State Rep. St. Germaine (R-Harrison Township) has introduced a plan to issue a “Brown Alert” and notify the public when nearby waters are contaminated with dangerous levels of E. coli or raw sewage.

“The brown alert is for crappy situations that endanger public safety,” said St. Germaine. “We send out alerts for severe weather, Amber Alerts for missing kids, and notifications for other public emergencies, so why not for contaminated water? The public deserves to know when a waterway is unsafe for humans and animals.”

St. Germaine’s House Bill 4427 would require a county drain commissioner or public works commissioner to notify their local emergency manager when they determine that a body of water has dangerous sewage levels. The emergency manager would then issue a “brown alert” using the wireless emergency alerts system as soon as possible, but no later than 12 hours after detection.

The alerts could warn residents of hazards like unsafe swimming conditions, threats to drinking water, or ecological damage to local wildlife.

“I’m not afraid to talk about what everyone else wants to flush and forget,” said St. Germaine. “If we’re going to protect Michigan’s water and keep our residents safe, we need clear and timely communication to our communities.”