PARCHMENT, Mich. (AP) – Authorities handed out thousands of free bottles of water Friday for two southwestern Michigan communities where the discovery of contamination from toxic industrial chemicals prompted a warning against using the public water system for drinking or cooking.
About 3,000 people are on the affected water system.
Rick Snyder said in a statement.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is hosting public meetings in communities where the chemicals have contaminated water systems.
The Parchment area has a history of paper manufacturing.
Officials announced a plan Friday to drain Parchment’s water system, hook it up to the water supply in nearby Kalamazoo, then flush out Parchment’s system until tests show the PFAS at acceptable levels.
After that, officials will determine when affected residents can use the main water supply again.
"We have water.
We will take care of people."
The tests for PFAS were part of an effort announced in May to check for contamination in Michigan’s 1,380 public water systems.