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Caledonia Wastewater Treatment Plant (Caledonia, Kent County)

Caledonia Wastewater Treatment Plant (Caledonia, Kent County)

Disclaimer
Web content may not routinely be updated on this page. Please contact the Site Lead for the most up-to-date status of the site.
Content posted July 2022.

Note: Public and private municipal wastewater treatment plants do not produce or use PFAS and provide a public service to the community. These plants receive residential, commercial, and sometimes industrial wastewater that may contain PFAS. Conventional wastewater treatment plants are not designed to treat for PFAS, therefore PFAS may pass through the treatment system to surface waters (i.e., lakes, rivers, etc.) and groundwater. EGLE is actively working with these wastewater treatment plants to address PFAS. 

For more information, please see the Wastewater Workgroup page.

EGLE Site Lead

Kevin Wojciechowski, WojciechowskiK@Michigan.gov, 586-623-2948.

Background

The Caledonia Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), located at 8701 Cherry Valley Road, discharges treated wastewater to the groundwater under a state Groundwater Discharge Permit issued to the village of Caledonia. Treatment consists of sequencing batch reactors and a polishing pond. The treated wastewater is discharged to the groundwater via rapid infiltration basins.

As part of a statewide sampling effort in Fall 2021, EGLE sampled the influent, effluent, final treated solids and three groundwater monitoring wells for PFAS at the WWTP.

Estimated groundwater flow is to the northeast.

Caledonia WWTP map

Recent Accomplishments

  • On October 18, 2021, EGLE contractors sampled the influent, effluent, final treated solids, and three groundwater monitoring wells for PFAS at the WWTP.
  • On November 30, 2021, EGLE received the October 2021 sample results. One of the three monitoring wells exceeded the groundwater cleanup criteria for PFOA, PFOS, and PFNA. The highest results were 60.1 ppt PFOA, 56.6 ppt PFOS, and 12.4 ppt PFNA.

Next Steps

  • EGLE will continue to work with the village of Caledonia to determine the extent of PFAS contamination in groundwater on-site as well as identify and reduce, or eliminate potential sources of PFAS to the WWTP.
  • EGLE, MDHHS, and the Kent County Health Department are working to identify nearby residential wells and determine if sampling for PFAS is needed.

Residential Well Sampling / Alternative Water Information

  • EGLE, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), and the Kent County Health Department are working to identify nearby residential wells and determine if sampling for PFAS is needed.

Upcoming Community Engagement

  • None scheduled at this time.

Sampling Results Summary

Type of Sample

Date Sampled
(or range)

Number of Sample Results Received

Number of Samples above Criteria*

Groundwater Monitoring Wells

October 18, 2021

3

1

* Residential well and groundwater monitoring well results are compared to EGLE Part 201 criteria for 7 PFAS compounds effective 12/21/2020:  PFOS (16 ppt), PFOA (8 ppt), PFNA (6 ppt), PFHxS (51 ppt), PFHxA (400,000 ppt), PFBS (420 ppt), and HFPO-DA (370 ppt).

Sampling Notes

  • None at this time.