PORTAGE, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — The discovery of PFAS contamination near a former Portage landfill is now prompting an investigation by County Health officials.
Kalamazoo County Commissioners were told at their meeting Tuesday night that some wells near the contaminated site at South Westnedge Park did test clean, but others tested well over the safe level of 70 parts per trillion.
In fact Kalamazoo County Health Director Jim Rutherford says it may have been a firefighting foam that caused the contamination.
South Westnedge Park, located at 9010 South Westnedge Avenue, was previously used as a municipal landfill. Portage city officials conducted groundwater clean-up activities at the property until 1999 and PFAS contamination was initially discovered at the site in May of 2019.
Unlike Parchment, where a crisis was sparked when PFAS appeared in both private wells and the city’s water wells, Portage city water has tested clean and there are no private wells near the landfill.
PFAS sampling of 25 residential water wells near the site of contamination began lastweek.
An update on the extent of the contamination will be given February 13th at 7 p.m. at Portage City Hall.
Updates, including maps and test results, can be viewed through the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team (MPART) website.
Residents can also follow the Kalamazoo County Health & Community Services Facebook page or www.kalcounty.com/hcs/pfasresponse.php for more updates.
