An unknown green substance caused a stir after it was found spilling into Bear Creek in Warren, triggering investigations by an array of environmental agencies. As reported by The Detroit News, officials have teamed up with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to mitigate the contamination. The source appears to be Fini-Finish Metal Finishing, where a water line break resulted in nearly 580,000 gallons of water flooding the facility, carrying with it electroplating waste into the local waterway.
Resident Karen Alexander took notice of the creek's unusual green hue, her concern for the potential back-up of contaminants into local sewage systems echoing broader anxieties around environmental safety. "We got a little fearful because we don't want that stuff baking up in our sewage down in the basements," she told CBS News Detroit. The EPA has moved in with vacuum trucks and clean-up crews to address the spill and all drinking water treatments within the vicinity have been alerted, as confirmed by EGLE, though they report that no action has been necessary as yet.
While the identity of the spilled substance remains unknown, it has been determined to be non-rainwater and not typical of the effluents usually found in the industrial area. City officials have expressed confidence in having halted the source of the contamination, suggesting some control over an otherwise alarming event. Results from a detailed analysis of the substance are expected imminently, as conveyed in statements obtained by local news outlets.
Environment officials have also assured the public that, despite the environmental threat posed to Bear Creek, the drinking water supply remains uncompromised. Mayor Lori M. Stone emphasized the ongoing response efforts but stressed that the spill does not affect the potability of the water. Cleanup efforts continue as investigators await laboratory results due today, according to the latest from ClickOnDetroit. In the meantime, residents are urged to avoid contact with the affected area of Bear Creek as precautions are maintained.
