GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Repairs are scheduled at the Lake Michigan Filtration Plant this year after an “incredibly rare” lightning strike blew out a chunk of concrete at the facility over the summer.
The strike hit the ground near the plant’s generator building during an Aug. 12 lightning storm, bypassing the facility’s lightning protection systems, said Grand Rapids Assistant Water System Manager Nick Fisher.
The impact blew a chunk of concrete out of the ground and damaged the control panels for the plant’s backup generators.
The city of Grand Rapids’ Lake Michigan Filtration Plant is responsible for drawing water from Lake Michigan, treating it and then providing drinking water to about 280,000 people across Kent and Ottawa counties…