Septage costs, already under pressure to rise, may be further aggravated by a recent DEQ ruling.

The decision, reported in this Enterprise story, bans septage haulers from applying their loads to fields, at least in the winter. Instead, they must haul pump-outs to a waste-treatment plant in Grand Traverse or Benzie.

The Grand Traverse plant is already laying plans to compel all septage pumpers within a 15-mile radius to bring their loads to its plant, which must recoup the costs of its recent engineering problems.