Burger/Goodwood PFAS Water Extension Project
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Project engineers, Prein & Newhof, keep an updated webpage for the project. For questions related to the Burger/Goodwood Water Extension Project, email goodwoodwater@gmail.com. Join the Cascade Township PFAS AOI Interest E-mail List for future PFAS updates.
Jump down to: Phase Two - Groundwater Restrictions - Previous Updates - Useful Links
Progress Update- 1.19.26
All watermain installation work was complete by November 1, 2025 and now all that is left is for McDonald Plumbing to connect the few remaining properties from the curb to their house and completion of any necessary remediation.
Road Resurfacing
Kent County Road Commission completed some road resurfacing within the Burger/Goodwood Neighborhood in the fall of 2025: Oak Terrace Ct, Ridgemont Ct, Sandy Lane Ct, Sandy Lane Dr, Tricklewood Dr, and Woodbrook Dr. The remaining roads in the project area are scheduled for resurfacing in 2026.
Lawn Restoration
Phase One of the project ended in 2023 with work under the contractor warranty period ending in 2024. The scope of active construction is contractually restricted to the remaining Phase Two areas of the project. Phase Two lawn restoration will continue into the spring of 2026, as needed. If you have further questions or concerns regarding restoration, email
goodwoodwater@gmail.com.
The project contractor has asked property owners to assist in the success of these efforts to help support healthy grass establishment in the following ways:
- Irrigation: Newly seeded areas benefit from consistent, light watering. Begin watering one day after application. We recommend watering 3 times per day. The goal is to keep the surface of the newly seeded areas consistently moist (but not soaked) especially during dry periods.
- Mowing: Avoid mowing until the new grass reaches a height of 3–4 inches. When you mow, set your mower blades high.
- Traffic: Try to minimize foot traffic across newly seeded areas to help prevent damage to emerging grass. Block children, pets, and other pedestrian traffic, if possible, to avoid disruption of the hydro seeded mulch or germinating seeds. You should minimize traffic after application for 5 to 6 weeks to allow your lawn to mature.
- Weed Control: DO NOT use weed control products on new grass. These chemicals can destroy fledgling grass. If you notice weeds growing in your hydro seeded lawn, do not be concerned. Over time, the new grass will become denser, and most weeds will be choked out by advancing grassroots. After the new grass is fully established, you can use weed control.
- Patience: Grass establishment can take time, especially during hot, dry months, but with consistent care, results will follow.
We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we work toward completing this restoration.
Watermain Connections
Residents who have not yet obtained a quote for their water service connection are no longer eligable to schedule watermain connections through the Burger/Goodwood PFAS Remediation Project. All eligible residents received letters stating that they must schedule with McDonald Plumbing before the end of 2025 to be funded by the project; that deadline has passed.
McDonald Plumbing Contact info:
Grace Thumser – (616) 698-6771
As a reminder, the work McDonald Plumbing will be providing will be paid for by the project, not residents. The only fee homeowners would be responsible for is the difference in price if they choose copper for the private portion of the water service, rather than the plastic version that is covered by the project, and any costs associated with retaining their well for irrigation, if they choose to do so.
Property owners should be aware that many irrigation systems were likely damaged and had lines/zones removed or severed during watermain installation. As part of the contract, project staff will be coordinating with an irrigation company to repair these systems at no cost to the property owner.
If you have any concerns regarding the project, please reach out to the project email account at goodwoodwater@gmail.com.
Groundwater Restrictions
At the beginning of the Burger/Goodwood PFAS investigation, there was discussion that the Township may adopt a Groundwater Use Ordinance, like the one adopted in Plainfield Township. Cascade Township does not currently intend to pass any type of Groundwater Use Ordinance because, unlike Plainfield, Cascade was able to secure enough grant funding from the state and federal government to cover the project without requiring the same magnitude of funding from the party at fault which the Township identifies as the Gerald R Ford International Airport. Plainfield Township passed a Groundwater Use Ordinance as part of their agreement with Wolverine World Wide that provided for PFAS cleanup costs.
