Cascade Township voters and residents are breathing a sigh of relief today. The township board unanimously approved a six-month moratorium on data centers and cryptocurrency mining facilities, citing existing water contamination problems that officials say could only worsen with massive new infrastructure.

The vote came Wednesday, just days after state officials revealed the scope of the PFAS crisis in the area is growing faster than expected.

A community already fighting for clean water

Leah Gies, an environmental quality analyst with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), told FOX 17 that 70 of 166 tested wells in Cascade have come back above state PFAS drinking water standards. The agency has now expanded testing to include 76 additional homes.

"We decide to expand the sampling area based on several different factors, the geology in the area, the groundwater flow direction, and most importantly, the results that we're seeing," Gies said.

PFAS, known as "forever chemicals," are linked to certain types of cancer after long-term exposure. EGLE provides free water filters for homes that test above state criteria, with replacement cartridges every six months. But filters are not a permanent fix.

The agency now estimates it could cost about $12.5 million to connect the identified area to municipal water. Gies said the township expects it could take several years to secure that funding.

Residents say the township cannot take on more

Tom Gottlick, a Cascade Township neighbor whose water contains PFAS contamination, told FOX 17 he does not believe the township can handle the additional strain of a data center.

"Clean drinking water for the people that are living here now, that needs to be the priority, that just absolutely needs to be the priority," Gottlick said.

Gottlick added that if the township cannot manage its current infrastructure challenges, it has no business approving large-scale data center projects.

"No, because if they can't handle the infrastructure lack thereof right now, there's no way that Cascade could handle a data center."

Another resident, Jeff Marion, a local realtor, said many PFAS cases in the area are only discovered during home sales. He encouraged more testing at point of sale so residents are not unknowingly drinking contaminated water.

"If you're looking at a glass of water and you know there's PFAS in it, would you want to drink it? I don't even want to fill my bird bath with contaminated water," Marion said.

Township takes a proactive pause

Grace Lesperance, Cascade Township Supervisor, said the moratorium was not a response to any specific developer proposal. She told FOX 17 that no data center companies have approached the township.

"I think it would be premature at this time to form an opinion about yes or no, but certainly there's some major concerns, and we want to make sure that whatever we do decide is based on a lot of information, and that it doesn't affect residents negatively," Lesperance said.

Lesperance said she is personally "very hesitant towards allowing any data centers in Cascade Township right now."

"I agree with the mentality of, we don't need to welcome a whole new problem that we don't even know the effects of before. We've got enough on our plate with clean water in Cascade Township," she said.

What happens next

The moratorium prevents township leaders from considering data center or cryptocurrency mining proposals for six months. Officials can extend it for up to one year if necessary.

Township staff are already working with legal counsel on a draft ordinance to address long-term regulations, regardless of whether data centers are ultimately allowed in the township.

For residents like Gottlick, the pause is a first step. The real work is still ahead.

"Take care of the people here first before you start bringing in something that could have a detriment to the community," Gottlick said.