|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
June 25, 2005Well owners fear contaminationNo additional cleanup expectedByRecord-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY - It's been a week since Grand Traverse County's new septage treatment plant burst and spilled human waste over a ridge, into the Boardman River valley and onto Barb Geiger's property. Geiger worries about the spill's potential impact on her water well, and waits to hear something - anything - from the county. "If my son hadn't been out cutting the lawn I wouldn't even know it was 150,000 gallons of raw sewage coming down the hill at me," Geiger said. A concrete storage vault at the plant collapsed around 5 a.m. June 18, and spewed an estimated 150,000 gallons of partially treated septic tank waste. Contractors recovered approximately 20,000 gallons; the rest soaked into the ground. The cause of the spill has yet to be determined at the plant on Ahlberg Road above Keystone Road in Garfield Township. County officials originally said the spill was contained on the site, but some spilled about halfway down the 40-foot hill toward Geiger's house. She learned of it because her son was out cutting grass when county workers approached to spread lime over the area to control pathogens. "They should notify us what took place and what's going to take place," Geiger said. "It really concerns me about our well. That's a lot of sewage coming down that hill." Chris Buday, Grand Traverse County director of public works, said he will contact engineers Gourdie-Fraser Inc. and general contractor the Christman Company to address concerns from neighboring property owners. Plant control has been returned to the engineering and construction firms until repairs are completed. Garth Aslakson, an analyst with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, said one concern from the spill is a high level of nitrates, a commonly occurring nitrogen compound. If nitrates reach the aquifer, nearby wells could be contaminated, Aslakson said. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that excessive levels of nitrates in drinking water can cause serious illness that among infants could lead to death. Aslakson said effluent spilled at the plant is similar to what goes into a drain field from a septic tank. Given the amount of ground the effluent has to soak through to reach the aquifer, and the natural reduction of nitrates by organisms in the soil, Aslakson said he believes the wells are safe. But he's asked the county for soil borings to see how far effluent may have traveled. The county health department sampled a nearby well to get a baseline reading on nitrates to compare to future samples, officials said. Health department director Fred Keeslar said his office will review down-gradient wells, but he believes the impact will be minimal. Unless soil borings show something unexpected, Aslakson doesn't anticipate the DEQ will require additional cleanup. Nor does he expect the county will be fined because there's no evidence of environmental damage. Geiger said it seems the county might be getting away with something. "If that was me and my septic tank exploded, the DEQ would be out here in a heartbeat telling me I have to clean this up," she said. See Related Stories: GT County's septage treatment plant may reopen - June 22, 2005 Septage plant 'structural failure' is investigated - June 21, 2005 Burst tank rocks GT County's new septage plant - June 19, 2005
|
|
