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Algoma-Cedar Springs Area of Interest (Cedar Springs, Kent County)

Algoma-Cedar Springs Area of Interest (Cedar Springs, Kent County)

In late 2017 through 2018, 16 residents in the Algoma Township Russell Ridge neighborhood sampled their own drinking water wells for PFAS and shared those results with EGLE. Results were below the 70 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOA and PFOS (the drinking water standard at the time), with the highest result being 18.2 ppt for PFOA. In January 2019, EGLE resampled six of the 16 houses that privately tested their well and sampled an additional well not previously tested for PFAS. These seven (7) wells were selected for sampling based on their geographic location and well depth, to verify if the private sampling results were representative of actual groundwater conditions. Results indicated that there was PFOA in some of the drinking water wells, the highest concentration being 15 ppt for PFOA.

EGLE has continued sampling residential and commercial drinking water wells in this area since this time.  Residential properties with detections of PFAS have been offered point-of-use filters by local and state health departments.

In 2023, EGLE installed nested groundwater monitoring wells in the sampling area.  Sampling of these monitoring wells has identified PFAS in groundwater at multiple depths. A specific source of the groundwater contamination has not been identified. 

Note: The City of Cedar Springs Historic Wastewater Treatment Lagoons property and the nearby Current Discharge Fields property have separate, ongoing groundwater investigations, and collectively make up one MPART site. Visit the Cedar Springs Historic Wastewater Treatment Lagoons and Current Discharge Fields  MPART site investigation page for additional information.

The information related to area residential drinking water sampling included on this AOI website was previously included as part of the City of Cedar Springs Historic Waste Water Treatment Lagoons and Current Discharge Fields MPART page; however, a separate investigation has been designated for these impacted residential wells because the source(s) of PFAS causing the residential well contamination have not been determined. 

More information on this location

Drinking water information

EGLE, DHHS, and local health have reviewed drinking water well logs and developed a plan to sample identified drinking water wells. Identified well owners received a letter in the mail requesting access to sample drinking water, as well as door to door canvassing. To date, 287 drinking water wells have been tested for PFAS in the area. Of those, 91 wells exceed criteria for one or more PFAS compound, 102 wells had detections of one or more PFAS compounds, and 94 wells were non-detect. Residential properties with detections of PFAS have been offered point-of-use filters by local and state health departments.

There are no plans to expand the private drinking water well sampling area further at this time.

Timeline

  • 2020

    • In April and May 2020, EGLE worked to secure a contract with an environmental consulting firm to conduct residential well sampling of approximately 54 properties located downgradient of the historic lagoons and current WWTP discharge fields. On June 24, 2020, MPART hosted an online meeting with local officials and representatives/senators regarding this ongoing investigation.
    • On June 25, 2020, EGLE mailed out well sampling request letters to 54 properties in the area where EGLE was requesting access to sample their drinking water well for PFAS.
    • EGLE obtained access from 27 of the 54 properties, and these 27 wells were sampled by EGLE's subcontractor the week of July 27 through July 31, 2020.
    • On August 10, 2020, EGLE mailed out a second sampling request letter to the 27 properties who did not respond to the first sampling request from June 25, 2020.
    • On September 3, 2020, EGLE's subcontractor sampled seven additional properties who responded to the second sampling request letter and left door-hangers at the remaining 20 addresses who had not responded to date.
    • On September 15, 2020, EGLE's subcontractor sampled 4 additional properties who responded to the second sampling request letter and/or door-hanger notice. 
    • On September 28, 2020, a project update was given during the Virtual MPART Grand Rapids Regional Webinar:
    • On October 14, 2020, EGLE mailed out a sampling request letters to an additional 132 properties in the area where EGLE is requesting access to sample their drinking water well for PFAS. This testing was scheduled to occur between November 9 and November 20, 2020. 
    • Between November 12 and January 15, 2021, EGLE sampled 87 residential wells that provided access and responded to the October 14 sampling request letter; 50 wells had detections of PFOA that exceed drinking water criteria with the highest result of 20 ppt.

  • 2021

    • On January 14, 2021, EGLE mailed out a second sampling request letter to 52 properties who had not yet responded to the October 14, 2020 sampling request letter.
    • Between February 18 and March 4, 2021, EGLE sampled 12 residential wells that provided access and responded to the January 14, 2021 second sampling request letter; 9 wells had detections of PFOA that exceed drinking water criteria with the highest result being 14 ppt. 
    • On March 16, 2021, EGLE mailed out a sampling request letter to approximately 68 properties located just south of Russell Road and just west of White Creek Ave. 
    • On April 15 and 16, 2021, EGLE sampled 31 residential wells that provided access and responded to the March 16, 2021 sampling request letter; 6 wells had detections of PFOA that exceed drinking water criteria with the highest result being 22 ppt.
    • In June 2021, EGLE mailed out additional sampling request letters to unresponsive homes located just south of Russell Road and just west of White Creek Ave. 

  • 2022

    • In June 2022, EGLE went door-to-door and canvassed residents that had not responded to former EGLE requests to sample their well

  • 2023

    • In March 2023, EGLE’s subcontractor, AECOM, conducted vertical aquifer profiling (VAP) borings at three of the proposed nested monitoring well sets in the vicinity of the Russell Ridge neighborhood. 
    • In May 2023, EGLE’s subcontractor, AECOM, conducted door-to-door canvassing at homes that had not responded to EGLE’s request to sample their drinking water well.
    • In late May 2023, EGLE’s subcontractor, AECOM, began the installation of seven sets of nested monitoring wells in the vicinity of the Russell Ridge neighborhood.  The wells were sampled in July 2023.
    • In June 2023, EGLE sent additional residential sampling request letters to unresponsive property owners located within the sampling area.

  • 2024-2025

    • In August 2024, EGLE’s subcontractor, AECOM, resampled the seven sets of nested monitoring wells in the vicinity.
    • Additional residential well sampling was conducted in 2024 and 2025 to get to the total of 287 wells that have been sampled as of May 2026.
       

EGLE site lead

Leah Gies, GiesL1@Michigan.gov or 616-215-4781