Parke Lake residents are calling on the Clarkston city government ? and anyone else ? to help them head off further groundwater pollution.
‘The current approach is to treat these waterways as part of a stormwater management system ? that is, as sewers,? said resident Tom Stone at the Nov. 22 meeting of the Clarkston City Council.
Stone represented a group of residents which has been meeting periodically to discuss their options. He brought with him a jar with a brownish-green water sample.
While uncertain as to the cause of the discoloration, Stone said it should serve as a wakeup call.
‘If you’re wondering if anything is happening, there’s your evidence,? he said. ‘It may be of minor import, it may be of major import, but we’re concerned. This kind of thing gets your attention.?
Among the residents? requests are formal testing of the lake for contaminants by an outside consulting firm; the installation of a ‘swirl chamber? water treatment system at the ‘bridge? over the Main Street spillway from the Mill Pond to Parke Lake; and a comprehensive environmental impact study including not only local bodies of water, but also the former Powell landfill, the former gasoline station at Main Street and Clarkston Road, and current construction by Clarkston Community Schools.
‘All of us are part of what is the movement of the Clinton River through this city,? Stone said, noting residents? desire to be part of the solution. ‘We’re willing to do something about those concerns. The quality of the lake affects the value of the properties on the lake.?
‘I think what you and your neighbors should do is form a lake [improvement] board,? said Council Member Walter Gamble. Gamble serves on such a board for the Mill Pond, and that group uses a Grand Rapids-based consultant for ongoing study of that body of water.
State law allows for the formation of lake improvement boards, which have the power to conduct public hearings and levy assessments against lakefront property owners for various cleanup actions.
Council Member Daniel Colombo volunteered to seek testing of the water sample presented by Stone.
In the meantime, Stone said his group would continue to study options, including cooperative efforts with other lakefront homeowner associations. He is looking forward to a Jan. 20, 2005 meeting at Independence Township Fire Station #1 which will present a discussion of ‘Water Quality and Property Values.?