Home / Environment / PFAS Found in 94% of Dakota County Private Wells
PFAS Found in 94% of Dakota County Private Wells
19 Jun
Summary
- 94 of 114 private wells tested in Dakota County had PFAS.
- Some wells exceeded state and federal drinking water guidelines.
- A new dashboard offers easy access to well testing data.
In Dakota County, Minnesota, a recent widespread testing initiative has revealed a significant presence of PFAS, commonly referred to as 'forever chemicals,' in private drinking wells. This initiative, which began in 2018, involved sampling 114 private wells, with PFAS detected in 94 of them. Alarmingly, some of these wells displayed contaminant levels surpassing current state and federal drinking water guidelines.
Environmental wells in the county also showed contamination, with PFAS found in all 27 tested. The county's Environmental Resources Department has made this data publicly accessible through a new online dashboard. This tool specifically identifies the three most concerning PFAS compounds, indicating their presence and whether they exceed safety limits.
Valeria Neppl, a groundwater protection supervisor for Dakota County, emphasized that while the data has been available, the dashboard simplifies public access. She advised residents concerned about their private well water to consult the dashboard to assess potential risks. For those with elevated PFAS levels, Neppl suggested implementing filtration systems like granulated activated carbon filters.
The state of Minnesota is also addressing PFAS contamination in community water systems, with over 20 requiring treatment. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) highlighted the pervasiveness of PFAS across the state and the substantial costs associated with remediation and treatment, estimated to exceed $1 billion in Minnesota alone.
