2025 Vol 19, Issue 6 December Gem Lake News

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Gem Lake News Page 3 of 8 MPCA Provides Well Update continued from page 1 Michael Ginsbach, Hydrologist with MPCA began by summarizing well testing that happened this spring and summer within the city. The MPCA began with the idea of testing all 181 wells and was able to obtain 148 samples. The goal was to look for 1,4 dioxane, a chemical that has shown up in small amounts in several dozen wells, and recently PFAS, another common contamination seen in wells throughout Minnesota. Of the 148 samples, the 1,4 diox However, traces of PFAS appea However, traces of PFAS appeared in 114 of the wells tested, with 12 of these wells having levels that exceeded state standards. Here is more detail on each of the contamination. As stated in previous articles, Minnesota has stringent standards for drinking water and considers one part per billion of the 1,4 dioxane to be contaminated. This is equivalent to a drop of water in an Olympic sized swimming pool. The MPCA stressed that this chemical is a long-term problem for drinking water but is not absorbed through the skin during bathing, Risks levels are based on long- term, lifetime consumption of 8 glasses of water a day for 70 years, which may lead to an increased change of cancer. Gem Lake’s contamination level of 22-24 wells is in the range of 1-3 parts per billion, in stark contrast to much higher levers in the hundreds of parts per billion in some areas of the state, such as Oakdale. The incidences of PFAS showing up are a bit different. This common contaminated family, known as PFAS has become very prevalent in Minnesota. PFAS are Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a group of more than 5000 human made chemicals that do not break down over time. They are often referred to as “forever chemicals,” due to their extreme resistance to degradation in the environment and resistance to destruction in wastewater treatment plants and landfills. Although it is very difficult to filter away 1,4 dioxane, the same does not hold true for PFAS. Once the proper kind of filter system is installed, a homeowner can successfully filter PFAS out of drinking water. However, to be effective, the filtration system must conform to specific standards, such as NSF/ANSI #53 (for filters) and/or NSF/ANSI #58 (for reverse osmosis systems). Important information on the specifics can be found at: www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/ha zardous/topics/pfashometreat.html. When the subject comes up, experts always add that even if a good filtering system is installed, it is crucial to change the filters on a regular basis. Given the growing concerns about water pollution in the State of Minnesota and in the City of Gem Lake, MPCA superfund manager Tim Grape says it is increasingly important for the city to keep up its fight for solutions to this long-term problem. He also added that many information resources are available through the MPCA website and through the website of the Minnesota Department of Health. As indicated in this newsletter, the City of Gem Lake is currently planning to install a municipal water system in part of the city in the next few years. Of the 148 samples, the 1,4 dioxane levels remained stable and small in 22-24 wells. These are generally located in the northwestern portion of the city. No significant changes were noted, with no new instances of the chemical showing up. There was also no apparent movement of the chemical to nearby wells.