PFAS, or perfluorooctanoic acid, has been in the news in Michigan lately, and the Watson Township Board learnedThursday night it is an unwelcome guest at the old Watson-Martin Township dump site.

Trustee Chuck Andrysiak, who also serves on the Planning Commission, told colleagues unacceptable levels of PFAS were found in two of five water wells tested at the old landfill site.

Supervisor Kevin Travis said 20-acre dump site, which was opened in 1971 and shuttered sometime in the mid-1980s, had never been tested for water contaminants.

“There’s a lot of bad actors here,” the supervisor said. “It makes me mad. It’s a failure of government from top to bottom.”

There are 12 residences located within a half mile of the old dump on 115th Avenue and 12th Street, not far from the U.S.-131 Motorsports Park, but there hadn’t been any indication of widespread contamination. Until now.

According to Wikipedia, Perfluorooctanoic acid, a perfluorinated carboxylic acid, is “produced and used worldwide as an industrial surfactant in chemical processes and as a material feedstock, and is a health concern and subject to regulatory action and voluntary industrial phase-outs.”

Travis said he and Andrysiak spoke with officials from EGLE (Environment, Great Lakes & Energy), who agreed possible well testing may need to be done soon for neighboring wells to determine the extent of contamination.

Officials also said a town meeting with residents at the Watson Township Hall may be called later this month or in early October. Representatives from EGLE, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Allegan County Health Department should be present.

“It’ll be their (the state’s) meeting,” Travis said. “They’re just going to use our township hall.”

Trustee Michelle Harris said, “We don’t want to cause unnecessary panic before we get (more) test results.”

PFAS problems have been reported in more than 400 locations in Michigan, Travis said. Closer to home, they’re been reported in Otsego, Parchment and Decatur.

Andrysiak said the highest acceptable PFAS count is 70 parts per trillion. One well at the old landfill tested at about double that amount and the other checked in at 470. The other three wells at the site showed no problems.

In other business at Thursday night’s meeting, the Watson board:

• Was told by Andrysiak the township’s gravel mining ordinance governing application procedures is in conflict with state guidelines and adjustments will have to be made.
• Agreed to the special assessment levy of one mill for fire operations and equipment and medical services from the Hopkins Area Fire Association.
• Donated the first Watson Township flag to fly over the township hall to Scott Kuykendall and Mark Levett, representing the Allegan County Historical Society.