(STURGIS) – The City of Sturgis has received an update on two of their superfund sites.

Recently the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team (MPART) identified the existing “Sturgis Municipal Wells Superfund Site” as a site of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) based on testing conducted in late 2024. The City’s drinking water is not impacted by the results of these tests.

he Sturgis Municipal Wells site became a Superfund site in 1984 due to groundwater being contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The two local properties identified as likely sources were Kirsch Company Plant 1 and the former Wade Electric Property. Ongoing cleanup started in the 1990’s and has included addressing VOCs by extracting vapors from the soil at the former Kirsch plant, installing pump-and-treat systems to treat groundwater, and limiting the use of, and access to, portions of the site.

As part of ongoing groundwater monitoring the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and private parties responsible for the Superfund site sampled for PFAS at both the Kirsch and Wade locations in late 2024. PFAS are a group of industrial chemicals that have been used world-wide in common consumer products, manufacturing processes, and materials. Two of the chemicals are perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). Under current Michigan PFAS groundwater cleanup criteria, PFOA has a cleanup criteria of 8 parts per trillion (ppt) and PFOS has a cleanup criteria of 16 ppt.

At and around the former Kirsch plant, seven existing monitoring wells were sampled, along with the outflow of a treatment system at the site; one well had a PFOA test of 42.2 ppt, exceeding the cleanup criteria. Other samples for PFOA and PFOS were below Michigan groundwater cleanup criteria, including the samples at the groundwater treatment system outflow. At and around the Wade Electric Source Area, six locations were sampled, with one sample exceeding PFOA criteria at 9 ppt and PFOS criteria at 87 ppt. All other sample locations were below cleanup criteria.

These sites are outside the City’s drinking water wellhead capture zone. Following all State of Michigan guidelines the City monitors water quality of the municipal drinking water system on a regular basis. The City’s last PFAS test on the system was in the Fall of 2024 and all test results were non-detect for PFAS. While areas outside of city limits rely on private drinking water wells, per the MPART page for the site, these wells are outside the known historical impacts from the Superfund Site.