By Matthew Hutchison / news@whmi.com

A Brighton man and his company have pleaded to falsifying water safety and discharge tests for private water systems serving mobile home communities across Michigan.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced that Douglas Environmental pleaded no contest Friday to one count of conducting a criminal enterprise and six counts of forgery. As part of the plea, the company agreed to pay a $50,000 fine.

The company’s president, 57-year-old Brian Powell of Brighton, pleaded guilty to three counts of forgery.

Douglas Environmental provided private water services to mobile home communities throughout the state. Those providers are required to submit regular water testing results to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, and to immediately notify the department if contaminant levels exceed legal limits.

Nessel’s office says Powell was solely responsible for reporting the company’s test results to EGLE.

Authorities say Douglas Environmental, through Powell, falsified water test results on at least six occasions in 2023 for systems serving Moon Lake Mobile Home Park in Shiawassee County, Thornapple Lake Estates in Barry County and Fenton Harbor Condominiums in Genesee County.

Powell also failed to report water tests that exceeded maximum contaminant levels between 2020 and 2023 at several communities, including Green Brook Estates in Livingston County, as well as sites in Calhoun and Genesee counties.

The investigation was conducted by the Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division and Environmental Crime Unit after an EGLE administrative review found discrepancies between what Douglas Environmental reported and what the department had received from the company.

State officials said EGLE testing found the public was not harmed.

“Falsifying water safety and discharge tests can jeopardize public health,” Nessel said. “While thankfully residents were not harmed in this particular instance, EGLE relies on accurate data to identify problems before they become threats to communities.”

EGLE Director Phil Roos said the case underscores that falsifying water-quality data carries “real consequences.”

Powell is scheduled to be sentenced July 9 in Livingston County Circuit Court before Judge Matthew McGivney.