Frequently Asked Questions

All Kalamazoo County residents rely on groundwater for drinking water, whether connected to municipal supply or a private well. About 25% of the county's 34–36 inches of annual rainfall filters into the ground to become this underground supply.

Hydrogeologists estimate the county has over 270 million gallons of groundwater available per day, while current county-wide usage sits around 55 million gallons daily. Kalamazoo County's 576 square miles recharge an estimated 73–98 billion gallons of groundwater each year.

Unplugged abandoned wells create a direct path for surface contaminants — sewage, fertilizers, and pesticides — to bypass natural soil filtration and reach underground aquifers. Large-diameter dug wells also pose a physical safety risk to people and animals who could fall in.

Under Michigan's Part 127 Well Construction Code, the property owner holds the legal obligation to plug any abandoned well on their land. Deep wells over 75 feet, wells in bedrock, or those with obstructions require a licensed Michigan well drilling contractor to handle safely.

Backflow occurs when water reverses direction in a supply system due to back-siphonage or back pressure, which can pull contaminants — chemicals, hose water, or irrigation runoff — into the potable water supply. Installing a vacuum breaker on outdoor hose connections is one of the simplest preventive steps available to homeowners.

The City recommends testing backflow preventers on residential lawn irrigation systems no less than once every five years by an ASSE-certified professional. Sump pumps connected to water supply lines and boiler systems with chemical additives also require testable backflow prevention devices.

Installing water-saving shower heads saves 500–800 gallons per month, and shortening showers by just 1–2 minutes saves up to 700 additional gallons monthly. Running dishwashers and washing machines only with full loads saves another 300–800 gallons per month.

Stormwater runoff picks up salts, sediment, fertilizer, oils, and pet waste from driveways and sidewalks, carrying them through catch basins to natural waterways including the Kalamazoo River. Unlike the sanitary sewer, the stormwater system receives no treatment — what enters drains goes directly to local rivers and wetlands.

The City continuously monitors wellfields for volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Low-level VOCs have been detected in three wellfields, and active remediation is ongoing at Wellfield 7 near Crosstown Parkway following contamination from a former gasoline service station.

Residents can join the Adopt-a-Drain Program to keep storm drains clear and reduce flooding. Directing downspouts toward shrubs, collecting runoff in rain barrels, using native plants that require less watering, and disposing of hazardous household waste properly all help prevent pollutants from reaching Kalamazoo's waterways.