Read the full article by Malachi Barrett
“SOUTHWEST MICHIGAN — A state analysis found contamination from two highly flourinated compounds spans the Kalamazoo River watershed between Marshall and Allegan.
The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality conducted a ‘relatively intensive’ surface water sampling initiative around the city of Parchment after high amounts of per- and polyfluorinated compounds, or PFAS, were found in its drinking water supply.
Results released to MLive/Kalamazoo Gazette show levels of PFOS and PFOA, two PFAS compounds linked to serious health effects, were found throughout the watershed.
PFOS was found in the Kalamazoo River in concentrations between 0.6 parts per trillion and 49 ppt. PFOS concentrations exceeded a state human health and aquatic life standard in samples taken near Battle Creek, Parchment and Otsego.
Department of Environmental Quality personnel from the Kalamazoo district office collected water samples from ponds, stormwater drains and abandoned water treatment facilities at a closed paper mill in Parchment from Aug. 6-7…
Michigan adopted a 12 ppt human health and aquatic life surface water quality standard for PFOS to guide fish consumption advisories.
PFOS concentrations in the Kalamazoo River exceeded the 12 ppt standard at two sites downstream of Battle Creek, one site downstream of Parchment and one site in the city of Otsego.
The highest concentration of PFOS, a level of 49 ppt, was found in a sample taken at North Street in Otsego.
Two samples taken downstream of the former Crown Vantage paper mill and landfill near Parchment found levels of the contaminant at 13 ppt and 14 ppt…
A sample at Battle Creek Linear Park showed 47 ppt for PFOS. Two samples at Custer Drive in Bedford Township found 13 ppt and 14 ppt.
During a Sept. 6 Congressional hearing on PFAS, U.S. Rep. Fred Upton held a sheet with testing results showing that groundwater at the Battle Creek Air National Guard Base is contaminated with PFOS and PFOA at 76,000-ppt at the base.”