53 Minnesota communities find elevated manganese levels in drinking water
53 Minnesota communities have elevated levels of the chemical element manganese in their drinking water, according to the latest data from state health officials.
It’s an improvement from the 67 communities whose test results showed high levels two years ago, after the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) began recommending the tests.
Dave Hokanson, assistant manager for MDH’s Drinking Water Protection Section, said, “That number could go up” as additional systems implement testing for manganese.
In an interview on Monday, Hokanson estimated that about 10% of Minnesotans who rely on public water systems are impacted, and it’s expected to take hundreds of millions of dollars to fix.
The issue has been important to people in affected cities who have spent their own money to mitigate manganese with filtration systems and bottled water.
According to an advisory sent to residents in Mound, exposure to elevated levels can cause neurological issues, and infants are at the highest risk.
As of this report, MDH said 38 of the 53 affected communities have submitted proposals through the state’s Drinking Water Revolving Fund for loans to mitigate manganese. The total cost of those projects is about $300 million, a spokesperson said.
“Right now, we would anticipate having the ability to support those projects, but the communities also, you know, need to be able to enter into those loans and agreements, and make sure they’re ready to do that,” Hokanson said. “The interest rates through the revolving loan fund are, you know, below market rate. So that’s advantageous to them, but it’s not a grant, that’s right. So they do have to plan for the ability to pay back those loans.”
To help with this and other emerging contaminants, the Minnesota Senate has proposed about $44 million in new funding this year that cities can apply for.
The City of Mound alone requested $30 million from the Legislature to build a water treatment facility in order to mitigate elevated manganese levels.
Sen. Ann Johnson Stewart(DFL-Wayzata) was the chief author of the bill that includes the request for new funding. In an interview on Monday, she said that money would scratch the surface of statewide needs if approved.
“Oh, we desperately need more money than this. Yes,” Johnson Stewart said. “It is a very challenging situation, because I think not many people would argue with me if I were to say, ‘Everybody in Minnesota, or the US, or the world should be able to drink the water that is delivered to their home.’ So no, it’s not enough money.”
Manganese mitigation is far from the only need on a Clean Water Project Priority list shared by Johnson Stewart’s office. It lists more than $3.3 billion worth of projects.