In part one of this series, Boreal Community Media covered PFAS, where they come from, and the impacts on the environment - including humans. 

In part two, we talked about what is being done to address PFAS on a national level, as well as shared some of the methods scientists are using to destroy something considered “forever”. 

In part three, we shared a timeline of major PFAS advances within the state of Minnesota - what entities are involved, and the work being done to protect our environment and humans. 

In the last part of this series, part four, we are covering the impacts of PFAS on northern Minnesota including where major contamination sites are, what's being done about PFAS, and what the status is for Lake County and Cook County.

Northern Minnesota

After testing potentially high contamination sites in northern Minnesota, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) determined the following areas have elevated levels of PFAS in the surrounding environment and drinking water sources:

• the Bemidji and Duluth airports

• a Brainerd chrome-plating facility

• the Duluth Air National Guard Base

While these entities have determined that PFAS exist at elevated levels in local drinking and surface waters, MDH states that: 

“no public drinking water systems in Minnesota currently have high levels of PFAS in their drinking water. Drinking water with low levels of PFAS, even when those levels are above the guidance values, does not represent an immediate health risk.”

MDH has created a very comprehensive interactive user guide which provides information on areas tested for PFAS in drinking water and their level of safety. Users can navigate through the state to see what areas have been tested, which ones are in progress, and the results. 

Currently, all tested drinking water sources are showing safe levels, except one in St. Paul Park. However, upon further investigation, the city rarely uses that well. 

Duluth, Minnesota

At the time of this publishing, 79 wells have been sampled in Duluth (none being city wells) with half showing trace levels of PFAS. Two shallow wells near the wetlands northwest of the airport had concentrations high enough to warrant drinking water advisories. These homes were supplied bottled water until a treatment system could be installed.

Additionally, MPCA and MDH sampled surface waters near the airbase/airport. PFAS were detected in all of these water bodies. MPCA and MDH are working with the Air National Guard to address the PFAS in the surface water (source). 

Because of the airport and Air Force Base acting as sources for PFAS in water supplies, MDH has issued fish consumption guidelines for some Duluth areas. You can find more information about the guidelines here. 

The EPA finalized the 2020 version of Minnesota's impaired waters list, after adding 32 waters that do not meet the state’s wild rice sulfate standard. Courtesy of MPCA

Bemidji, Minnesota

Nationally, in 2013-2015, all city water systems serving over 10,000 people and randomly selected smaller systems were sampled as part of the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule program. 

From this national study, PFAS were detected in Bemidji’s city water supply (likely due to contamination from the Bemidji airport). Since the discovery, MPCA and MDH have been working with the city to address this. 

A solution came in 2021 when the city installed treatment technology to remove PFAS from the city wells. Sampling conducted by MDH since then shows the treated water falls within health guidelines.”

As for surface water near the airport, no bodies of water are close enough to be affected. Additionally, PFAS have not been typically detected in residential wells.

Brainerd, Minnesota 

The same national study that detected PFAS in Bemidji’s water supply also found high levels within the city limits of Brainerd. Upon further inspection, the contamination was traced to a regional chrome-plating facility.

According to the MPCA, “the MPCA delegated pretreatment permittees, and a few other cities like Brainerd have worked together to develop pollution identification, protection, and prevention strategies. These actions have included source identification and product substitution at facilities with elevated PFAS concentrations.”

Brainerd is part of the MPCA monitoring plan, which was launched in March of this year. Boreal Community Media reached out to the City of Brainerd’s public utility department which manages water treatment to get an update, but a response was not returned. 

PFAS in northeast Minnesota

There have been no high levels of PFAS contaminants detected in the Arrowhead region of the state (aside from Duluth). Presently, there isn’t much consistent testing in the area. However, we do know that they are here. 

In 2021, fish consumption advisories were released that recommended eating no more than one meal a month of Lake Superior rainbow smelt, caught by tribes and local anglers during smelt runs in the spring. It was the first advisory for any of the Great Lakes warning of fish with elevated levels of PFAS (source). 

Boreal Community Media reached out to Lake County and Cook County’s Soil and Water Conservation Districts, as well as the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, to determine what (if any) testing and monitoring are occurring at the county or state level for the region. Grand Portage was also approached as they have their own water monitoring program, but did not receive a response. 

Lake County, Minnesota

When it comes to monitoring and/or testing in Lake County, staff from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency didn’t identify any ongoing monitoring of drinking water done by the state. However, bodies of water have been tested in the past and are waiting for results. 

Staff from the Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District confirmed the same. 

Cook County, Minnesota 

A response from staff at the Cook County Soil and Water Conservation District revealed a similar response as Lake County:

“We do not monitor PFAS. It is out of our expertise and capacity both with staff and funding. We are not aware that anyone local is monitoring this."

A look at the MDH interactive PFAS monitoring site shows that a test sample has been collected at some point, but results have not been released for the city of Grand Marais, and a drinking water source near Devil Track Lake and the Grand Marais Airport. Ongoing monitoring is not currently occurring. 

Can you avoid PFAS?

One of the main issues with PFAS is that removal is extremely difficult and expensive, which stresses the importance of preventing contamination in the first place. 

However, you can take actions to reduce your potential exposure to these forever chemicals. Here are a few:

• reduce consumption of meat, dairy, and fish that may have consumed PFAS
• get a water filter (Filters containing activated carbon or reverse osmosis membranes are recommended)
• have your water tested (for those with wells)
• reduce fast food intake where you may be exposed to PFAS through food packaging
• try and reduce food packaging while shopping at the grocery store 
• visit the EWG site to find products that don’t contain PFAS
• avoid stain-free and water-resistant clothing and textiles 
• talk with others about your concerns - many people are unaware of PFAS - yet they affect everyone
• contact your local and state government officials to show support for further PFAS testing and monitoring

Much more needs to be done nationally, and many argue government agencies need to be more proactive instead of reactive. According to Jaime DeWitt, a professor of pharmacology and toxicology at East Carolina University:

“Not only should the vetting of products NOT have to fall on consumers, but agencies like the US EPA needs to act on more than a single PFAS at a time.”

Many argue that one main reason government agencies need to take more action is that like many environmental issues, low-income residents are affected the most. Those who can’t afford costly filtration systems, subsist on fish in the river, and have less access to information are more vulnerable.