A proposed water rate hike in Hastings would help pay for cleaning up PFAS in the drinking water supply
Alex Cordes, a Hastings mother of four, including her youngest, 2-year-old Stevie — worries about PFAS — so-called “forever chemicals” in her tap water.
“It’s terrifying,” she says. “You watch your kids brushing or take a bath at night, [it] kind of gives you an icky feeling.”
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says Hastings has one of eighteen water systems in the state with PFAS levels above the EPA limit of four parts per trillion.
5 EYEWITNESS NEWS has been reporting for years about PFAS chemicals in East Metro drinking water.
Experts say the forever chemicals don’t degrade in the environment and are linked to health issues, including low birth weight, liver disease, and some cancers.
Much of the contamination is connected to 3M, which is paying out billions of dollars to help clean it up.
Hastings officials now plan to build three water treatment plants to filter out the chemicals at a cost of $70 million.
Public Works Director Ryan Stempski says each treatment plant will take about eighteen months to build.
“So, we’re trying to be transparent about the process,” he says. “We need to move into action to get clean, safe drinking water to the public.”
But as the snow falls, Hastings residents could potentially see their water bills rise — a proposed increase of ten percent to help pay for the construction of the first treatment plant.
The proposed hike is scheduled for a vote by the Hastings City Council on December 2nd.
“The ten percent increase is to cover the portion of the treatment plant that’s not covered by 3M,” Stempski notes.
Just weeks ago, trustees of the 3M Settlement Fund found evidence that one of Hastings’ city wells was connected to a 3M disposal site — thus, making eligible $14.5 million to treat that well.
City officials say that offset what could have been a 37% water rate hike.
Still, Cordes worries about the current proposed increase.
“Quarterly, for just the 10%, it’s going to be an extra 50-60 dollars, which doesn’t seem like a lot,” she declares. “But when you add in the cost of groceries, after-school activities, daycare.”
Hastings, like other PFAS-impacted communities, faces a five-year EPA deadline to deliver PFAS-free water to its residents.
Stempski says city staffers are looking for state and federal funding sources.
Meanwhile, he notes the city is trying to help.
“We’ll be looking to provide a PFAS-free water service that is kind of like a fill station for our residents,” he explains. “If we are able to get reimbursement through additional efforts, we will continue to give that back to the residents.”
Cordes says she appreciates the city’s efforts but hopes there’s a way to reduce those water bills.
And, she says — she worries about the future.
“How long have we been drinking and bathing in this water, and what are the repercussions going to be when our kids get older?” she asks. “Scary, scary thought.”