It all ends up in the big lake.

When you live in Michigan, it’s important to understand that cardinal rule. Whatever finds its way into the groundwater, into the stormwater pipes, into the rivers, eventually makes its way to one of the Great Lakes.

For years, stormwater has been a big source of pollution ending up in those lakes. Rainfall runs over the ground, picking up oil spilled from our cars, pesticides sprayed on our fields, plastics littered on the ground, runs its way through the system and eventually ends up, in Northeast Michigan, in Lake Huron.

Now, Rogers City is working to do something about that.

As reported recently by News staff writer Julie Riddle, the city has partnered with six University of Michigan graduate students to develop plans for more efficiently capturing stormwater runoff and filtering it before it makes its way to Lake Huron.

That could include permeable, water-absorbent paving to newly planted trees to plants grown on building roofs.

As Mayor Scott McLennan said, “The monster in the room is, as usual, dollars,” and the city certainly has some obstacles to overcome before it can do all wants or needs to do.

But the conversations have begun, the first steps have been taken, and that is worth celebrating.