WARREN, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) has confirmed what some of the contaminants are that spilled into Bear Creek in Warren.
EGLE said the first round of samples from the creek and a former plating facility revealed the chemicals included metals and PFAS. The agency said samples taken downstream from the release location showed elevated levels of some chemicals, but not enough that would impact humans.
EGLE said the only concentration that could impact the environment was copper.
Background: Unknown substance spills into water at Bear Creek in Warren
The spill of a blue-colored substance in the Bear Creek Drain was first noticed Wednesday, Feb. 7, by a construction contractor that had been working to replace a culvert beneath Mound Road near 11 Mile Road. The construction crew notified an inspector with the Macomb County Public Works Office.
The spill was tracked upstream to an unoccupied industrial building that used to serve as a metal-treating operation. Warren city officials looked at water usage and said there was a large spike in water usage on Jan. 24.
It is believed that the spill was caused when a frozen water pipe in the building burst and washed some chemicals into the storm drain. On Thursday, Feb. 8, EGLE staff entered the building and found a “significant buildup of material on the floor.” Small buckets and drums of material were also in the building.
Officials believe water from the broken water line spilled through the material on the floor and on the buckets and drums before spilling into the drain.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency led the cleanup before turning it over to EGLE, which was completed over the weekend.
EGLE will continue to investigate and is monitoring the property owner’s removal of chemicals inside the facility.
The completed water testing results are expected by Friday, Feb. 16.
