EPA Takes Action on Nitrate and PFAS Contamination in Minnesota's Water

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has determined that drinking water in eight counties in Minnesota has unsafe levels of nitrate contamination, posing an "imminent and substantial" threat to public health. The EPA has requested that Minnesota develop a plan to protect residents affected by the contaminated water, including providing alternative drinking water. The state has 30 days to respond with a work plan addressing testing, outreach, and offering alternative water to impacted individuals. The Karst Region, which includes Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Wabasha, and Winona counties, is particularly susceptible to groundwater contamination due to agricultural runoff and faulty septic systems exacerbated by climate change.