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The Michigan Daily-Tuesday, August 3, 1982-Page 3
13 state wells
contaminated
agency says
LANSING (UPI) - Municipal wells
in 13 Michigan cities are contaminated
with suspected cancer-causing
chemicals, but most of the affected
water supplies have been removed
from use, the state Public Health
Department said yesterday.
A series of water samples taken since
December showed traces of such
suspected carcinogens as per-
chloroethylene and trichloroethylene -
cleaning solvents and degreasers used
by dry cleaning firms and other in-
dustries - in cities throughout the Lower
Peninsula.
"I wouldn't call it a disaster, each of
the cities has been able to deal with it,"
said a state Department of Natural
Resources official.
STATE PUBLIC Health Director
Bailur walker said he is concerned about
the contamination problems as he is
"any time there is the potential" for
public exposure.
"In most cases the contaminated
wells have been taken off line and the
rest of the system is still safe," state
Natural Resources Director Howard
Tanner said.
Cities found to have contamination
problems are Battle Creek, Kalamazoo,
Montague, Whitehall, Petoskey,
Charlevoix, Albion, Jackson, Clare,
Plainwell, White Cloud, Lansing and
Sturgis.
CONTAMINATION levels of the
chemicals ranged from just a trace to a
high of 150 parts per billin of per-
chloroethylene in Kalamazoo. That
well was taken out of use immediately
after the test.
The problem in Battle Creek is con-
sidered the most severe. Seventeen of
the city's 30 wells are contaminated and
have been removed from service.
Those still in use are in danger of
becoming contaminated.
In Petoskey and Charlevoix, where
only a single well supplies the com-
munity with water, city officials may
be forced to find a new water source.
The levels of chemical exposure are not
considered a serious hazard, said Jim
Cleland of the health department's
water supply division.
Since December, the state has tested
235 municipal wells in 103 communities,
including 16in the Upper Peninsula.
State officials hope to complete
testing by the end of the year on a
second group of wells in 209 com-
munities, including wells serving 50
mobile home parks.
Daily Photo by DOUG McMAHON
Leafy lunch
Norton Fogel, of the Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation Department, gives
this 4th Ave. treea healthy dose of water and fertilizer yesterday.
Ferency pushes for state action
By BILL SPINDLE
State government leaders, not the
private sector, must assume respon-
sibility for planning Michigan's
economic future, Democratic primary
gubernatorial candidate Zolton Feren-
cy said last night.
Appearing before a group of suppor-
ters at the Michigan League, Ferency
said that industries have failed to work
in the state's best interest.
"THOSE WHO have the economic
power are not planning for the
economic recovery for Michigan," he
said. "It falls to someone else to devise
the economic plan."
Speaking just one week before the
primary election, Ferency claimed that
he is one of three candidates capable of
winning the seven-man race for
the Democratic nomination.
Ferency said that only ,he, frontrun-
ner James Blanchard, and William Fit-
zgerald have a chance at winning the
primary.
During the speech, Ferency outlined
his plan for boosting the state's
economy and reducing unemployment,
which he called the overriding issues of
the campaign.
Ferency's plan includes heavy
reliance on the state's fresh water
resources, more emphasis on forestry
products, expansion of the tourist
trade, and improvement of mass tran-
sit systems.
"Flight of capital" from the state is
also a major concern, Ferency said.
"Those who have money are not in-
vesting it in Michigan because it's not
profitable to invest here," he said.
His plan would attract "small
economic enterprise" back to the state
by diversifying industry, Ferency ad-
ded.
Although the state must restore the
level of support to education, Ferency
said, "the quickest form of relief is the
federal government."
To get that support, Ferency said he
would urge senators and governors to
pressure Washington for more
education appropriations.
Ferency also charged, however, that
the state's colleges could cut back on
administrators to save money.
"I think (higher education) is very
top-heavy on administration," he said,
referring to administrators as "pencil
pushers" and "paper shufflers."
Ferency advocated using a state
education board, which is provided for
under the state constitution but seldom
used to guide higher education, to bet-
ter coordinate the educational assets
and eliminate some of the program
overlap in state institutions.
t erencv
... industry needs guidance
State offiejals
begin probe of
worker deaths
at auto plant
LANSING (UPI)- State officials began an in-
vestigation yesterday into the deaths of two workers
who were overcome by toxic fumes from a sludge
tank at Fisher Body's paint division.
Three other workers were hospitalized and several
more were treated at the Fisher Body infirmary,
plant officials said yesterday. The accident occurred
during the overnight shift when only a skeleton staff
was on duty.
Dead at the scene were.Richard Claeys, 35, of
Grand Ledge, and Robert Ward, 33, a foreman from
Lansing. Claeys' co-worker, Roger Tackett, 27, of
Lansing. was taken to St. Lawrence Hospital wherehe
was listed in serious condition.-
MIKE HUDSON, 35, of Leslie, and Jerry Pen
nington of Lyons, also were hospitalized for less
serious injuries, officials said.
Lansing fire officials identified the chemicals in-
volved as trichloroethylene and per-chloroethylene,
two grease-cutting solvents that can be absorbed
through the skin and react with the central nervous
system.
Michigan State University toxicologist Jerry Hook
said the solvents can act like "chloroform or other
anesthesia." They begin acting immediately on the
nervous system, he said.
Plant officials said Claeys and Tackett were
draining sludge from the pit, which contains excess
paint from the auto body painting area when the ac-
cident occurred between midnight andia.m.
An unidentified man who first saw'that Tackett and
Claeys were in trouble tried but failed to get them out.