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Athens Area of Interest (Athens Township, Calhoun County)

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Please contact the Site Lead for the most up-to-date status of this site.

EGLE site lead

Mike Jury, Jurym1@Michigan.gov, 517-242-9578

Background

In January 2024, the Village of Athens’ community public water supply detected PFOA at 4 ppt during their annual PFAS compliance sampling under Michigan’s Safe Drinking Water Act.  While this result was below Michigan’s drinking water maximum contaminant level (MCL) the Village of Athens began to investigate groundwater in the area. Three wells near the village were sampled and one had a PFOA detection of 15 ppt (compared to 8 ppt).  This detection was in a non-drinking water well at a former dairy barn. The other two wells sampled were non-detect for PFAS.  The area around this detection is used for farming. There are currently no known PFAS releases in the area.

 

Groundwater in the area generally flows to the southwest. Nottawa Creek is located just north of the location of the exceedance.

Map 1 of 2 

Area homes requested for sampling,
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Map 2 of 2

Area homes requested for Sampling, Red represents the well with the 15 ppt PFOA detection, green represents non-detect results, blue represents homes to be sampled. 

Expand the second map

Drinking water information

The Village’s community public water supply wells are within a designated wellhead protection area. While most residents in the village are on public drinking water, residents in the township utilize private drinking water wells as their primary source of drinking water. EGLE, DHHS, and CCHD are evaluating residential wells in the area and plan to sample residential drinking water wells located near the initial 15 ppt detection.

Anticipated activities

In the spring 2024, EGLE will work with DHHS and local health to sample ~20 additional residential wells in the area, including a drinking water well located at the dairy farm. Surface water sampling in the Nottawa Creek will also occur during the same sampling event.