Please contact the Site Lead for the most up-to-date status of this site.
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.
Kevin Wojciechowski, WojciechowskiK@Michigan.gov or 586-623-2948.
The Hamburg Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), located at 6400 East M-36, discharges treated wastewater to the groundwater under a state Groundwater Discharge Permit issued to Hamburg Township. The WWTP has been in operation since 1966. The treatment system consists of sequencing batch reactors, a chemical feed system, and a polishing pond. The final treated effluent is discharged to the groundwater on-site via rapid infiltration basins.
Groundwater samples were collected in August and November 2022, the highest results were 27 ppt for PFOA and 22 ppt for PFOS.
Estimated groundwater flow direction in the area of the WWTP is radial. Groundwater flows towards Buck Lake and the Huron River.
Content posted February 2023.
Most of the residential homes and commercial businesses in the area are on drinking water wells. In November 2022, the township sampled the drinking water from Dairy Queen, which is southeast of this site. The results were non-detect for PFAS. Hamburg Township plans to sample additional drinking water wells in the area as determined necessary.
EGLE will continue to work with Hamburg Township to evaluate the groundwater, drinking water, and surface water in the area of the WWTP to assess PFAS risks.
