March 2022 Update – In partnership with the City of Grand Rapids, the Township has initiated a project to extend public water to all homes effected by the Gerald R. Ford Airport PFAS contamination issue. To learn more about that project, please
click here.
August 20, 2020
Michigan to hold regional webinars on changes to PFAS in groundwater rules and new investigations into contaminated sites. Please click here for news release and webinar dates and times.
June 19, 2020
Please
click here to read an update from EGLE regarding the PFAS investigation.
April 20, 2020
May 4th Cascade Township Residential Wells Update Meeting Postponed
In accordance with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services' recommendations designed to help prevent the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), we will be postponing the “Cascade Township Residential Wells” sampling project public meeting planned for Monday May 4, 2020, starting at 6:00 P.M. in the Wisner Center of the Cascade Township Library (2870 Jacksmith Ave SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546). Please visit the Cascade Township Residential Wells PFAS website for up-to-date site information.
The state is taking proactive steps to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in Michigan. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in reducing the risk coronavirus to Michigan residents.
For current and up-to-date information regarding the Coronavirus visit Michigan.gov/Coronavirus or CDC.gov/Coronavirus.
For questions, please contact Mr. Aaron Assmann, Environmental Quality Analyst, Grand Rapids District Office, Remediation and Redevelopment Division, EGLE, at 616-430-5275 or AssmannA@michigan.gov.
February 19, 2020
Please read the following report released from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.
Update #4 - Cascade Township Residential Drinking Water Well Sampling
November 15, 2019
Please read the following report released from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.
Update #3 - Cascade Township Residential Drinking Water Well Sampling
August 22, 2019
Please
click here to review presentation from EGLE re: Cascade Drinking Water Update
August 5, 2019
Please read the following report released from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.
Update # 2 - Cascade Township Residential Drinking Water Well Sampling
May 16, 2019
Please read the following report released this morning from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.
Cascade Township Residential Drinking Water Well Sampling Update
May 3, 2019
Please take note that the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE formerly known as MDEQ) has requested a specific group of residents in a defined area have their water tested as part of their PFAS investigation.
Please click here for a map of the request area. EGLE has reached out to each of these residents in writing.
We have been hearing some reports from residents about a third-party company contacting them via voice calls or texts and stating that EGLE is requiring that the resident give them access for testing. It is important for you to realize that EGLE is not requesting testing outside of the attached testing area. If you are contacted by a company encouraging you to utilize their services and you live outside the testing area, you are free to make that decision independently, but know that the testing is not being requested by EGLE at this time.
If you would like to discuss a testing request with EGLE, you can reach their West Michigan office at 616-430.5275.
March 12, 2019
The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality is conducting an evaluation of residential drinking wells for PFAS compounds in approximately 50 homes along the Trout Creek area east of the 36
th Street exits off I-96 and west of Tricklewood Drive.
MDEQ plans to reach out to all property owners in the study area by mail by March 22. If you are not contacted by MDEQ and think your home may be in the study area, contact Aaron Assmann at 616.430.5275 or
AssmannA@Michigan.gov.
Residents previously sampled as part of the efforts by Gerald R. Ford International Airport or Lacks Industries will not be resampled. Residents who provided independent PFAS results below 5 ppt will not be contacted.
To receive future updates from MDEQ on this investigation, register for the “Cascade Township Residential Wells Sampling and PFAS Analysis” listserv at:
https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/MIDEQ/subscriber/new?TGopic_id=MIDEQ_323.
You can read the full release here:
https://www.michigan.gov/pfasresponse/0,9038,7-365-88059_91108_91319-491804--,00.html
December 10, 2018
The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality released an update on Dec. 10 regarding the former Lacks facility.
Specifically, the update reads, “So far, we have preliminary results from 19 drinking water wells that have been tested. All drinking water results were below EPA’s Lifetime Health Advisory (LTHA) level of 70 parts per trillion (ppt) for combined PFOA and PFOS. PFAS was detected at 10 of these drinking water wells, with total PFAS ranging from 2 to 54 ppt. The quality control process is still being completed for some of these results, and will not be final until that time.”
For more details or to sign up for future updates regarding this effort, visit
https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MIDEQ/bulletins/220eec2.
Additionally, all updates should be made available here:
https://www.michigan.gov/pfasresponse/0,9038,7-365-86511_82704-452843--,00.html.
November 15, 2018
The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality has created an email listserv for individuals wishing to receive updates on the Lacks PFAS investigation. If you wish to be included on the listserv, please send an email to:
DEQ-LacksCascadePFAS@michigan.gov.
October 29, 2018
The MDEQ will be holding a meeting Tuesday, October 30 regarding the Lacks Industries PFAS concerns. The meeting will be held at the Cascade Library Wisner Center (2870 Jacksmith Dr. SE) from 6-8 p.m, with a presentation beginning at 6:30 p.m.
October 19, 2018
PFAS Investigation at Lacks Industries in Cascade Township
FAQ's
Lack's PFAS Sampling Site Map
September 26, 2018
The airport recently announced the results of its drinking water/well testing of 28 private residents, which showed non-detect levels for the presence of PFOA and PFOS.
Read the update here.
September 7, 2018
Cascade/Thornapple PFAS Presentation
June 29, 2018
The Kent County Health Department posted a release today advising against the ingestion of the foam on the Thornapple River. This release can be viewed
here. Additionally, the results for the sample set can be viewed
here.
June 15, 2018
The Airport shared the initial results of its multi-step evaluation process to assess the potential presence of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on airport property. The results are below State of Michigan PFAS Health Advisory Level & Cleanup Criteria. The release can be found here:
http://www.grr.org/PDFs/NRs/nrAirportGroundwaterResults061518.pdf
Thursday, May 31, 2018
The airport has shared details of its testing process as it nears the conclusion of its sample collection phase.
Click here for the update.
Thursday, April 19, 2018 (Updated to include report results - April 20, 2018)
After learning of potential PFAS contamination caused by a fire-retardant material known as the AFFF at the airport, Cascade Charter Township immediately reviewed and evaluated any Township areas or properties that may be affected.
As part of this process and out of an abundance of caution, we made the decision to have Fleis & VandenBrink test the two wells that serve Cascade Township Park, located at 3810 Thornapple River Dr. SE.
We received these results on Wednesday, April 18, which determined no amount of PFAS was detectable in the wells that serve this park. Drinking fountains, which have been turned off and remained off for the winter, will be turned on again in mid-May.
Cascade Township Manager Ben Swazye spoke with a representative from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality yesterday and learned: