Waite Park Officials Give Update On PFAS Found in Drinking Water

WAITE PARK (WJON News) -  Waite Park officials posted a video Monday morning providing more information regarding the PFAS chemicals found in the city's water supply.

The city learned about these chemicals following voluntary testing, which detected PFAS in all three of the city's wells.

Public Works Director Bill Schluenz says while their water treatment plant has been working properly over the last 30 years, improvements in science and technology has brought these chemicals to light.

Our current sand filter treatment system will require us to add additional filtering processes to remove PFAS from our wells. We've been working with the health department and have the engineers on board to make plans for these improvements.

PFAS are a group of man-made chemicals that break down very slowly over time and enter the water system through ground water. Examples include dental floss, sleeping bags, pizza boxes, rain gear, food containers and makeup.

Schluenz says because of this, it will be a matter of time before other communities are faced with the same challenge.

As science and testing methods get better, they will find more contaminates like they have found in our water. Other people will be faced with these same types of challenges if not today, then tomorrow.

Schluenz says providing safe drinking water for residents and business remains a high priority and they continue to work with MDH officials to determine the best process to remove or reduce the level of PFAS within the drinking water.