Late in 2006, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) found a chemical in some south metro city wells. A low level of perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) was found in one city well in South St. Paul and three city wells in Hastings. Two other city wells in South Saint Paul, two other city wells in Hastings, three city wells in Inver Grove Heights and one in Rosemount were tested and no PFBA was detected.
MDH, MPCA, and 3M are researching the contamination. They believed it was coming from 3M’s manufacturing and disposal sites in Washington County. These studies expanded to include parts of Dakota County. In Washington County, several chemicals in the PFBA family have been found in public and private wells, including some at levels above MDH drinking water guidelines. To date, PFBA is the only one of this family of chemicals found in Dakota County groundwater. MDH’s current guideline for PFBA in drinking water is 1.0 part per billion. The Dakota County detections have been less than half of that.
Although PFBA has only been found at low levels in Dakota County, people with concerns may use a filter with granular activated carbon to remove this chemical from their drinking water. Such filters are readily available in “end of tap” or “pitcher” filters.
This family of chemicals includes Scotchgard, Teflon, flame-retardants, and other coatings. Little is known about the long-term effects of these chemicals, but MDH, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and 3M are researching these chemicals in more detail. The drinking water guidelines recommended by MDH have been set at low levels because of the uncertainties surrounding these chemicals.
Dakota County residents with private wells can have their water tested for perfluorochemicals (PFCs). The test costs residents $387. Dakota County and the Minnesota Department of Health partnered to make the test available.
Dakota County will continue to work with the cities and state agencies involved with this problem, and will make new information available as quickly as possible. More information is available from the cities of
Hastings and
South St. Paul, and the Minnesota Department of Health - please see Quick Links on the right.
For information specific to Dakota County and/or private drinking water wells, contact
Jill Trescott, Water Resources Department.