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Roscommon Area Public Schools WWTP (Roscommon, Roscommon County)

Disclaimer: Web content may not be routinely updated on this page.

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

Disclaimer: Public and private municipal wastewater treatment plants do not produce or use PFAS.

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 or 616-215-4781.

Background

The Roscommon Area Public Schools WWTP, located at 175 West Sunset Drive, was constructed around 1993 and designed to handle 56,560 gallons of sanitary wastewater per day. The sanitary wastewater comes from the three schools located in the district (elementary, middle school, and high school). The wastewater goes through a primary aerated lagoon and is discharged to a secondary lagoon, that is then discharged via a spray irrigation area located east of the secondary lagoon. The treated sanitary wastewater is discharged under a state Groundwater Discharge Permit issued to Roscommon Area Public Schools.

Three groundwater monitoring wells were sampled by EGLE in November 2022. One well was non-detect, one well was below criteria, and the third well was 73.1 ppt for PFOA (compared to 8 ppt).

The groundwater flows to the east/northeast. There are no nearby surface waters.

Roscommon Public School sample the drinking water quarterly.

Content updated December 2023.

Site map

See an aerial view of the location of the site.

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Groundwater Flow Map

See an aerial view of the groundwater flow of the site.

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Drinking water

Based on the current groundwater and drinking water results being below criteria and non-detect down and side gradient to the spray irrigation area, the downgradient residential wells are not planned to be sampled at this time. If new onsite results indicate residential wells could be impacted, sampling will be conducted.

Anticipated activities

The Roscommon Schools consultant sampled 3 existing monitoring wells in May of 2023 that confirmed EGLE’s sampling in 2022.  The consultant also installed two additional monitoring wells (i.e., MW-11 and MW-12) in September 2023, directly down-gradient to the spray irrigation field.  The two new monitoring well results were non-detect or below criteria for PFAS and groundwater flow was confirmed to flow to the northeast.  EGLE will continue to work with Roscommon Public Schools, DHHS, and Central Michigan Health Department to evaluate risks.

EGLE Received Results on: 12/20/2022, 7/20/2023, and 11/22/2023.

Highest Groundwater Result Exceedances (Compound(s) and value in ppt.): PFOA of 130 ppt 

Was data reviewed for quality:   YES 

Local Entities Affected (city/township/county officials): Central MI Health Dept, Roscommon Area Public Schools, Village of Roscommon

Other Division(s)/Department(s) Informed: EGLE - Drinking Water Division, MDARD, MPART, DHHS

Division Director (MMD and WRD) or Immediate Supervisor approval (RRD):  Teresa Seidel