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Investigations and sites

Drill rig drilling a drinking water well.

Investigations and sites

The state of Michigan is committed to sharing information with residents about PFAS testing that is occurring throughout the state.  Read on to learn more about how PFAS investigations begin.

  • An excavator removes contaminated soil from a former gas station site in Flint.

    Sites and areas of interest

    Investigations are categorized into two types dependent on if the source of contamination has been determined

  • A person standing on the edge of a dock into a lake

    Sampling in lakes and streams

    Including sediment from dredging projects, foam, and PFOS in fish tissue

  • A firefighter spraying bright white foam at a fire

    Firefighting foam

    Class B foam, used to extinguish fires from gasoline, oil, and jet fuel, may contain PFAS

  • A single home with a single connection to a private residential well

    Evaluation of drinking water wells

    From start to finish, learn the steps MPART takes during PFAS drinking water investigations

  • The new clarifier tank at the Cheboygan wastewater facility.

    Regulated wastewater

    Municipalities and industries that discharge directly into lakes, rivers, streams, and groundwater are required by law to obtain proper permits

  • PFAS Water Sampling

    Sampling guidance

    Detailed guidance documents for homeowners and professionals interested in avoiding cross-contamination while collecting samples for PFAS analysis

  • A scientist in a lab wearing blue gloves holding a pipette and a test tube

    Laboratory analyte list

    Explore minimum laboratory PFAS analyte lists for of fish, deer, and other animals, drinking water, groundwater, surface water, soil, wastewater effluent, and landfill leachate

  • A closeup of a scientist in a lab wearing blue nitrile gloves and pipetting into a sample container

    Michigan PFAS criteria

    Criteria for specific PFAS varies per environmental media and may include PFOS, PFOA, PFNA, PFBS, PFHxA, PFHxS, and HFPO-DA (GenX)

How do MPART investigations begin?

Investigations begin for a variety of reasons through sampling drinking water, groundwater, lakes and streams, soils, sediments, and wastewater around the state to determine where PFAS is in the environment.

Some examples where PFAS are commonly found include:

  • Locations where firefighting foam containing PFAS was used.
  • Industries that produce and use PFAS in their processes.
  • Facilities that accept commercial, residential, and industrial waste.

Common ways investigations can begin:

  • EGLE staff who oversee known or suspected sites of contamination may add groundwater PFAS sampling if PFAS was known or suspected to have been used at a site.
  • EGLE learns about contamination through new data submitted to the department from the public.
  • Routine monitoring of lakes, rivers, and streams is conducted by EGLE and can identify water quality exceedances of PFAS. When this happens, staff work upstream to try to find the source of the PFAS.

PFAS investigations are also being conducted by responsible parties under various programs overseen by EGLE.

Whenever PFAS is found in groundwater over criteria, project teams—consisting of EGLE, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), and local health department staff—evaluate nearby drinking water wells to determine if any private wells need to be sampled. Teams follow the MPART Process for Evaluating Drinking Water Wells.

EGLE also partners with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) to collect fish, which are analyzed by MDHHS and used to update the Eat Safe Fish Guide. EGLE, MDNR, and MDHHS also coordinate on wildlife sampling.