Industrial users of Traverse City WWTP
Traverse City, Michigan · 15 industrial users on record · 10 sampled for PFAS · 5 above 12 ng/L PFOS
Traverse City WWTP in Traverse City treats 4.63 MGD and receives process wastewater from 15 industrial users on record in its pretreatment programme, led by automotive, metal and equipment manufacturing (6) and food and beverage (2). 10 of them have been sampled for PFAS (14 samples, 2023–2024); 5 had a sample with PFOS above the 12 ng/L screening level.
- Traverse City WWTP: permit, flow and compliance
- PFAS sources at all Michigan plants
- All treatment plants in Michigan
- What is a significant industrial user?
PFAS sampling of the plant's industrial users
- Users sampled
- 10
- Above 12 ng/L PFOS
- 5
- Highest PFOS sample
- 290 ng/L
- Latest sample
- May 2024
12 ng/L is Michigan’s surface water quality value for PFOS and the screening criterion of the initiative; 170 ng/L is the value for PFOA since July 2022. Both apply to what a treatment plant discharges to a river or lake, not to what a factory sends to the sewer. An industrial user above the level has not broken a limit: it is a source the receiving plant has to follow up with sampling, a reduction plan or pretreatment.
5 of 15 industrial users
| # | Industrial user | Industry | Type | Highest PFOS | Latest PFOS | Samples |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beacon Recycling Traverse City · Traverse City | Landfills and waste management | — | 290 ng/L24× · Mar 2024 | 290 ng/LMar 2024 | 1 |
| 2 | United States Coast Guard Air Station / USCG Commingled With Flow From Upstream (SAN-MH04) & (SAN-MH05) · Traverse City | Automotive, metal and equipment manufacturing | — | 34 ng/L2.8× · May 2024 | 4.1 ng/LMay 2024 | 4 |
| 3 | East Bay 1 Lift Station (Indian Trail LS) · Traverse City | Water, sewer and power utilities | — | 28 ng/L2.3× · May 2024 | 28 ng/LMay 2024 | 1 |
| 4 | Grand Traverse Container · Traverse City | Automotive, metal and equipment manufacturing | — | 15 ng/LMay 2024 | 15 ng/LMay 2024 | 1 |
| 5 | TVC (Cherry Capital Airport) · Traverse City | Airports and military sites | — | 13 ng/LMay 2024 | 13 ng/LMay 2024 | 1 |
Industrial users by industry
| Industry | Industrial users |
|---|---|
| Automotive, metal and equipment manufacturing | 6 |
| Food and beverage | 2 |
| Water, sewer and power utilities | 2 |
| Airports and military sites | 1 |
| Contaminated sites and remediation | 1 |
| Landfills and waste management | 1 |
The largest groups, from each user's NAICS code.
Industrial users of Traverse City WWTP: questions
Which industries discharge to Traverse City WWTP?
15 industrial users on record discharge process wastewater to Traverse City WWTP in Traverse City, most of them in automotive, metal and equipment manufacturing (6), food and beverage (2), water, sewer and power utilities (2).
Has PFAS been found in wastewater sent to Traverse City WWTP?
10 of the plant’s industrial users have been sampled for PFAS, 14 samples in 2023–2024. 5 had at least one sample with PFOS above the 12 ng/L screening level; the highest was 290 ng/L. The level is a surface water quality value, so a sample above it marks a source the plant has to follow up, not a violation by the company.
What is an industrial pretreatment programme?
Under the Clean Water Act a treatment plant that receives industrial wastewater has to control it at the source: it permits its significant industrial users, sets local limits, inspects and samples them, and reports to the state each year. The aim is to stop pollutants that pass through or disrupt the plant, or end up in its biosolids.
How do I get the full list of industrial users for Traverse City WWTP?
This page shows the first 5 of 15. The full list, with each user’s discharge flow, federal category, PFAS sampling history, source documents and contacts, is available with a free Klarifi account.
Industrial users: PFAS sampling reports that treatment plants file with EGLE under the IPP PFAS Initiative (MiEnviro Portal), extracted by Klarifi. Values are as reported by the receiving plant; a value shared by several compounds in one sample is read as the laboratory’s reporting limit and not counted as a detection. Spotted an error? Tell us and we correct it.
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