This means that Cascade Township will not be requiring residents to cap their wells or hook up to city water at this time. If the state were to require this type of ordinance in the future, the situation would become more complicated. Depending on the circumstances, the Township may be able to ask the GR Ford Airport to pay for well capping as part of remediation, but that depends on how many years down the line this legislation would be adopted and what it required.
There is already a portion of Cascade Township's ordinance that addresses required city water connections at residences where it is available:
§ 313-83. Public water connection required. [Amended 12-22-1993 by Ord. No. 18-1993; 6-13-2018 by Ord. No. 5-2018]
C. All existing single-family residential structures and multifamily residential structures, including such structures which are covered by an existing Special Assessment District for public water, shall be required to connect to available public water:
(1) When there is a major repair required of the private well, as determined by the Kent County Health Department.
Failure of a well would constitute a 'major repair', as determined by the health department, and would require connection to 'available public water', as defined earlier in the ordinance.
§ 313-82. Definitions. As used in this Part 6, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated: AVAILABLE PUBLIC WATER — Public water pipes located in a right-of-way, easement, highway, street, or public way which crosses, joins, or abuts upon the property and passing not more than 300 feet at the nearest point from a structure.
This means that if your property is closer than 300 ft from public water utilities, whether they were available prior to this project or were installed as a result of this project, and your well fails, you won't be allowed to drill a new well. In this circumstance you would have to move onto city water and there isn't any guarantee that government funding would be available at that time; this would put the monetary burden of connection to city water on the property.
The Township is not currently planning to impose water testing requirements at residences that do not connect during the project.
Previous Updates
Phase Two Update- 7.24.25
View the Phase Two update regarding completion of Phase Two watermain installation, road resurfacing in the project area, and remediation.
Phase Two Update- 4.30.25
View the Phase Two update regarding road resurfacing in Phase One areas and watermain installation in Phase Two areas.
Phase Two Update- 10.11.24
View the Phase Two update regarding watermain Ridgemont Ct, Tricklewood Dr, and Woodbrook Dr connecting to watermain in 2024.
Phase Two Update- 9.5.24
View the Phase Two update regarding watermain on Oak Tree Dr and Forest Valley Dr (from Oak Tree Dr to the valve on the east side of Forest Valley Court connecting to watermain in 2024.
Phase Two Update- 7.30.24
View the letter sent to Phase One and Phase Two residents regarding Phase One completion and Phase Two beginning.
Phase One Closeout Letter - 5.21.24
View the letter sent to all Phase One residents explaining that Phase One of the project would be ending and what they would need to do if they still wanted to connect to municipal water as part of the project.
Project Update - 11.28.23
View the complete 11.28.23 project update for historical information on Phase One tree restoration, whole home water filtration system removal, Phase Two tree removal, keeping wells for irrigation and accessing clean water until municipal water connections are complete.
Project Update - 2.08.23
View the 2.08.23 project update for answers to common questions about connecting to the water system as well as information about keeping wells for irrigation and accessing clean water until the connections are made.
Project Timeline - 10.12.22
Due to circumstances outside of the Township’s control, the construction contractor for the Cascade PFAS Remediation Water Extension Project has indicated that construction on this project will now commence in spring of 2023. The Township is working with the City of Grand Rapids, project contractors, and project engineers to ensure this delay does not effect the agreed upon completion date of the project and that clean water is brought to the neighborhood as soon as possible. We will provide another update with more information as soon as one is available.
Project Timeline - 10.05.22
Water main connections are set to begin on 10.10.22. Check out our most updated project timeline for more information.
Visit the P&N Construction Update Page
In addition to this project page maintained by Cascade Township, Prein & Newhof is also maintaining a project page which will be updated regularly regarding weekly work schedules once the project begins.
