Officials working to identify unknown milky, white substance found in Sterling Heights drain

STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. – Officials are investigating an unknown milky, white substance found in a Sterling Heights drain.

Inspectors with the Macomb County Public Works Office said the substance is polluting the Burr Relief Drain #2, which serves an industrial area in central Sterling Heights.

UPDATE: Substance identified

The substance has fully discolored the water in part of the drain, officials said.

"This is a very troubling image," said Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Candice S. Miller. "The water looks just like milk passing by. We cannot, we simply cannot, continue to treat our environment this way. This drain travels through people’s backyards and ultimately into Lake St Clair. We have zero tolerance for contaminants in our waterways."

The drain is east of Mound Road and south of 18 Mile Road. It feeds into the Plumbrook Drain, which is a much larger waterway that runs diagonally from the northwestern corner to the southeastern corner of Sterling Heights and discharges into the Red Run in Clinton Township, according to officials.

Crews have started to install booms and a curtain to prevent the substance from getting farther downstream.

Investigators are continuing to look into the source of the substance.