CASCADE TOWNSHIP, Mich. — As PFAS sampling continues in Cascade Township in the Aspenwood Drive area of interest and a contamination source has yet to be identified, some neighbors are weighing whether connecting to the city's municipal water system makes sense — and what it would cost.
"I think an easier solution would be, just hook us all up to city water, but that's easier said than done," said Tom Gottlick, a Cascade Township neighbor.
Some neighbors remain skeptical of municipal water as an alternative.
"I just want to say municipal water is not the answer, municipal water also can have PFAS in it," one neighbor said at a PFAS community meeting February 19th.
The City of Grand Rapids says its water supply is regularly tested and monitored to meet state standards. The City of Grand Rapids draws its water from Lake Michigan, and the city conducts PFAS testing on a quarterly basis. Testing also takes place daily at the filtration plant and weekly at more than 50 sites throughout the distribution system.
"We are testing for PFAS on a quarterly basis, in accordance with the state recommendations," said Wayne Jernberg, utilities director for the City of Grand Rapids. "Typically the samples are more often than not, non detect or at very limited levels."
Jernberg said the city publishes its results annually in a Consumer Confidence Report, which details any violations or exceedances. He noted the city has not had any violations in a long time. The report is also available on the city's website.
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What would it cost to connect?
Connecting to city water is not a simple process. According to township officials, homeowners in areas where municipal water is already available would be responsible for service fees and the cost of installing a service line from the water main to their home. Neighbors within 300 feet of an existing or newly installed water main are eligible to connect, though whether the cost of that connection is covered depends on the terms of any applicable project funding — not the township itself.
However, in grant-funded projects — such as those on Burger/Goodwood and Linda/Irene Avenues — funding has covered all connection costs, including permits, service line installation and well abandonment. In those cases, property owners are only responsible for optional upgrades, such as copper piping.
For areas where a water main would need to be extended, Jernberg says the cost can be significant — and inflation has driven those numbers up considerably.
"When you start to look at it, you're looking at $700, $800 a foot to put in water main. That's not something that a lot of people understand. It didn't used to be like that, but inflation has really ramped things up," Jernberg said.
Beyond construction costs, homeowners looking to connect to the system would face a buy-in fee. Jernberg said connecting to a water account runs approximately $400 to $500 to get an account set up.
Property owners within the township can also petition for a special assessment to fund a water main extension, in which case a portion or the full cost would be passed on to those owners.
For those who do connect, the monthly cost for a water-only customer in Cascade runs about $45.
"That basically equates to a period of about 7-8 units per month of water, which a unit is 748 gallons," Jernberg said.
Jernberg added the city has plenty of infrastructure capacity to support expansion. The city is currently working on cost information for the area for both EGLE and the township.
Wells vs. municipal water
Private well owners do not pay a monthly water bill, but they are responsible for all maintenance required to ensure safe drinking water.
"I will say that the stability and the testing that the city puts forth on the public water side is not carried forth on a private well," Jernberg said.
Jernberg also pointed to some practical advantages of municipal water that residents may not immediately consider. Expanding public water infrastructure into areas that currently lack it could help lower homeowner insurance costs, due to the addition of public fire protection. He also noted that during a power outage, municipal water customers still have running water — unlike private well users, who rely on electric pumps and would need a generator to maintain water access.
As for cost, Jernberg pushed back on the perception that a monthly water bill is a burden.
"Once you're connected, basically you have a monthly bill, which in most cases, $45 a month is much lower than what a standard cell phone bill or anything like that might be," he said.
Lessons from the last expansion
This is not the first time Cascade Township has expanded municipal water service. The most recent project — Burger/Goodwood — ran from March 2018, when groundwater contamination was first detected, to its completion in January 2026, a span of seven years and 10 months.
The project was funded through a combination of sources, including the Consolidation and Contamination Risk Reduction fund, the Federal Water Resources Development Act, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). The DWSRF alone covered the majority of phase two construction costs — approximately $11 million. Township officials note the DWSRF is not a traditional grant; it is awarded with principal forgiveness. No special assessments or connection fees were passed on to property owners.
The project connected approximately 450 homes.
"I want to say it was in the neighborhood of about 15 to $16 million, I believe," Jernberg said.
However, township officials caution against using the Burger/Goodwood timeline as a benchmark for future projects. They cite several unique factors that affected its duration, including pandemic-related public funding initiatives, the novelty of a large MPART site at the time and the project's connection to Gerald R. Ford International Airport.
What's next
The City of Grand Rapids has been tasked by EGLE to develop a cost estimate for the current Aspenwood area of interest. Cascade Township says it relies heavily on its government agency partners — including EGLE and the Kent County Health Department — who have the resources to provide applicable support, noting the township itself has limited capacity in that regard.
Jernberg cautioned there are no guarantees the state will have funding available, but said the city will continue to advocate for expansion in areas with suspect groundwater.
"We're going to continue to push and be advocates and be partners with them to try to make sure that they have that clean, safe water to drink, shower, bathe, whatever they're looking for," Jernberg said.
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