Read the full article by Craig Lyons (Lansing State Journal)
“EATON RAPIDS – Levels of PFAS contamination nearly eight times above the groundwater limit in Michigan has prompted an investigation into possible drinking water contamination around the former Eaton Rapids landfill.
The city of Eaton Rapids, the Michigan Department of the Environment, Great Lakes and Energy and the Barry-Eaton District Health Department are testing to see if contamination from the long-closed municipal landfill on Hogsback Road seeped into the drinking water of neighboring properties.
Testing has started at residential wells on eight properties around the landfill for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS. EGLE said seven of the eight properties were sampled earlier this week.
‘When the landfill was first identified as a site, BEDHD got together with EGLE and MDHHS to identify any wells that should be sampled,’ said Sarah Surna, a community health promotion specialist with the health department. ‘This is standard practice when a PFAS site is identified.’
The health department will continue working with local and state officials as the testing moves forward and has provided information to residents on the risks associated with PFAS.
The state requires cleanup of any sites with levels of PFOA above 8 parts per trillion and PFOS above 16 ppt, according to a newly-implemented drinking water standard that took effect in August.
Prior testing at the site found:
- Early shallow goundwater tests found a combined level of PFOS and PFOA at 112 ppt, according to EGLE
- Other tests results ranged from 32-65 ppt
- An April 2020 sample found PFAS levels of 141 ppt
- Three other groundwater monitoring wells found excessive levels of PFAS
- None of the on-site water samples are below the state thresholds of 8 ppt for PFOAs and 16 ppt for PFOS
The city’s main drinking water supply is more than two miles from the landfill and not likely at risk of contamination, according to EGLE…”