With news of PFAS contamination found in Parchment’s drinking water, the City of Allegan’s water utility director would like the public to know the city’s drinking water wells have been proactively tested for PFAS and tests came back non-detect for 21 different PFAS compounds.
The samples were taken from untreated groundwater collected from an aerator-free raw water tap for each of the three wells.
The laboratory conducting the testing released the results in April.
While testing all municipal water across the state, the DEQ has taken samples of just the tap water from the Allegan water plant. That was about two months ago. Plant director Doug Sweeris said results from that test have not yet been released.
Around 1,800 residents in the City of Parchment and in Cooper Township have been advised to stop drinking or cooking with municipal water, after testing found the potential health-harming chemical at about times the federal health advisory limit.
Boiling PFAS-contaminated water does not remove the compound, though the water is safe for showering, laundering clothes and flushing toilets, city officials said.
Kalamazoo County is helping to flush out the muncipal’s system and bottled water is being distributed from Parchment High School.
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