Clean Water Act discharge permit · NPDES MI0020061
PORTAGE LAKE AUTHORITY WWTP, Houghton, MI: NPDES MI0020061 discharge permit, effluent exceedances, inspections, penalties
- Administratively continuedPermit status
- MajorDischarger class
- 25Pollutants under a numeric limit
- 4Pollutants with an effluent exceedance
- 3Inspections on file
- 0Formal enforcement actions
PORTAGE LAKE AUTHORITY WWTP, held by Portage Lake Water and Sewage Authority, holds NPDES permit MI0020061, which discharges to Portage Lake Ship Canal. EPA’s file records it issued December 21, 2018 and expiring October 1, 2022.
PORTAGE LAKE AUTHORITY WWTP, Houghton, Michigan: Individual permit MI0020061, held by Portage Lake Water and Sewage Authority; Publicly owned treatment works; Administratively continued (past its expiration date and still in force until reissued); issued December 21, 2018, term to October 1, 2022, by State; discharges to Portage Lake Ship Canal; Sewage Treatment Facilities.
- Mercury, total [as Hg]: 6 limits, 131 violations of any kind, 12 effluent exceedances, latest January 31, 2012, largest 25% over the limit.
- Coliform, fecal general: 2 limits, 23 violations of any kind, 3 effluent exceedances, latest February 28, 2010, largest 50% over the limit.
- pH: 2 limits, 24 violations of any kind, 2 effluent exceedances, latest June 30, 2026.
- Solids, suspended percent removal: 2 limits, 12 violations of any kind, 1 effluent exceedance, latest April 30, 2004, largest 20% over the limit.
- Solids, total suspended: 4 limits, 44 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- BOD, carbonaceous [5 day, 20 C]: 4 limits, 44 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Phosphorus, total [as P]: 4 limits, 22 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Flow, in conduit or thru treatment plant: 2 limits, 22 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- BOD, carb-5 day, 20 deg C, percent removal: 2 limits, 12 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Oxygen, dissolved [DO]: 1 limit, 11 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Benzidine: 0 limits, 8 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Copper, total [as Cu]: 1 limit, 3 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Solids, total: 3 limits, 0 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Arsenic, dry weight: 3 limits, 0 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Selenium, dry weight: 3 limits, 0 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Copper, dry weight: 3 limits, 0 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Cadmium, dry weight: 3 limits, 0 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Nitrogen, total Kjeldahl: 3 limits, 0 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Molybdenum, sludge, total, dry weight [as Mo]: 3 limits, 0 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Zinc, sludge, total, dry weight [as Zn]: 3 limits, 0 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Lead, sludge, total, dry weight [as Pb]: 3 limits, 0 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Nickel, sludge, total, dry weight [as Ni]: 3 limits, 0 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Nitrogen, sludge, total, dry weight [as N]: 3 limits, 0 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Mercury, sludge, total, dry weight [as Hg]: 3 limits, 0 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Potassium, sludge, total, dry weight [as K]: 3 limits, 0 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- Phosphorus, sludge, total, dry weight [as P]: 3 limits, 0 violations of any kind, 0 effluent exceedances.
- March 24, 2026: Toxics (S).
- February 11, 2026: Audit (S).
- February 11, 2026: Reconnaissance without Sampling (S).
Michigan holds 200 Publicly owned treatment works coverages of this permit type in EPA’s file; 115 were issued before MI0020061.
Coverages issued nearest MI0020061
- November 27, 2018: GRANT WWTP, Grant, MI0023035, held by City of Grant
- November 29, 2018: WILLIAMSTON WWTP, Williamston, MI0021717, held by City of Williamston
- November 29, 2018: ROLLIN-WOODSTOCK WWTP, Addison, MI0027669, held by Lenawee County Drain Commission, as Agent for Rollin-Woodstock Sanitary Drain Dr
- November 30, 2018: FOWLERVILLE WWTP, Fowlerville, MI0020664, held by Village of Fowlerville
- December 17, 2018: HANDY TWP WWTP, Fowlerville, MI0056839, held by Handy Township
- December 21, 2018: ONAWAY WWTP, Onaway, MI0055522, held by City of Onaway
- December 28, 2018: ESCANABA WWTP, Escanaba, MI0025381, held by City of Escanaba
- December 28, 2018: DENTON TWP WWTP, Houghton Lake, MI0053317, held by Denton Township
- January 9, 2019: DELHI TWP WWTP, Holt, MI0022781, held by Delhi Charter Township
- January 24, 2019: GEORGE W KUHN DR DIST CSO RTB, Madison Heights, MI0026115, held by Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner
PORTAGE LAKE AUTHORITY WWTP among its neighbors
EPA’s permit file holds 5 discharge permits in the Portage Lake-Portage River subwatershed (HUC 040201030307), MI0020061 among them. Its county holds 9, 1 of them major permits; MI0020061 is a major permit.
