"We were devastated." Ann Arbor residents say local mining activities causing wells to dry up
ANN ARBOR TOWNSHIP, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - Residents in a rural community five miles from downtown Ann Arbor said their private wells began running dry in January.
They said the new owner of a local mine, Mid Michigan Materials, began aggressively emptying water from the Vella Pit as they ramped up operations. Residents say they first noticed a loss of water pressure before some lost water completely.
In total, they said a total of 25 wells have run dry in less than a year.
"We had just come back from vacation, and we had a dog sitter here, and she had told us that our water was sputtering," said resident Robin Kunkel. "We didn't think much about it, and the next morning when my husband went to take his shower there was no water."
Kunkel said she and her husband called a drilling company to assess the issue. They were told their well was dry.
"We were shocked," said Kunkel. "We were devastated. When someone tells you, 'You have no water' -- it's unbelievable."
They were told their water level had dropped 17 feet in a short period of time and had to dig an additional 20 feet to hit the water.
Resident Amy Olszewski said she first encountered the issue in June 2020 when her well pump stopped working.
"Our water is disappearing," she said. "They are actually taking our water out of the ground and pumping it out somewhere else. Once that water is gone, it's gone forever … Is their business more important than our water?"
Residents said Mid Michigan Materials drives heavy gravel trucks on residential roads outside of working hours that kick up dust and create constant noise. Community members are concerned about the health implications of inhaling the dust.
Michael Watts bought property adjacent to the mine around the time Mid Michigan Materials purchased the Vella Pit in 2020. He showed CBS News Detroit where water pumped from the mine is seeping deep into his land.
"They're effectively taking up to four to five million gallons a day, lowering our aquifer, lowering the wells, and pumping it into the wetlands, which are protected and they don't have a permit for," said Watts.
A spokesman for the company said they are only pumping two million gallons of water a day and have taken responsibility for its impact on nearby wells, paying for them to be replaced.
"Because they had not experienced a problem like this before, in addition to fixing those wells, they have voluntarily started a large hydrogeological study of the aquifer in that specific target area," said company spokesman John Sellek.
"It's not for the whole township. We're not seeing a massive area that's being affected – we're a handful of wells directly near the facility. It's important to note we're operating within all the permitting that's required both by the township and by the state."
Still, community members fear the aquifer will be dried up completely if the company continues dewatering at the current rate.
"All of our neighbors are nervous because they're wondering: Are we the next to go?" said Kunkel. "Are we the next to have no water?"
Ann Arbor Township officials have said they are looking into potential violations by the company.
For more information, residents have launched a website.