Is Lake Lansing Polluted?
Yes — Lake Lansing in Ingham County, Michigan is on the EPA's Clean Water Act 303(d) impaired-waters list (2024 assessment cycle). It is cited for PFAS. No cleanup plan (TMDL) has been completed yet. "Impaired" is a legal designation, separate from the lake's EPA condition class water-quality readings: it means at least one designated use (such as swimming, aquatic life, or fish consumption) does not meet state standards for the listed pollutant.
EPA 303(d) Listing
| On 303(d) impaired list | Yes |
| Cleanup plan (TMDL) | Not yet written |
| Assessment cycle | 2024 |
| EPA IR category | 5 |
| Location | Ingham County, Michigan |
Pollutants Cited
- PFAS — Per- and polyfluoroalkyl "forever chemicals" from industrial and firefighting-foam sources. PFAS listings are newer and typically trigger fish-consumption and, in some cases, drinking-water guidance.
Specific parameters in the EPA record: PERFLUOROOCTANE SULFONATE (PFOS) IN FISH TISSUE.
What this means for using Lake Lansing
Lake Lansing's listing is driven by contaminants that build up in fish (PFAS), so the practical impact is on eating the fish, not on swimming. Follow the state fish-consumption advisory for Michigan. An impairment listing does not mean the lake is closed — most impaired lakes remain open for boating and swimming. It means a specific pollutant exceeds a standard for a specific use. Lake Lansing carries an overall water-quality readings of —, with algae (chlorophyll-a) at 3.8 µg/L and phosphorus at 19 µg/L — see the full breakdown on the lake report. The official EPA assessment is available in the ATTAINS waterbody report.
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