(KNSI) – The Minnesota Department of Health is expanding on what they found after one Sauk Rapids city well showed the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances above acceptable levels.
There are technically thousands of PFAS, also known as forever chemicals, found in items like non-stick cookware and firefighting foam. State Department of Health drinking water program operations manager Todd Johnson says, “There are six of them that we focus on in Minnesota based on the fact that we’re likely to find these a little bit more here since they also, according to our toxicologists, have the same health endpoint or effect on the body. There might be a certain organ that they affect in a similar manner. We evaluate the cumulative health risks from those six compounds.”
The well where the PFAS were found provides water to the low-lying areas of the city, from the government center south. Wells in the northern and eastern ends were tested and showed no presence of PFAS.
The MDH website says scientists are actively studying PFAS exposures and human health impacts. Numerous studies have shown that higher levels of exposure to PFAS are associated with a wide range of human health effects. These include higher cholesterol, changes to liver function, reduced immune response, thyroid disease, and, in the case of PFOA, increased kidney and testicular cancer. However, more work needs to be done to determine if PFAS, or other factors, caused the effects.
Scientists are actively studying PFAS exposures and human health impacts. Numerous studies have shown that higher levels of exposure to PFAS are associated with a wide range of human health effects.
Right now, the state testing program is voluntary and is not legally enforceable. Sauk Rapids is not mandated to cure the problem, which could cost millions of dollars. That could be changing as the federal government will soon set maximum contaminant levels for two commonly found forever chemicals, according to Johnson.
“EPA is due to come up with some legally enforceable MCLs, or enforceable standards for these compounds. I just learned this morning that the deadline has been pushed back to mid-March for some draft numbers on two of these compounds. But we do anticipate these numbers will continue to go lower whether the numbers that are on staff develop or the numbers that the EPA is going to be releasing.”
Johnson says the level of contaminants deemed acceptable has been steadily falling over 20 years. New guidance from the state is expected in the spring.
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