New federal limits on the presence of “forever chemicals” in drinking water mean nearly all of Hastings’ wells are above allowable levels.

The announcement came as the Biden administration set a first-ever federal limit on the presence of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, more commonly known as PFAS, in drinking water.

PFAS are artificial chemicals used when manufacturing consumer products. They don’t break down in the environment and can be harmful to humans. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the chemicals can lead to an increase in cholesterol, changes in liver enzymes and pregnancy complications. They’re also linked to some types of cancer.

The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday placed limits on six of the most common PFAS. The Minnesota Department of Health informed Hastings officials that five of the city’s six municipal wells exceed that threshold.

The city said its PFAS levels did not exceed MDH guideline levels until the new EPA limit took effect.

“The levels of these contaminants remain the same in the Hastings water supply, but the threshold limit has now been lower,” the city said in a news release.

A community meeting will be held within the next 30 days to discuss the next steps.

“We certainly didn’t want this pollution, and think there needs to be some other responsible parties to help out,” said Hastings City Administrator Dan Wietecha.

The State Pollution Control Agency says it’s taking applications for money from a $22 million fund to help communities design water treatment systems to deal with contamination.

“The best way to protect human health and the environment from PFAS is also the most cost-effective way and that’s thru pollution prevention,” said Katrina Kessler, MPCA commissioner.

According to MDH data, 22 water systems in 17 Minnesota cities currently exceed the EPA’s new PFAS standards, affecting roughly 310,000 people.

The state is advising cities on the list to control pumping and shut down affected wells.

“Some of the more active measures include replacing those wells and finally the last resort is build treatment systems that actually treat the water before it gets distributed to the public,” stated Drinking water program manager Sandeep Burman.

Hastings already has a design for a proposed treatment plant, which would use a series of granulated carbon filters inside huge water tanks to separate PFAS molecules.

“As the PFAS-laden water comes into these vessels, there’s porous space in the carbon that fills these void spaces in the granulated carbon and removes it entirely,” said Ryan Stempski, Hastings public works director.

Much of Minnesota’s PFAS contamination has been linked to 3M facilities in the east metro. In 2018, the state reached an $850 million settlement with the company to clean up PFAS from the water supply. As part of a settlement that was finalized this year, 3M will pay another $10 billion to water utilities across the country.

Hastings says the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and 3M are working together to understand the connection between groundwater contamination and the Mississippi River, a step that could allow the city to access state settlement funds.

The city is building three new water treatment plants over the next few years at an estimated cost of $68.9 million. While Hastings has yet to secure all of the funding, it has submitted the project to be included in a state bonding bill and will apply federal Community Project Funding money when it becomes available. City officials will also consider increasing water rates.

“If money was in hand, we are ready to go out for bid and start construction this summer, but we need money in hand to do that,” Wietecha says.

Hastings officials say people with concerns should contact the state health department or a doctor.