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Kent County approves bonding to design PFAS treatment systems for three landfill sites
Summary
The Board adopted a resolution allowing the Department of Public Works to recover pre-bond design costs and to advance design for PFAS treatment at the North Kent, Kentwood and South Kent landfills. The department estimated a total project cost of $12–$15 million and said treatment will be financed by bonds repaid from landfill operating fees.
The Kent County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday voted to authorize recovery of design-phase expenditures and to move forward with design of PFAS treatment systems at three county landfill facilities.
The measure, moved by Commissioner Steck and adopted by roll call, allows the Department of Public Works to include pre-bond design costs in the eventual financing package. Director Darryl (last name not specified in the record) told commissioners the department expects total borrowing needs of about $12 million to $15 million to design and build systems to capture and treat PFAS at the South Kent Landfill, Kentwood Landfill (a closed legacy facility) and the North Kent Landfill.
Why this matters: Kent County officials said the systems will treat groundwater and leachate that come in contact with landfill waste and will help meet permit requirements for multiple sewer authorities and surface-water discharges. Commissioners and staff framed the project as a countywide public-health and environmental response to persistent PFAS contamination.
Key details
- Motion and vote: Commissioner Steck moved approval of Resolution 48; the motion was supported by Commissioner Pacla and approved by the board in a 20–0 roll-call vote.
- Cost and financing: Darryl said the department will first develop a 75% design to establish a guaranteed maximum price. The department estimates total project borrowing of $12–$15 million; the board authorized inclusion of preliminary design costs in the future bond issuance. Construction is expected to start in 2026 if bond financing is approved later in the year.
- Scope and permits: Darryl said the systems will treat groundwater, contact water and landfill leachate and are intended to meet permit requirements spanning the city of Grand Rapids, the city of Wyoming and the North Kent Sewer Authority and to satisfy EGLE (Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy) requirements for discharge to surface water.
- Local destruction option: The design proposal includes an option to lease destruction equipment so the county could capture PFAS and then destroy it locally; the department said that option remains under consideration.
- Ratepayer impact: Department staff estimated annual additional costs for debt service and operations at roughly $800,000–$900,000. Because landfill operations are an enterprise activity, the department said the increased costs would be covered through the solid-waste rate structure and are included in the 2026 budget planning assumptions.
Commissioner discussion
Commissioner Faber said Kent County has a high number of PFAS-identified sites and urged the department to consider mobile or community-wide destruction options beyond the county’s closed landfills. Darryl said the county would consider broader solutions and that leasing destruction equipment could enable a wider program.
Commissioner Stack asked whether the resolution would allow recovery of the design-phase expenses into the bond; Darryl confirmed that the resolution permits those costs to be included in the eventual bond financing. Commissioners asked about timing; Darryl said the design consultant would start soon but that permitting, public-works and Board of Public Works actions would push bonding and construction into late 2025 or 2026.
Ending
The resolution passed unanimously. Commissioners said they supported moving forward to design and to return with the financing proposal later this year; the department will return to the board when it has a guaranteed maximum price and a final financing plan.
