GRAND HAVEN, Mich. — Grand Haven Township trustees are calling on the state to evaluate American Dunes Golf Club's groundwater permit after a study found the course has contributed to the area's ongoing groundwater shortage.
WATCH: Township seeks state review of golf course water permit
The Grand Haven Township Board of Trustees passed a resolution Monday asking the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy to have the state take another look at the golf course's groundwater permit following months of neighbor complaints.
"The reason we think it may be American Dunes Golf Course is that they're the only really large draw of groundwater in that area," said Bill Cargo, Grand Haven Township manager.
In August, the board commissioned Lakeshore Environmental Inc. to conduct a study looking at the groundwater issue. The report found that the area's low groundwater levels have been made worse by the golf course's large irrigation system.
Some neighbors have reported low pond levels and decreasing water quality, with some spending tens of thousands of dollars trying to fix the problem.
"They've had to bring in very expensive treatments because of their iron levels going up and some other aspects that they think have been caused by American Dunes," Cargo explained.
While Cargo credited American Dunes for the work they've already done trying to reduce their water loss, he said the board hopes the state will step in
"We are not in the position to make that judgment; we are not in the position to do any type of enforcement, but we can share the information with the state and ask the state to take a look at that," Cargo said.
Lakeshore Environmental Inc. and American Dunes Golf Course did not respond to a request for comment.
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