SOUTH HAVEN, Mich. — Michigan officials have discovered elevated levels of PFAS pollution at the former site of a nickel plating facility in South Haven.
In October of 2022, the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team tested 11 groundwater samples and one surface water sample at the former Four Star property. The testing came after officials from EGLE evaluated the property in June 2022 as part of a pilot study to reduce the number of locations where the risk of PFAS contamination hadn’t been determined.
The results of the testing were received on November 15, 2022. EGLE says eight of the 11 groundwater samples exceeded the safety criteria, with the highest result being 3,100 parts per trillion PFOS, compared to 16 parts per trillion.
According to the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team, the closest residential drinking water well to the property is located about ¼ mile northeast. EGLE says they will work with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the local health department to evaluate nearby residential wells to determine if any sampling is needed.
Groundwater from the former Four Star property typically flows west, into an unnamed creek, which travels about ¾ mile through South Haven’s industrial subdivision into a residential neighborhood and ultimately flows into Lake Michigan, the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team reports.
The former Four Star property is located at 1391 Kalamazoo Street. It operated as a nickel plating facility used for decorative automobile trim under various ownership from 1964 until 1983.
South Haven City Manager Katie Hosier shared the following statement with FOX 17: "The City of South Haven met with EGLE Friday to discuss their findings. We are communicating this news with our community, including through this web page [southhavenmi.gov].
"The residential wells EGLE referenced are in South Haven Township, not in the City of South Haven. South Haven residents are served by SHAWSA, the municipal water system, which continues to test nondetect or below state standards for PFAS."
