The PFAS investigation in White Pigeon has come to a standstill due to the COVID- 19 stay-at-home order, according to Paul Andriaachi, environmental health director at the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency.
He noted that letters were sent to 14 additional homes in an expanded-investigation area. That came after 19 homes near GPI Midwest were tested for the chemical. Fourteen of the 19 had some level of contamination, Andriacchi said.
Residents of the 14 homes were offered bottled water or a countertop filter until testing can be completed. Of the confirmed contaminated wells, nine of the 14 have had in-line water filters installed to remove the chemical.
Groundwater from 16 of the monitoring wells tested at the plant was found to contain PFAS at concentrations exceeding the groundwater criteria. Based on confirmed test results, the company is listed as a PFAS-contaminated site.