UPDATE: Friday, Sept. 28 is the deadline for written comments to be accepted on a Bradford White request for a groundwater-surface mixing zone discharge under the Environmental Remediation of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, according to a DEQ news release.

 

The location of the venting groundwater plume is 200 Lafayette Street in Middleville, the receiving surface water body in the Thornapple River.

Copies of the determination request may be obtained by calling or writing:

 

David Wierzbicki, DEQ Remediation and Redevelopment Division,

350 Ottawa Avenue, N.W. Unit 10,

Grand Rapids, MI, 49503.

 

Written comments should be submitted by the deadline to him at the above address.

For information, contact:

David Wierzbicki,

Remediation and Redevelopment Division

517-420-2605.

 

ORIGINAL STORY: Groundwater contamination with known carcinogenic chemicals is discharging into the Thornapple River and the responsible company in Middleville is asking state regulators to let dilution solve the problem according to an Mlive newspaper story.

 

Bradford White Corporation, a water-heater manufacturer in Middleville, wants the Michigan Department of Enviromental Quality to consider a pollution exemption that would allow continued discharge of groundwater plumes contaminated with chlorinated solvents into the Thornapple River.

 

Presently, the contaminant discharges are above the state's Part 201 enviromental cleanup criteria, but Bradford White is asking the DEQ to allow a "Mixing Zone" in the river that would dilute the contamination.

 

Village Manager Duane Weeks said he was unaware that Bradford White wanted to continue discharging contaminated water into the Thornapple River but knew the company was talking with state regulators about lowering levels of chlorinated solvents in the groundwater.