PFAS has been found since 2014 in the drinking water for the city of Ann Arbor, which uses the river for 85 percent of the water sent to water customers.
The company’s influent — or water going into the Wixom wastewater treatment plant – reached 28,000 ppt of PFOS, one chemical in the PFAS family.
The city is now working with the company to reduce the PFOS, Kammer said, noting that it’s an emerging issue with evolving timelines and technology.
State officials informed the manager of Wixom’s wastewater treatment plant in a letter sent Aug. 6 that the city was expected to do monthly tests of its effluent and "work cooperatively" with the confirmed source of PFOS.
He added that the city is navigating an emerging situation without a roadmap for a solution.
Additional PFOS readings beyond the Norton Creek location, which is in the Proud Lake State Recreation Area, total 1,400 ppt just northwest of the creek as it moves toward the Huron River; 2.4 ppt to the east; 15 ppt at Strawberry Lake in Livingston County; 11 ppt and 9 ppt north of and in Dexter, respectively; and 26 ppt in Willow Run Creek, east of Ypsilanti.
Results showed that fish taken from Kent Lake near Milford and Argo Pond in Ann Arbor exceeded safety levels, while fish from Base Line Lake in Livingston County was close to the borderline.
The DEQ did not test foam on the Huron River in Ann Arbor, but city officials did as they elevate their focus on PFAS beyond drinking water.
The city operates four dams on the Huron River as part of its drinking water program, and foam at each dam was tested.
"I’m encouraged to see the DEQ following up" to see if there are additional polluters in the Huron River, Rubin said.