Reynolds Water Conditioning

  Legacy tanks typically store fuel and other hazardous chemicals underground. These tanks generally receive a little-to-no maintenance and were buried before strict regulations were established. Experts are concerned about the chemicals leaching into municipal drinking water.   A recent fuel leak in Flat Rock was suspected to be caused by a pair of underground steel tanks. The fuel spread to the Huron River by a tributary, as spotted by a fisherman. After a swift cleanup and containment efforts (such as closing the park), the Flat Rock tanks are a microcosm for a much more significant issue throughout the entire state. Over 8,000 underground storage tanks are potentially leaking, according to the state of Michigan. Jill Greenberg, an employee of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, said, “Of the 24,000 contaminated sites, 8,000 are leaky underground storage tanks. If there’s a property transaction and the owner knows about contamination, th...

  One of the most attractive aspects of Michigan is the five Great Lakes and its abundant interior waterways. While freshwater is plentiful in our area, environmental issues constantly threaten its health. Read on to learn of some recent examples.     The Flint Water Crisis The water crisis that began in Flint, Michigan, in 2014 reminds us of what happens when pollution gets out of control, and no one intervenes to stop it. Water for drinking and household use from the Flint River contained lead, bacteria, and chemicals that caused illness, developmental delays in children, and death. Yet, even after the lessons learned from Flint, there are still threats to Michigan's water supply.   Microplastics We hear so much about plastic pollution in the ocean, but plastic also pollutes the Great Lakes and Michigan's inner lakes, rivers, and streams. Microplastics are plastic pieces less than 5 mm long and form when larger plastics break down over time. Microplas...

  Flint and Benton Harbor have become notorious for their toxic drinking water, but they aren’t the only Michigan communities with bad water. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), millions of people throughout Metro Detroit are innocently consuming contaminated tap water with toxins linked to cancer, brain damage, liver disease, reproductive issues, nervous system problems, and more. EWG is an independent nonprofit that advocates for a chemical-free world; the organization has been a pioneer in clean water, exposing the toxic truth throughout the United States. Through the past two years, 56 new contaminants have been found in drinking water, including PFAS, synthetic chemicals, pesticides, radioactive materials, and water disinfectant byproducts.   A searchable database on the EWG website analyzes water quality for every ZIP code throughout America. The database was compiled from tap water quality reports. EWG is adamant that the U.S. Environmental Prot...