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Minnesota Water Well Association supports plan to treat PFAS contamination by 3M

Aug 19, 2021, 15:44 PM by Dave Evener
After holding nearly 80 public and workgroup meetings and receiving more than 330 public comments, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) released on August 18 a drinking water supply plan for the 14 communities impacted by 3M’s per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination.

dave_schulenbergAfter holding nearly 80 public and workgroup meetings and receiving more than 330 public comments, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) released on August 18 a drinking water supply plan for the 14 communities impacted by 3M’s per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination.

The plan invests $700 million to build or expand six new water treatment plants, treat 33 municipal wells, connect 296 homes to municipal water systems, and provide a home water filtration system to homeowners with private wells. Municipal and private wells that meet or exceed the state’s PFAS Health Index of 0.5 will be offered treatment. This long-term plan will address drinking water for the approximately 174,000 people in the 14 affected communities.

The Minnesota Water Well Association expressed support for the plan in a statement, calling it a “good step forward” for well owners in the area.

“Many communities and families prefer to stay connected to their wells and this plan largely allows them to do so," said Dave Schulenberg, QAS, executive director. "Now, as we move towards its implementation, it’s important we come together to connect well owners with the resources they may need in order to provide clean water for their families.”

PFAS is a family of synthetic chemicals initially developed by 3M to make products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease, and water. Those chemicals were dumped in the East Metro for decades, leading to widespread drinking water contamination. In 2018, the state of Minnesota and 3M settled for $850 million for the damages to the state’s natural resources (e.g., groundwater which is the source of the East Metro’s drinking water). Since the settlement, state agencies have been working on the Conceptual Drinking Water Supply Plan that outlines safe and sustainable long-term drinking water solutions for residents and businesses impacted by the contamination.

The MPCA and DNR will host a virtual open house to share the details of the final plan and answer the public’s questions on September 21. For more information on specific drinking water projects in the 14 communities, visit the 3M Settlement web site.

Click here to read more.

NGWA has long been an industry leader in providing PFAS research, education, and resources to the public and scientific communities. In 2017, NGWA published Groundwater and PFAS: State of Knowledge and Practice, which was one of the first PFAS guidance documents to be released. It can be found at NGWA.org/PFAS, which is a complete resource center about the groundwater contaminants featuring a FAQs document, a top-10 facts sheet, a homeowner checklist, and more.

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, is a category of human-made chemicals that have been widely used in a variety of products and industries, such as firefighting foams, protective coatings, and surfactant applications among many other uses and products. This website section provides information on PFAS particularly oriented toward private wells and the water well industry to help you understand the sources and occurrence of PFAS in groundwater. If you are concerned about the possibility of PFAS in your drinking water and are served by a private well, both NGWA and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommend testing your drinking water as well as reaching out to your local health department for information.

As an authority on groundwater in the United States, NGWA is a leader in the science of PFAS affecting this important natural resource. Directed by a standing task group dedicated to advancing the knowledge of this emerging topic, NGWA’s PFAS initiatives include hosting PFAS conferences focused on groundwater and publishing multiple products (technical guidance documents, white papers, fact sheets, position papers) related to PFAS, groundwater, and the water well industry.

The last several years have seen a flurry of wide-ranging legislation concerning PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) from Capitol Hill and state legislatures. NGWA has been a key resource on not only providing the sound science to inform policymakers about these “forever chemicals,” but also providing solutions that our members’ expertise can provide to ensure our groundwater resources are safe and reliable. While we agree states have a right to manage and regulate PFAS based on their unique circumstances, we also feel the federal government must provide clearer and scientifically researched guidance on PFAS treatment and disposal. 

NGWA continues to advocate for:

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  • Supporting a bipartisan solution that creates a maximum contaminant level — or MCL — for PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctanesulfonic acid) based on the best available science
  • Dedicating financial and technical resources to private well owners for testing and remediating PFAS
  • Properly funding PFAS programs and solutions to ensure our groundwater is safe and reliable
  • Advanced guidance from the EPA on the treatment and disposal of PFAS.

PFAS: Top 10 Facts

Download PFAS: Top 10 Facts. 

PFAS: The Truth About Water Wells position paper

NGWA published this position paper in 2022 that provides facts about PFAS and how water wells can still provide safe water because effective residential-scale PFAS treatment technologies are commercially available. It is ideal for sharing with local, state, and federal officials. Download the position paper.

Practical Guide for PFAS Sampling white paper

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The NGWA white paper, Practical Guide for PFAS Sampling, provides a practical guide to PFAS sample collection for those familiar with industry-standard environmental field sampling practices.

Groundwater professionals may be called on to sample for PFAS analysis and to interpret PFAS laboratory data. The presence of PFAS in many products, potentially including products commonly used in environmental field sampling efforts, should be considered when planning a PFAS sampling program, and this document provides a guide for such programs.

PFAS Fate and Transport 2021 white paper

NGWA’s white paper, PFAS Fate and Transport 2021, updates section four of the NGWA guidance document, Groundwater and PFAS: State of Knowledge and Practice, which was published in 2017.

Since the release of that guidance document, many studies have investigated PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) transformation, partitioning, and transport; for example, the influence of PFAS accumulation at media interfaces, such as the air-water-solid interfaces in the vadose zone.

This white paper picks up where that section of the guidance document left off by providing important updates.

PFAS risk communication

As a groundwater professional, you may need to inform a customer of the potential for PFAS contamination in their well water and subsequent actions to mitigate exposure. PFAS Risk Communication for Contractors is a two-page fact sheet to aid groundwater professionals in such communications. The document features common questions that may be asked and talking points that may be of assistance. 

PFAS and private well owners

PFAS and Private Well Owners: What You Need to Know is a two-page fact sheet that groundwater professionals can distribute to customers and others in their community concerned about PFAS. Written in easy-to-understand language by groundwater professionals, it explains what PFAS are, how to test wells for PFAS, treatment options, and more. 

NGWA guidance document

NGWA published Groundwater and PFAS: State of Knowledge and Practice, a guidance document on PFAS in 2017.

Created by 36 NGWA volunteers who spent 1100 hours on it over the course of 12 months, it is a comprehensive eight-part piece exploring the potentially hazardous, and widely discussed, compounds in groundwater and soil. NGWA published the document to identify the known science and knowledge related to PFAS; it summarizes the fate, transport, remediation, and treatment of PFAS, as well as current technologies, methods, and field procedures. 

Water and soil guidelines and regulations

Click here to be redirected to a website where the Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council (ITRC) maintains fact sheets on PFAS along with Excel® spreadsheets that contain PFAS water and soil regulatory and guidance values by state and federal agencies.