Inform, Entertain, Inspire
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Three Oaks sends Journeyman Cease and Desist Over Waste Water

The Village of Three Oaks

 

Journeyman Distillery in Three Oaks has been issued a cease and desist order from the Village and told to either find an alternate wastewater disposal or quit production.

 

The Village of Three Oaks ordered Journeyman to stop production because the village is unable to handle the waste water they are creating.

 

The waste water system in the village is several ponds that hold the waste. They are scheduled to be dredged this fall. They have not been dredged since they were put in, in the 1970s.

 

Journeyman's discharge is also in violation of a ordinance backed by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality from the same era about the type and amount of waste permitted.

 

“From the village’s standpoint the distillery’s waste that they’re putting into our system is just too potent and too strong for our treatment process,” said Village Manager Mike Green.

 
Journeyman owner Bill Welter said the ordinance didn’t come up when they came to Three Oaks in 2010, or when they expanded in 2015.

“Had those been presented I think obviously we would have said ‘well, we need to amend this’ because we can’t meet the ordinance or vice versa we would say ‘maybe we need to look at another town.’”

Green said the problem came as Journeyman grew. “Due to how successful they have become so fast and they expanded so fast the rate they create their product and how much they discharge expanded exponentially and that’s what did it.”

Welter said the village is unfairly targeting Journeyman for problems they created not keeping up with maintenance.

 

“It’s unjust how the town is making this a Journeyman issue when really the story is it’s been a failure to maintain the ponds over a long period of time.”

 

Welter said he would like to work with the village to make the system better for everyone.

There is a council meeting Wednesday, June 13. Journeyman has until next Friday, June 15, to comply with the cease and desist.