| Abstract |
The City of Charlevoix is located on the shores of Lake Michigan in Charlevoix County. The City's single municipal well supplies potable water to a year-round population of 3500 which increases to approximately 5,000 during the summer tourist season. In September 1981, while conducting tests for trihalogenated methane compounds, the Michigan Department of Public Health (MDPH) detected trichloroethylene (TCE) ranging in concentrations from 13 to 30 ppb in the Charlevoix water supply. Data from the monitoring program showed gradually rising levels of TCE and perchloroethylene (PCE) in the raw water. In June 1984, a Record of Decision was signed which approved an initial remedial measure (IRM) for an alternative water supply to replace the contaminated municipal well. The selected IRM consisted of a Lake Michigan water intake structure and a water filtration/flocculation treatment plant. The selected remedial action involves discharging the TCE and PCE plumes, under natural flow conditions, to Lake Michigan. The aquifer would be useable after 50 years. During that 50-year purging period, institutional restrictions on the installation of private wells in the contaminated aquifer will be enforced by local health officials. In addition, long-term monitoring of the plumes will continue. The estimated annual O&M costs for monitoring are $17,000. |
