ST. PAUL – State Rep. Matt Bliss, R-Pennington, indicated he is working with state and local officials following a report of updated health-based advisory values for two industrial chemicals present in groundwater in Bemidji and a portion of the Twin Cities metro area.
The values, the Minnesota Department of Health said in a press release, are designed to reduce long-term health risks across the population and are based on multiple safety factors to protect the most vulnerable citizens, which makes them over-protective for most residents.
“The big thing for right now is to keep in mind that MDH says this is not an immediate health risk and that drinking water system will be able to fit within the updated values,” Bliss said. “We are not Flint. That said, this situation does call for further investigation and I already have been in contact with the city of Bemidji, Beltrami County and folks at the Department of Health to open the dialogue. Right now there are more questions than answers and we need to sort through some things that will help us decide the best courses of action.”
According to MDH, the updated values incorporate the latest scientific knowledge on exposure and health effects of the two chemicals, known as PFOA and PFOS. Department of Health scientists have updated the values to better protect developing infants and very young children.
The MDH report also states that, overall, state health officials have identified about 120 private wells in the eastern Twin Cities metro area – mainly parts of Lake Elmo and Cottage Grove not served by city water – with water that exceeds the updated values. In addition, Cottage Grove, Oakdale, Woodbury, St. Paul Park and Bemidji have a number of supply wells for their public drinking water systems affected by the updated values. All affected community public drinking water systems will be able to put in place interim measures that will provide drinking water at or below the new MDH health-based guidance, the department said.
Bliss said the acceptable numbers for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency numbers are now twice as strict as federal Environmental Protection Agency standards, with the new Minnesota guidelines lowered to reflect an abundance of caution until we better understand the long-term effects of various substances.
“Water is a precious resource and we should do our best to protect it,” Bliss said. “The Legislature may be adjourning for this year, but I will continue working on this issue throughout the interim and look forward to learning more about the situation.”
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