September 7 & October 12, 2022 - Residential Connection FAQ Map outlining project phases
August 2, 2022 - Project update
June 10, 2022 - Update of the project schedule
May 31, 2022 - Update to the project plan
June 19, 2020 - EGLE update regarding residential well sampling
February 19, 2020 - Update #4 - Cascade Township Residential Drinking Water Well Sampling
November 15, 2019 - Update #3 - Cascade Township Residential Drinking Water Well Sampling
August 5, 2019 - Update # 2 - Cascade Township Residential Drinking Water Well Sampling
May 16, 2019 - Update #1 - Cascade Township Residential Drinking Water Well Sampling
March 12, 2019 - The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality conducted an evaluation of residential drinking wells for PFAS compounds in approximately 50 homes along the Trout Creek area east of the 36th Street exits off I-96 and west of Tricklewood Drive. Residents previously sampled as part of the efforts by Gerald R. Ford International Airport or Lacks Industries were not resampled. Residents who provided independent PFAS results below 5 ppt were not contacted.
Register for future updates from MDEQ on the “Cascade Township Residential Wells Sampling and PFAS Analysis” listserv.
Full news release
September 26, 2018 - Airport Residential Well Testing Results Statement
June 29, 2018 - Kent County Health Department news release advising against the ingestion of foam on the Thornapple River. Sample set results can be viewed here.
June 15, 2018 - State of Michigan PFAS Health Advisory Level & Cleanup Criteria Report from GR Ford Airport's multi-step evaluation process to assess the protential presence of PFAS on airport property.
May 31, 2018 - Airport testing process details as they near the conclusion of the sample collection phase
April 19, 2018 - The Township learned of potential PFAS contamination caused by a fire-retardant material, known as the AFFF, at the airport, Cascade Charter Township hired Fleis & VandenBrink to test the two wells that serve Cascade Township Park, located at 3810 Thornapple River Dr. SE. Test results determined no amount of PFAS was detected in the wells that serve the park. See the summary of the report and the full report.
March 30, 2018 - Previous Township Manager Ben Swayze spoke with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and learned:
- March 29 - The DEQ did not have confirmation of PFAS contamination in or around the Gerald R. Ford International Airport.
- The DEQ formally asked the airport to conduct an investigation into the chemicals used in firefighting foam. This process included soil sampling and aquifer profiling in order to map out the potential for contamination.
- The DEQ was the first contact for residents and could be reached at the Environmental Assistance Center at 800.662.9278. The DEQ did not advised residents to drink bottled water or to have their wells tested at that time.
- Residents interested in the state’s response to PFAS in Northern Kent County can find more information here.
In partnership with the City of Grand Rapids, the Township applied for and was awarded a $5 million grant to begin the extension of municipal water service to the Trout Creek area, where drinking wells were contaminated with PFAS. In addition, the State of Michigan provided $1.65 million for the project. This funding ensured Phase One of the project could begin in 2022. The Township and other project partners pursued funding for Phase Two of the project, completed in 2025.
Useful Links
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PFAS Grant Application
PFAS Project Map
Safe Water for Cascade - PFAS Community Forum Presentation
PFAS Meeting - Letter to Residents
Watermain Plans (Phase One)
Watermain Plans (Phase Two)
Community Meeting - Prepared Slides
February 3, 2022 Citizens Meeting Video Recording
PFAS Citizens Committee Agendas/Packets - This committee meets the first Thursday of every other month at 4:00 p.m. at the Cascade Township Office (5920 Tahoe Dr. SE).
State of Michigan PFAS Action Response Team - Cascade Township
State of Michigan PFAS Action Response Team - Gerald R. Ford International Airport
Project Contacts
A list of contacts for the project can be found on the left-hand side of the Prein & Newhof project page.
If you don’t see your question/answer above, email the project at goodwoodwater@gmail.com.
Gerald R. Ford International Airport