The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set a precedent by establishing the first-ever federal limits on a suite of harmful chemicals in drinking water known as per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, or PFAS. This move has revealed a stark reality for the residents of Hastings, Minnesota, where nearly all municipal wells are teeming with levels of contamination that shoot past these new standards.

Following the EPA's announcement, it has come to quickly be identified that five out of six wells in Hastings are not merely tainted, but alarmingly so, with PFAS levels that exceed the federal government's fresh benchmarks. This finding has sparked an immediate response from Senator Judy Seeberger (DFL-Afton), who argued that the city needs urgent funding to make necessary upgrades to its water infrastructure. "This historic action by the federal government is welcome news, making it clear that PFAS are dangerous and have no business being anywhere near our water," Senator Seeberger stated in a report obtained by Senate DFL. "Unfortunately, this news doesn’t change the reality facing the people of Hastings."

To comply with the new EPA regulations, Hastings is pushing for state capital investments to construct three new water treatment plants, which would effectively remove these hazardous pollutants. The action is encapsulated in legislation (S.F. 3161), driven by Senator Seeberger, who is pushing for a swift legislative nod to secure a $61.7 million budget aimed at safeguarding the water supply of her constituents.

Indeed, the thrust for clean water is a matter not of convenience but of public health. "Minnesotans expect and deserve the water they use every day in their lives to be safe," Seeberger added, underscoring the basic need for access to uncontaminated drinking water. It is evident that the state has to quickly step up, to take action, and render the assurances necessary so that residents can have confidence that their water is free from perilous chemicals.