Some contractors in Oakland County, Mich., were installing septic systems without obtaining permits and often used inferior materials. Their actions were illegal in Livingston, Washtenaw, and Genesee Counties, which required permits and contractor certification, but not in neighboring Oakland County, as each county determines its own health code.Oakland County has more than 80,000 onsite systems, the largest number in the state, and 108 installers. In 2012, they installed more than 470 new systems. “Some contractors were fed up with the situation because it was difficult to bid against those companies and because no one was looking out for the homeowners,”
