Isabella County and Secord Township, Michigan: septic system and well inspection at sale
Checked on November 9, 2026 against the official rule. Rule set by Central Michigan District Health Department.
General information, not legal advice. This is our summary of the official rule as we read it. The ordinance or code and the health department decide: confirm with them before you list, sign or close.
The rule
Isabella County and Secord Township (Gladwin County).
| Question | What the official text says |
|---|---|
| What is required | Evaluation of the onsite septic system (tank pumped by a licensed hauler first unless pumped within 5 years) and of the private water supply (coliform and nitrate samples), then CMDHD authorization for transfer Source: cmdhd.org |
| Triggered by | transfer of title or more than 50% of ownership interest in a premises Source: cmdhd.org |
| Deadline | before the transfer; CMDHD must issue an authorization for transfer Source: cmdhd.org |
| Who arranges it | owner Source: cmdhd.org |
| How long a report is valid | Evaluation approved within the previous 24 months exempts the transfer Source: cmdhd.org |
| Exemptions |
Source: cmdhd.org |
| If the system fails | Within 10 days of written notice, owner/buyer submits a corrective plan or repair permit application; if not fixed before transfer, escrow of 1.5 times estimated repair cost, then CMDHD authorizes transfer; repairs within 180 days of plan approval (weather extension possible) Source: cmdhd.org |
| Well part | Water samples analysed at a State-certified lab for coliform bacteria and nitrate plus Safe Drinking Water Act compliance; visual well evaluation and abandoned-well check Source: cmdhd.org |
| Who may inspect | CMDHD certified evaluators. official page (cmdhd.org) Source: cmdhd.org |
| Official forms | cmdhd.org Source: cmdhd.org |
| In force since | January 5, 2018 Source: cmdhd.org |
This is our summary of the official rule as we read it. The ordinance or code and the health department decide: confirm with them before you list, sign or close. Rule set by: Central Michigan District Health Department.
Checked on November 9, 2026: read on the official site.
Private wells in Isabella County and Gladwin County
Private-well users in the counties this rule covers, by the USGS 2015 estimate:
| County | Private-well users (2015) | Share of residents | Rank by share in Michigan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isabella County | 29,019 | 41% | 60th of 83 |
| Gladwin County (Secord Township only; whole-county figures) | 20,448 | 81% | 14th of 83 |
This rule covers the well as well as the septic system. USGS models about 3,180 private-well users in Isabella County with arsenic above 10 µg/L, EPA’s limit for public water (2010 population base; 95% range 2,627 to 3,833), the 23rd highest of 82 Michigan counties. It is a screening estimate, not a result for any one well. USGS models about 1,980 private-well users in Gladwin County with arsenic above 10 µg/L, EPA’s limit for public water (2010 population base; 95% range 1,588 to 2,472), the 30th highest of 82 Michigan counties. It is a screening estimate, not a result for any one well.
Source: USGS county water use 2015 (Dieter et al., 2018); USGS domestic-well arsenic estimate (Ayotte, Medalie and Qi, 2017). Ranks count the Michigan counties in the USGS table (1 = highest).
Soils and septic systems here
USDA soil surveys rate 99% of Isabella County’s rated land “very limited” for a conventional septic drain field, 1% “somewhat limited” and 0% “not limited”, the 31st highest “very limited” share of 78 Michigan counties with survey data. The most common limits: slow percolation (dense or clay soil) on 60%; a high water table (saturated soil near the surface) on 58%; fast seepage below the field (risk to groundwater) on 43%.
USDA soil surveys rate 100% of Gladwin County’s rated land “very limited” for a conventional septic drain field, 0% “somewhat limited” and 0% “not limited”, the 3rd highest “very limited” share of 78 Michigan counties with survey data. The most common limits: a high water table (saturated soil near the surface) on 74%; slow percolation (dense or clay soil) on 52%; fast seepage below the field (risk to groundwater) on 49%.
Where soils are limited, inspections more often find drain fields that sit in seasonally wet soil, and replacement systems are often mounds or other engineered designs. A county-wide rating, not a test of one lot: a site evaluation decides. Source: USDA NRCS Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO), via Soil Data Access, rating “ENG - Septic Tank Absorption Fields”, read November 15, 2026.
Certified labs nearest to Isabella County and Secord Township for a well water test
Labs on the Michigan certified drinking-water list that the list marks as taking samples from homeowners or outside clients, certified for coliform bacteria, nearest first. All of them are outside Isabella County and Gladwin County.
| Lab | Town | Distance | Certified on the list for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saginaw County Health Department Laboratory | Saginaw, MI | 41 miles | coliform bacteria, nitrate |
| EGLE Laboratory Services | Lansing, MI | 67 miles | coliform bacteria, nitrate, arsenic |
Source: EGLE - State of Michigan Certified Laboratories: Chemistry + EGLE - State of Michigan Certified Laboratories: Microbiological (SOM Certified Labs - Chemistry 3/11/2026 (chemistry, microbiological lists); read November 15, 2026). Straight-line distance from the centre of Isabella County and Gladwin County (the average of their Census ZIP-area points); “approx.” = lab placed at its ZIP centre. Call the lab first: lists do not say which household tests each lab takes or what it charges.
Nearest other sale-time rules
Buying or selling near a county line? These are the closest other local rules in our census to Isabella County and Secord Township.
| Rule | State | Distance | Covers | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ingham County | Michigan | about 76 miles | Septic system and well | November 9, 2026 |
| Grand Traverse County | Michigan | about 79 miles | Septic system and well | November 9, 2026 |
| Ottawa County | Michigan | about 86 miles | Septic system and well | November 9, 2026 |
| Elk Rapids Township | Michigan | about 92 miles | Septic system and well | November 9, 2026 |
| Milton Township | Michigan | about 92 miles | Septic system and well | November 9, 2026 |
Straight-line distance between county centres (the average of each county’s Census ZIP-area points). Townships, villages and health districts are placed at the centre of their county.