"MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota pollution control and natural resources officials on Wednesday released a $700 million plan to improve the drinking water for 14 Twin Cities communities whose groundwater was contaminated due to decadeslong chemical disposal by 3M Co.
The long-term plan aims to build or improve six water treatment plants and treat 33 municipal wells while connecting nearly 300 homes to municipal water systems and providing home filtration systems to residents with private wells in the meantime. It’s an effort to remove a family of chemicals known as PFAS, sometimes called “forever chemicals” because they persist in the environment, which have affected an estimated 174,000 residents in a 150-square-mile area.
“This plan protects drinking water now, and into the future,” said Kirk Koudelka, assistant commissioner for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. “The result is a plan that is comprehensive, safe and sustainable, resilient and flexible, to address the growing communities’ needs and an ever-changing PFAS world.”"
Mohamed Ibrahim reports for the Associated Press August 18, 2021.
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