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Washtenaw Industrial Facility LLC (Former Universal Die Cast) (Saline, Washtenaw County)

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

EGLE site lead

Sam Cairns, CairnsS2@michigan.gov or 517-898-4058.

Background

The Washtenaw Industrial Facility LLC (formerly Universal Die Cast) site is located at 232 and 290 Monroe Street in Saline. When Universal Die Cast operated on the property, it was a plater of die cast parts. All buildings and associated infrastructure were removed in 2015. This site previously had nickel samples that exceeded surface water quality standards. The site property extends both north and south of the Saline River. The southern portion of the site across the Saline River contained a pre-regulation surface impoundment for plating sludges, which was used in the 1970s. The material in the impoundment on the south side of the river was removed in the late 1990s.

Washtenaw County identified potential drinking water receptors adjacent to the site, near the PFAS impacted groundwater. Groundwater from the site discharges directly to the Saline River and only 2 residential drinking water wells had detections of one compound, well below the MCLs. The other primary receptor is the Saline River.

Content posted November 2020.

Preview of the Washtenaw industrial facility interactive map
Preview of the Washtenaw industrial facility interactive map

Washtenaw industrial facility LLC

View general information about the PFAS investigation being conducted at the Washtenaw industrial facility site. This map is a collection of various data sets related to the PFAS investigation.


Drinking water

Testing of adjacent residential wells show no need for an alternate water source. For additional information on residential well testing and results, visit the Frequently Asked Questions. EGLE has sampled all municipal water supplies for PFAS. View the results for the city of Saline here.

Anticipated activities

The Washtenaw Industrial Facility continues to sample the three wells installed in the intermediate aquifer for PFAS. The Washtenaw Industrial Facility has an approved well installation and abandonment workplan for the property south of the river and will commence work once they get approval from the City of Saline to perform curb and guardrail work along Monroe Street.

Historical timeline

    • On September 18, 2018, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and Washtenaw Industrial Facility each took groundwater samples from 3 monitoring wells on the northern part of the site near the Saline River. The wells were chosen based upon prior detections of chromium.
    • On October 9, 2018, EGLE received the validated data from the samples they took. The highest results were 3,090 ppt PFOS+PFOA, with 3,380 ppt Total PFAS.
    • On February 8, 2019, following the USEPA’s shutdown, EGLE, USEPA, WIFL, WIFL’s counsel, and WIFL’s environmental consultant had a conference call to discuss further steps.WIFL will incorporate PFAS sampling in their next groundwater monitoring event.This event should take place by the end of March 2019.
    • On March 1, 2019, the EGLE finalized a FAQ about the Washtenaw Industrial Facility, with input from local partners.
    • On March 14 and 19, 2019, eight total residential wells were sampled.
    • On March 27, 2019, Wellogic data was updated for the five wells that had well logs provided to the State by the Washtenaw County Health Department.
    • On April 9, 2019, the Public Health Action Plan was finalized.
    • By close of business April 11, 2019, all analytical results from the residential well sampling had been received. PFOS and PFOA were not detected at any home. The highest Total Tested PFAS was 9 ppt.
    • The MDHHS and the local health department communicated the sample results to the residential well users by April 26.
    • On April 25, monitoring wells south of the river (290 Monroe St.) were sampled for PFAS and other site contaminants.
    • On May 7, 2019, WIFL's consultant has received results from on-site (232 Monroe St.) groundwater sampling and will be provided the results on the same day.
    • On May 30, 2019, WIFL’s consultant provided the facility’s PFAS results for the April 25, 2019 290 Monroe St sampling.
    • On July 24,2019, EGLE provided comments to the USEPA on the work plan to investigate the intermediate aquifer. The consultant is revising the workplan based on comments provided by EGLE and EPA.
    • On July 24, 2019, WIFL’s consultant provided EGLE and the USEPA a workplan to investigate the intermediate aquifer on the 232 Monroe St site. 
    • On July 25th, the facility provided their analytical results from the June sampling event.The interactive map has been updated to reflect the results.
    • On August 23, 2019, the facility provided a workplan for the installation of new shallow wells on the property south of the river and an abandonment plan for the original wells on the same property.
    • On November 12, 2019, WIFL’s consultant provided EGLE and the USEPA with a revised workplan for the intermediate aquifer at the 232 Monroe Street site.

    Sampling: PFOS and PFOA ONLY

    Type of Sample

    Date Sampled

    # of Samples

    # of Results Received

    # of Non-detects

    # Between Non-detect and standard*

    #>Standard

    Groundwater

    Sep 18, 2018 - Mar 2020 34 34 3 6 25
    Residential Drinking Wells Mar 14 - Mar 19, 2019 8 8 8 0 0

    Cumulative

    42 42 11 6 25

    *Groundwater results are compared to EGLE Part 201 Criteria of 70 ppt PFOS+PFOA.
    *Residential well results are compared to the USEPA Lifetime Health Advisory Level of 70 ppt PFOS+PFOA.

    Related Sampling Notes

    • The groundwater results in the table above represent 33 unique groundwater wells north and south of the Saline River; The wells north of the river are sampled quarterly.
    • Non-detect means that the lab did not detect or find PFAS in the water sample at or above the reporting limit.
    • During the week of January 27th, 2020, WIFL’s consultant directed the installation of double cased borings to set wells within the intermediate aquifer. 
    • In February and March 2020, WIFL’s consultant conducted the first quarterly groundwater sampling.
    • Due to Covid-19, the second quarterly groundwater sampling event was delayed until August 2020.
    • In early August 2020, WIFL’s consultant conducted groundwater monitoring for the PFAS compounds on the north side of the river.
    • On September 22, 2020, EGLE received the groundwater sampling results from the August 2020 sampling event.  27 groundwater samples were collected from onsite monitoring wells.  The highest PFOS result was 6200 ppt in MW-27 and the highest PFOA result was 260 ppt in MW-34.

    Sampling Results Summary

    Sampling chart reflects data compared to Part 201 Criteria effective 8/3/2020
    PFOS and PFOA Only


    This chart reflects data received after 8/3/2020.  Data prior to 8/3/2020 is reflected in the timeline below.

    Type of Sample

    Date Sampled

    Number of Sample
    Results Received

    Number of Samples above
    PFOS Criteria

    Number of Samples above
    PFOA Criteria

    Groundwater

    August 2020 27 22 0

    Cumulative

    27 22 0

    * Groundwater results are compared to EGLE Part 201 Criteria of PFOS 16 ppt and PFOA 8 ppt.

    Sampling Notes

    • On August 3, 2020, new Part 201 Criteria went into effect.  Historical sampling data compared to Part 201 Criteria >70 is captured in the historical timeline below.
    • Other PFAS analytes were detected in samples. There are no federal or state standards for these analytes.
    • The groundwater results in the table above represent 33 unique groundwater wells north and south of the Saline River; the wells north of the river are sampled quarterly.