UPDATE 9/27/24 5:30 p.m.
CADILLAC — The City of Cadillac detailed their plans to remove ground contamination spots in the city after two recent issues with PFAS.
The City said they plan to push for more groundwater cleanup at a contaminated site that was once a municipal well field. They said the contamination came from Northenaire Plating and Kysor Factory plants in Cadillac.
There are three residential wells that are impacted by groundwater restriction zones and the City is working to connect them to new well fields or help with testing for PFAS.
With good testing results, the City hopes it will be able to bring an end to some of their contamination cleanup. The City is also looking to bring in an environmental consultant to help with the chemical cleanup.
9/25/24 7:00 p.m.
CADILLAC — A Northern Michigan homeowner is concerned after unsafe levels of PFAS were recently discovered in his water.
The man, JT Anderson Jr., lives in the industrial park area of Cadillac, where he has his own private well. He’s lived at his home for the past 16 years, raising a family with his wife.
RELATED: City of Cadillac will not test for PFAS near industrial park, says cleanup is complete
Anderson said he’s worried about the health of his entire family, which now includes 13 grandchildren, with many of them making frequent visits to their home.
“We put in for the test, and we brought it back in and said, ‘Get ahold of the health department,’” said Anderson.
He said he had the water tested at the urging of an acquaintance that has been researching PFAS in the area.
“They were worried about heavy chemicals and metals in my water because this used to be contaminated around here and it was all cleaned up. They’re worried about [it] getting in their wells that are down there. My well’s 250 feet. It still reached it,” said Anderson.
He said the testing showed nine parts per trillion, above what is considered safe. Anderson said since that discovery, he’s been drinking bottled water and just hooked up to the city’s water supply.
“I would like answers from the city and what they were supposed to be doing. And from the people that are contaminating the ground, what are they going to do about it?,” said Anderson.
The city’s utilities director, Jeffrey Dietlin said right now there isn’t much information to share. “There’s just some misinformation that maybe we’re hiding stuff. We’re not. We have no information,”
Dietlin said the city has offered to test the other two homes with private wells in the industrial park area, even though the city is only responsible for testing city water and municipal wells. He said the state is also now getting involved.
“The state of Michigan is going to conduct a mini survey in the area. They’re going to test about 20 homes, in the direction that we believe the groundwater flows, homes on what would be the edge, and see if they find anything at that point,” said Dietlan.
Anderson said he’s just concerned for what comes next.
“They said there are forever chemicals, and I don’t know what it’s going to do to my body as I get older. Is it going to age faster? Am I going to develop cancer, arthritis? I mean, any of those things could happen to us,” said Anderson.
Dietlin said it’s too early to know where the City goes from here. That depends on the results of the testing.