Meeting Will Address Contaminated Water in Washington County

Last month, the Minnesota Department of Health announced that eighty homes in southern Washington County would begin receiving bottled water because their well water exceeds a new federal health advisory level for man-made pollutants.

Residents of Washington County who live in or near areas where groundwater has been contaminated with perfluorochemicals (PFCs) will have an opportunity to ask questions about PFCs and discuss this issue one-on-one with health officials at two public meetings Sept. 19 and Sept. 26.

The meetings will take place from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Sept. 19 at Oak-Land Junior High (cafeteria) in Lake Elmo and 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Sept. 26 at the Cottage Grove City Hall (Training Room).

The meetings will be held as "office-hours", with no formal presentations, to give residents ample time to discuss their individual situations with staff, according to a news release.

The affected areas are primarily in southern Cottage Grove, Grey Cloud Island Township, southern Lake Elmo, and the west edge of West Lakeland Township.

In the coming months, health officials will sample and test water from 400 to 500 additional homes in the affected areas to determine if others have water above the advisory level and are also eligible for bottled water and carbon filters. The sample results will also be used to determine if additional wells need to be tested.

PFC groundwater contamination resulted from landfilling and disposal of the chemicals at several locations in the county. Residents in the affected area who have questions or concerns about their health or their water can find information on the MDH website.

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