Last week, a chemical spill in the Huron River prompted authorities to discourage anyone from interacting with water from the river. Immediately, bodies of water typically filled with boats, kayaks, and fishermen, were eerily empty.

The reason was due to an area downstream of Wixom, after a chrome plating factory - Tribar - released a large quantity of hexavalent chromium into a sewer system that discharges into the river.

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Naturally, bodies of water downstream were affected, and over the weekend, one pond in particular was found to have low levels of the toxic chemical in it - Hubbell Pond, in Milford Township.

At the moment, only small amounts of the chemical have been found in the water, but the mere presence of it was enough to prompt officials to encourage no one drink, interact, or even water their yards and plants with the water from Hubbell Pond.

Friday, two samples tested positive after widespread sampling, and for the time being, Hubbell Pond is the only body of water texting positive for the chemical.

The City of Ann Arbor worked with their legal team this week as well to pursue avenues to hold Tribar accountable for the spill.

The following statement was issued from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services:

"Until further notice, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is recommending that people and pets avoid contact with the Huron River water between North Wixom Road in Oakland County and Kensington Road in Livingston County. This includes Norton Creek downstream of the Wixom Wastewater Treatment Plant (Oakland County), Hubbell Pond (Also known as Mill Pond in Oakland County), and Kent Lake (Oakland and Livingston Counties)."

The Tribar Spill was nearly 10,000 gallons of the cancer-causing chemical, and isn't the first time this has happened. Tribar is also responsible for a PFAS leak in the same body of water back in 2018.

Kalamazoo River Oil Spill of 2010

In 2010, the Kalamazoo River suffered one of the worst inland oil spills in U.S. History, dumping nearly 1 million gallons of "dilbit" into the river, and affecting nearly 35 miles of the river.

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