Environmental Pollutants
Fennville
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Water Testing in Fennville, MI
Throughout the state of Michigan, the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) monitors and performs testing of groundwater in the state. In 2004, the DEQ discovered water contamination problems in the Fennville area and began an investigation as to the likely cause.
Birds Eye, one of Fennville’s largest employers, operates a fruit and vegetable processing facility. Like other food processing plants, Birds Eye disposed of fruit and vegetable sediments (known as “dregs”) by adding them to water, and spraying the dreg wastewater in area irrigation fields.
Before 2004, the DEQ did not require food processing companies to monitor groundwater because of the organic nature of the dreg mixture. However, the DEQ reviewed data, that led to the discovery that the dregs cause chemical reactions in the groundwater in the areas where the wastewater is sprayed.
Because the wastewater has a high organic content, it causes a biological process known as Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) to occur. When this chemical reaction occurs, the levels of oxygen in groundwater significantly decreases, allowing minerals like arsenic, manganese and iron to develop in higher, and in the case of the Fennville water contamination, unsafe levels.
As part of the DEQ investigation, Birds Eye has provided bottled water to residents who obtain their water from area wells for cooking and drinking. However, the solution does not address other environmental and financial issues facing those with contaminated water. These families have also needed to boil water for other household uses, and face devaluing property values because of the contamination.
Our Lawyers
Our environmental lawyers are litigators with extensive courtroom experience and an in-depth understanding of the environmental laws.
Weitz & Luxenberg is currently litigating two large cases involving injuries people have sustained as a result of exposures to contaminants in their drinking water and/or in the air they breathe: one in Plant City, Florida, which has approximately 1,000 plaintiffs, and one in Grand Island, Nebraska, which has approximately 300 plaintiffs.
Our Success
The firm recently secured a landmark settlement against some of the country's biggest oil companies for contaminating public drinking water supplies with a gasoline additive known as methyl butyl tertiary ether, or MTBE. Most of those defendants agreed to pay $423 million to settle suits involving the contamination of 153 public and private drinking water systems nationally.
Contact Us!
If you are concerned about wastewater contamination in Fennville, we may be able to help. Complete the form on this page for a free legal review of your potential environmental lawsuit. A Weitz & Luxenberg representative will contact you as soon as possible.
see also:
Tainted Water
Free water contamination lawsuit review for those in Fennville, MIGet more Information about the Fennville water contamination lawsuit
Contamination
Affected by wastewater contamination in Fennville? Free lawsuit reviewMichigan residents: Consider a lawsuit for Fennville contamination
