(WWJ) The shores of Lake St. Clair are awash with stinky green and brown sludge.
Residents are worried about the sudden piles of sludgy garbage in their yards. But what exactly is going on?
Macomb County Drain Commissioner Candice Miller says two things: First, you're spotting organic vegetation, including dead algae that is overturning during the winter months. It's normally unseen under the cover of ice.
The second issue is combined sewer overflows that include over a billion gallons discharged from sewage systems in Oakland and Macomb Counties from this past weekend's heavy rains.
Test results aren't yet in on the muck, but nearby residents are concerned about what it contains.
The Save Lake St. Clair Facebook group has a friend in Miller, who says we can't keep passing the buck on this yuck.
"All of us need to recognize that we can't keep doing this generationally," she told WWJ's Ron Dewey. "We have to stop putting combined sewer overflows, even though they are treated by the city, they really are not optimal for the health of our Great Lakes."
Miller points out those CSO's ---besides being unsightly and smelly-- also feed the vegetation that washes ashore. And she blames Oakland County for sending its overflow into Macomb's rivers.
"I think they shouldn't dump their overflow into the Clinton River and into Macomb County," she said. "Why don't they dump their overflows into Cass Lake or Upper Straits Lake?"
Miller added Macomb County has a $35 million dollar retention project on hold at 9 Mile and Jefferson because the state won't sign off on permits.
She said the state believes as long as you treat the sewer overflows before the're discharged, all is fine. "Which I very much disagree with," she added.