Approximately 25% of Michigan residents get water from a private residential well. If you do not pay for water, you are likely on a private well.
Michigan is working hard to find and investigate sources of PFAS contamination that may be impacting private wells in Michigan. EGLE works with local units of government and MPART agencies to evaluate which homes need to be sampled in areas where residents are using private drinking water wells that could be impacted from a nearby PFAS source.
No. PFAS chemicals do not have any taste or color.
If your drinking water has a funny taste, color, odor, or other quality that concerns you, check out our common drinking water quality concerns webpage for more information.
Common drinking water quality concerns
If your water is from a municipal or community water supply and has an unusual taste or color, contact your water supplier.
If you have a private drinking water well and your water has an unusual taste or color, contact your health department.
Michigan is using U.S. EPA drinking water Method 537.1 to analyze for a total of 18 PFAS compounds.
For more details, visit EPA Method 537.1 or the PFAS Minimum Laboratory Analyte List page.
If EGLE or MDHHS sample your residential well as part of an MPART investigation, MDHHS will share your results with you and recommend whether or not bottled water or water filtration is advised.
MDHHS will also make recommendations regarding the use of bottled or filtered water for drinking, cooking, making baby formula or food, washing fruits or vegetables, or brushing your teeth. Touching the water is not harmful. You can bathe, wash dishes, launder your cloths, and clean with your well water.
Residents who have questions about this PFAS testing effort or who would like to schedule an appointment can call the MDHHS Environmental Health Hotline at 800-648-6942.
In August 2020, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) promulgated rules establishing maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for seven PFAS compounds under the authority of the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) apply to approximately 2,700 public drinking water supplies in Michigan. Municipal and community water systems are required to monitor for the seven PFAS chemicals regulated under the Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act.
Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) in Michigan
Each year by July 1st you should receive a Consumer Confidence Report (CCR), also known as an annual drinking water quality report from your water supplier. Your Consumer Confidence Report tells you where your water comes from and what's in it.
Test results can vary depending on several factors, including:
PFAS contamination in groundwater can be found at different depths in the ground depending on the aquifer thickness, type, and whether sand or clay are present.
Groundwater flows in certain directions and paths, and depending on your home's and drinking water well's location in relation to the PFAS contamination source, your testing results might show different levels of PFAS than your neighbors well.
If you live near a potential or known PFAS source, call MDHHS at 800-648-6942 to see if your home is in an area that is under investigation.
If you are not part of an official investigation area and want to sample your own residential well or pay a technician to sample your well, EGLE provides a list of laboratories certified to perform EPA method 537.1 and Home Sampling Guidance on how to take a sample of your drinking water.
In addition, the Department of Defense (DoD) Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) maintains a list of DoD ELAP Accredited Labs for PFAS testing in materials other than drinking water.
If you live near a potential or known PFAS source, call MDHHS at 800-648-6942 to see if your home is in an area that is under investigation. MDHHS will be able to tell you if there is a fee associated with this testing.
If you are not part of an official investigation area, there is no funding available for free PFAS testing at this time.
No, there is not dedicated funding for new private well construction due to PFAS contamination.
However, there may be private well assistance available by third-party organizations. For example, the Great Lakes Community Action Partnership (GLCAP) may offer assistance to rural well owners.
