Kalamazoo County downplays danger to drinking water
WEST MICHIGAN (NEWSCHANNEL 3) – The effects of a massive oil spill into West Michigan waters continue to spread.
Along with evacuating 30 to 50 homes near the spill site, officials have also issued a water cooking advisory to anyone living within 200 feet of the waters that have been touched by the oil. That stretches all the way from Tallmadge Creek into the Kalamazoo River all the way up to the Calhoun County / Kalamazoo County line.
People there are being advised discontinue the use of their residential wells for drinking and cooking. All other household uses are still acceptable at this time.
The Health Department says this is a precautionary measure and no testing has indicated contamination of groundwater.
As the oil makes its way down the Kalamazoo River, there are still many questions about water quality, not just near the site, but downstream as well.
“Our house is right next to it,” said Carl Muehlenbeck.
At first Muehlenbeck was worried about what the oil spill would mean to the value of his property in eastern Kalamazoo County. On Thursday he said those fears have subsided.
“No problem at all,” said Muehlenbeck.
Muehlenbeck said on Thursday that he has seen no evidence of oil in the river by him, and even though his drinking water comes from a well, he's confident the oil won't be an issue.
“We would have to have a shallow well,” said Muehlenbeck.
The Kalamazoo County Health Department agrees with Muehlenbeck's assessment.
“The likelihood they'd get into any wells at this point is very slim,” said Linda Vail Buzas, Kalamazoo County Health Department.
Vail Buzas said it would take quite a while for the oil to reach even shallow wells in Kalamazoo County.
Still, the health department will start monitoring wells to check their status.
“We have maps and information for every well in the county,” said Vail Buzas. “We know which ones are close to the river.”
As for municipal water supplies in Kalamazoo County, they do not draw from the river.
