The Department of Environmental Quality believes a lake could be receiving contamination as a result of water being discharged from a Fenton Township farm.

Two notices from the DEQ have been sent to Starrs Farm, due to three alleged violations from earlier this year. The Tri-County Times reports that one of the letters from the DEQ notes that discolored water from the farm has discharged over a curb onto Lakeview Park Drive and then into Byram Lake. While it is believed that the water was diluted and therefore will not have a significant impact on the lake, the DEQ does say the contaminated wastewater “presents a potential threat to human health and may be injurious” to the lake.

Two of the other violations reference a storage system that retains contaminated wastewater from the farm’s feeding operation, and an area between the system and Lakeview Park Drive that was filled with contaminated water that tested positive for the presence of fecal bacteria. That water flows into Byram Lake from several directions. The owner of the farm has reportedly presented a corrective plan to the DEQ and is waiting for their response. (DK)