Other permits in the Portage Lake-Portage River subwatershed (HUC 040201030307)
- ADAMS TWP WWSL, Atlantic Mine: MIG580213, minor permit, discharging to Cole Creek, permit term to April 1, 2024
- KEWEENAW WATERS RESORT, Houghton: MIG760106, minor permit, permit term to April 1, 2030
- SOUTH RANGE WWSL, Atlantic Mine: MIG580311, minor permit, discharging to Coles Creek, permit term to April 1, 2019
- SUPERIOR SAND & GRAVEL INC, Hancock: MIS310700, minor permit, discharging to Portage Lake Ship Canal, permit term to April 1, 2023
Identity
| Facility as filed | PORTAGE LAKE AUTHORITY WWTP |
|---|---|
| Permittee as filed | Portage Lake Water and Sewage Authority |
| NPDES ID | MI0020061 |
| Permit status | Administratively continued (past its expiration date and still in force until reissued) |
| Permit type | Individual permit |
| Discharger class | Major discharger |
| Facility type | Publicly owned treatment works |
| Program | Publicly owned treatment works |
| Issued | December 21, 2018 |
| Expiration date | October 1, 2022 |
| Issuing agency | State |
| Address | Houghton, MI 49931 |
| Receiving water | Portage Lake Ship Canal |
| Receiving water impaired | 303(D) Listed |
| Subwatershed | Portage Lake-Portage River (HUC 040201030307) |
| Program components on file | Biosolids, POTW |
| NAICS | 221320 – Sewage Treatment Facilities |
| SIC | 4952 – Sewerage Systems |
| Other EPA IDs (FRS) | RCRA handler MI0001011105 |
Effluent limits and exceedances
- 26Pollutants on file
- 25Under a numeric limit
- 12With a violation of any kind
- 4With an effluent exceedance
An effluent exceedance is a discharge monitoring report value over the permit’s numeric limit (EPA’s violation code E90). A violation of any kind also counts a report not filed. Each row is EPA’s own count for that pollutant.
| Pollutant or measure | Limits | Violations, any kind | Effluent exceedances | Latest exceedance | Largest exceedance, as filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury, total [as Hg] | 6 | 131 | 12 | January 31, 2012 | 25% over the limit |
| Coliform, fecal general | 2 | 23 | 3 | February 28, 2010 | 50% over the limit |
| pH | 2 | 24 | 2 | June 30, 2026 | |
| Solids, suspended percent removal | 2 | 12 | 1 | April 30, 2004 | 20% over the limit |
| Solids, total suspended | 4 | 44 | 0 | ||
| BOD, carbonaceous [5 day, 20 C] | 4 | 44 | 0 | ||
| Phosphorus, total [as P] | 4 | 22 | 0 | ||
| Flow, in conduit or thru treatment plant | 2 | 22 | 0 | ||
| BOD, carb-5 day, 20 deg C, percent removal | 2 | 12 | 0 | ||
| Oxygen, dissolved [DO] | 1 | 11 | 0 | ||
| Benzidine | 0 | 8 | 0 | ||
| Copper, total [as Cu] | 1 | 3 | 0 | ||
| Solids, total | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Arsenic, dry weight | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Selenium, dry weight | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Copper, dry weight | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Cadmium, dry weight | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Nitrogen, total Kjeldahl | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Molybdenum, sludge, total, dry weight [as Mo] | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Zinc, sludge, total, dry weight [as Zn] | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Lead, sludge, total, dry weight [as Pb] | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Nickel, sludge, total, dry weight [as Ni] | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Nitrogen, sludge, total, dry weight [as N] | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Mercury, sludge, total, dry weight [as Hg] | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Potassium, sludge, total, dry weight [as K] | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Phosphorus, sludge, total, dry weight [as P] | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Inspections, violations and enforcement
- 0Single-event violations
EPA’s single-event violation file, as loaded, holds no violation for NPDES MI0020061.
Inspections
| Date | What EPA recorded | Agency |
|---|---|---|
| March 24, 2026 | Toxics | S |
| February 11, 2026 | Audit | S |
| February 11, 2026 | Reconnaissance without Sampling | S |
Formal enforcement and penalties
0 formal actions, 0 of them with a penalty assessed. Federal and state penalties are separate figures from separate authorities and are shown as each was filed, never added together.
Informal enforcement
EPA’s informal enforcement file holds no action for NPDES MI0020061.
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Figures from EPA’s ICIS-NPDES download, loaded October 14, 2026.