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Alto-Bancroft Area of Interest (Alto, Kent County)

Alto-Bancroft Area of Interest (Alto, Kent County)

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

EGLE site lead

Joshua Walker, WalkerJ54@Michigan.gov or 616-840-3567.

Background

The Alto Elementary School is located at 6150 Bancroft Avenue SE. PFAS sampling of the school well started in May 2018 as the part of a statewide initiative by EGLE to study PFAS in the water supply at schools across Michigan. The PFAS compounds PFHxS, PFBS, and PFOS were detected in the Alto Elementary School well at various times since sampling began. In March 2021, PFHxS was detected above the drinking water standard and concentrations continued to be elevated. There are no known PFAS releases in the area.

EGLE installed six shallow monitoring wells on the Alto Elementary School property in 2022. The wells were all non-detect for PFAS, with the exception of the well in the northwestern corner of the property. This well identified PFOS as high as 160 ppt (compared to 16 ppt) and PFOA as high as 16 ppt (compared to 8 ppt). Shallow groundwater flow is to the northeast toward the Pratt Lake Creek.

Content updated January 2024.

Site map

See an aerial view of the location of the site.

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Alto-Bancroft Area of Interest map

Drinking water

Municipal water is not available in this area. 

In 2022, EGLE sampled seven residential wells across Bancroft Avenue, to the west of the elementary school. PFBS was detected in one well above criteria at a concentration of 430 ppt (compared to 420 ppt). This property was offered a point-of-use filter by local and state health departments. The Alto Elementary School well was replaced in 2022, and sampling results have been non-detect for PFAS in the new well.

Anticipated activities

EGLE was granted funding to conduct additional source investigation activities in the area.

Historical timeline

    • On June 17, 2021, the well at Alto Baptist Church (6015 Bancroft Avenue SE) was sampled; PFAS compounds were not detected.
    • On June 30, 2021, the well at the Bowne Township Fire Station (south of the elementary school) was sampled.  Low level detections of PFAS were identified, but none of the concentrations were above the drinking water standard.
    • On October 20, 2021, drinking water samples were collected from Alto Elementary School.  The highest result was 62 ppt for PFHxS (compared to 51 ppt).  
    • A proposed townhome development further west of Bancroft and southwest of the Magna Mirrors facility has been proposed.  On November 22, 2021, EGLE received notice that a test well was installed at the location and sampled for PFAS in September 2021, to determine if future drinking water wells can be installed for the proposed development.  The result was non-detect for PFAS.
    • In November 2021 and January 2022, EGLE requested access at nine homes west of Bancroft Avenue to sample their wells for PFAS.  EGLE was granted access to sample at seven homes.
    • In January and February 2022, EGLE’s subcontractor, AECOM, sampled the seven drinking water wells where EGLE was granted access.  PFBS was detected in one well above the Part 201 Drinking Water Criteria at a concentration of 430 ppt (compared to 420 ppt).  This property was offered a point-of-use filter by local and state health departments.  
    • In August 2022, EGLE installed six shallow groundwater monitoring wells on the Alto Elementary School property.  The wells were all non-detect for PFAS, with the exception of the well in the northwestern corner of the property.  This well identified PFOS as high as 160 ppt (compared to 16 ppt) and PFOA as high as 16 ppt (compared to 8 ppt).  
    • In May 2023, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) requested access at the nine homes that were sent access request letters by EGLE in November 2021 and January 2022.  DHHS also requested access at six additional properties north of the previously sampled homes and elementary school.  
    • In June 2023, DHHS sampled wells at six properties where they were granted access for PFAS sampling.  PFAS was not detected in any of the six samples above the Part 201 Drinking Water Criteria.