MACOMB COUNYT, Mich. (WXYZ) — Macomb County officials are investigating what may have caused two unknown substances to appear in Warren's Bear Creek Wednesday.
The creek is a partially open and partially enclosed underground drain, which runs through central Warren.
According to Dan Heaton, communications manager with the Macomb County Public Works Office, a "yellow-ish" substance was first discovered in the drain, then a sheen substance was found. Officials say the sheen substance may be a petroleum-based product.
The substances were found in an open portion of the drain near Mound and 11 Mile Road, outside of the Detroit Arsenal in Warren.
“Our first actions are always to quickly marshal any needed resources to control the pollution and limit the impact to the environment,” said Macomb County Public Works Commissioner Candice S. Miller. “Now, with these controls in place, we will work to discover where this pollution is coming from and take any necessary remedial steps.”
The Macomb County Public Works Office placed absorbent booms in the creek. The Warren Fire Department and Macomb County Health Department and Michigan Department of Environmental Quality have all been notified.
Samples of the substances have been collected, and the public works office will be running tests to determine exactly what the substances are.
According to a release, Bear Creek is a county drain that carries storm water and snow melt run-off from the southeast corner of Oakland County through much of Warren before connecting with the Red Run near the intersection of Masonic and Chicago roads. The Red Run then eventually connects with the Clinton River, which drains into Lake St. Clair in Harrison Township.
