discharge, we know, and [it] has been noted by [the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy] many times. … We know it’s coming from this region within the district we’re talking about. So what we’re saying is we’re going to create a drainage district there, then go in and tackle these problems.”
According to a 2006 biological survey of the Paw Paw River watershed, elevated levels of E. coli were found in a storm drain discharging to Blue Creek, downstream of Highland Avenue. According to the report, illicit discharges of wastewater from Millburg are the likely source of the E. coli.
Jamie Burton, of engineering consultant group HRC, explained during the meeting that the drain commission does not deal with sanitary sewers, but once a storm sewer is established, they can find sanitary sewers connected to it and act on any issues.
“We’re here to talk about the storm water project with a side of the other stuff,” Burton said. “We had a conversation with EGLE, and they’re thrilled we are going to tackle this one.”
Back in May 2022, the township filed a petition for the maintenance and improvement of the Potes Drain #147, but it was determined that drain is not hydraulically connected to the areas of concern in Millburg.
“A little bit of a false start,” Burton said. “But I believe this ultimately gets us to the spot that this township considered back in April or May.”
With its action Tuesday, the township authorized a petition to locate, establish and construct a Millburg drain, as well as the application to establish the drainage district. Quattrin said the next step would be the appointment of a board to determine the necessity of the drain, then return to the township a possible solution and rough estimate of costs.
Quattrin added this is a project that will likely not be completed until at least the 2025 fiscal year due to other ongoing drain projects in the county.
