Lapeer Plating and Wastewater Plant Sites

Lapeer Plating and Wastewater Plant Sites

Elevated levels of PFAS, specifically PFOS, have been identified at two locations in the vicinity of Lapeer Plating & Plastics and the Lapeer Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP).

• Lapeer Plating & Plastics is a decorative chrome plating facility that pre-treats and discharges process wastewater to the City of Lapeer’s sanitary sewer system for treatment at the Lapeer WWTP.Plating facilities historically used PFOS containing mist-suppressants in their industrial processes to comply with hexavalent chromium air emission requirements.Lapeer Plating & Plastics switched to a PFOS-free mist suppressant in 2013.
• The DEQ first suspected a source of PFOS coming from Lapeer Plating & Plastics in June 2017 when effluent sampling results were received from the Lapeer WWTP.
• Additional sampling occurred in July 2017 at the facility, which confirmed elevated levels of PFOS in Lapeer Plating & Plastics’ process wastewater. The DEQ issued a Violation Notice to Lapeer Plating & Plastics to correct the discharge.
• Lapeer Plating & Plastics implemented corrective actions to eliminate the discharge, including installation of a granular activated carbon treatment system on November 28, 2017.Process wastewater is now filtered through the treatment system prior to discharge to the sanitary sewer.Lapeer Plating & Plastics has continually made improvements to their pretreatment system. Monitoring results indicate that PFOS levels are significantly reduced in discharges from the facility, although they are not eliminated.
• Since 2001, the Lapeer WWTP had approval to land apply biosolids generated at the WWTP.The DEQ suspended that approval on September 25, 2017 based on levels of PFOS identified in the biosolids.The Lapeer WWTP is currently managing accumulated PFOS contaminated biosolids at the facility for disposal at a landfill.
• A land-application site that was frequently used by the City was screened in December 2017 for the presence of PFOS in the soils.Results from that screening indicated that further investigation of potential impacts to groundwater and surface waters at the land application site was warranted.Additional soil, surface water, and groundwater monitoring is expected to be completed by May 11, 2018 at the initial application site, plus 3 additional fields.
• The City of Lapeer receives municipal drinking water from the Great Lakes Water Authority.On January 11, 2018, the City reported that all four of their emergency back-up wells were non-detects for PFAS.There are no known impacted water supplies at this time.
• There is a fish consumption advisory for PFOS on the Flint River as a result of the discharge to surface waters.
• To date, 15 surface water samples have been collected and 15 results received.Surface water sampling results for PFOA and, separately, PFOS, are shown below.