KALAMAZOO (WKZO AM/FM) — Last night, Cooper Township homeowners impacted by the PFAS contamination learned that they may be able to get their homes hooked up to municipal city water for no additional cost, but some say they still don’t want it.
Kalamazoo Utility Director James Baker says if they can qualify for state programs, they will be able to combine that money with system wide rate hikes to install the water lines in Cooper Township next year at no additional cost to impacted homeowners
Tuesday Evening at a public hearing on the proposal in Kalamazoo’s Eastside Neighborhood, some homeowners said they don’t want to pay for water, some say their wells are safe enough, some just prefer the taste of well water. But they may not represent all the homeowners who are in the PFAS zone.
Many communities charge thousands for such hook ups.
It’s still just a plan that needs city and state approval.
The utility may run the water mains at the request of the township, even if homeowners don’t want to hook up now. The PFAS plume is moving and someday they may have to.
It’s part of a much larger funding plan that will include replacing over 1300 lead service lines in the Eastside Neighborhood and extending city water to homes in Richland Township with PFAS contaminated water wells. A hearing on that effort is scheduled for 6pm Thursday.
