It looks like the chemical contamination problem in Parchment’s water system could be improving.

The Kalamazoo County Health and Community Services department says Thursday that the most recent testing of homes and businesses in Parchment and Cooper Township hooked up to the municipal water system found levels of PFOA and PFOS between 6 and 8 parts per trillion; that’s 176 times lower than contamination levels found in July before Parchment was hooked up to the Kalamazoo water system, and also well below the federal action level of 70 ppt.

Earlier this month, both cities agreed to supply Parchment residents with Kalamazoo water, a deal which would cost the city of Parchment around $212,000; Parchment residents shouldn't see an increase to their water bills.

However, the Do Not Drink order remains in place, and citizens are still being supplied bottled water; due to the flushing of the system and the hookup to the Kalamazoo system, testing must now be conducted for substances like lead, copper, manganese, and more, because particulate matter could have been disturbed.

Efforts are still being taken to address PFAS contamination in residential drinking water wells in the Parchment area.

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