A recent complaint to the Department of Environmental Quality about lead dust emanating from the Cedar Springs water tower proved to be unfounded.
According to Cedar Springs City Manager Christine Burns, DEQ Air Quality contacted them on Friday, August 26, about an anonymous complaint of dust being emitted from the top of the tower. The tower is currently being cleaned and repaired. DEQ advised that all blasting work should stop until an investigation could be made.
DPW supervisor Roger Belknap visited the work site and asked the crew to stop blasting activities until a bonnet could be put in place, which they did. The crew chief also explained that the blasting media they use encapsulates the coatings, pulling it downward, and the dust coming from the top was not hazardous.
The DEQ Air Quality division and the district drinking water engineer arrived on August 30 to perform an investigation and suggested a bonnet, which was already ordered, and a dust vacuum to pull dust out of the air.
On August 31 the DEQ Hazardous Waste Division and took various samples. Samples taken from inside the tarped area and from the wet waste pile have both come back non-hazardous for lead and chrome.
“We want to assure residents that we are doing everything we are supposed to do,” said City Manager Christine Burns.
She said that the goal is to have the tower restored before Red Flannel Day.