The City of Rockford and neighboring Algoma Township have long grappled with PFAS contamination in their groundwater due to a legacy of historical industrial processes. While Rockford had a public water system, many families in Algoma Township relied on private wells, drawing water from sources now tainted by harmful chemicals.
When Michigan’s Clean Water Contamination and Remediation (C2R2) grant program was announced, the two communities saw their chance for a solution. If they could secure funding, they could extend Rockford’s municipal water system to the affected neighborhoods, giving residents access to clean drinking water. It was an ambitious plan, but one that could restore peace of mind to hundreds of families.
The wheels were set in motion when the grant was secured. The goal was to construct new water mains, install service lines, and connect homes to the public system, allowing residents to abandon their contaminated wells for good.
The path forward wasn’t simple. A key section of the new water main had to cross a river and wetlands, areas with unstable soils already impacted by PFAS. Traditional construction methods would disrupt these sensitive areas, churning up contaminated soil and worsening the problem. To navigate the environmental challenges, the project team turned to horizontal directional drilling (HDD), a method that allowed them to install the water main underground without disturbing the wetlands. This not only minimized the risk of spreading contamination but also reduced waste and preserved the delicate ecosystem.
With careful planning, contractors installed the remaining water mains along public rights-of-way, bringing the project closer to completion. The final step was connecting individual homes. Homeowners worked with private plumbers to make the switch, but thanks to a streamlined reimbursement system—first developed during a similar project in Plainfield Township—residents weren’t burdened with unexpected costs.
The project’s success didn’t just bring clean water to Rockford and Algoma Township; it set a precedent for other communities facing similar challenges. Cascade Township, near Grand Rapids, later adopted the same process for their own C2R2-funded project. The lessons learned in Rockford became a model for how communities across Michigan could efficiently and effectively address water contamination.