The City of Hastings took another major step in addressing PFAS contamination in its drinking water system, as the Hastings City Council on May 4 approved a site plan for the proposed eastern water treatment plant following a unanimous recommendation from the Hastings Planning Commission.
The Planning Commission reviewed the project at its Monday, April 27 meeting, where City Planner Justin Fortney presented plans for the facility and commissioners raised questions about construction, operations and nearby impacts before voting 5-0 to recommend approval.
The proposed eastern water treatment plant would be located at 850 Spiral Blvd. on a narrow industrial parcel currently occupied by a small wellhouse. The project calls for construction of an approximately 11,454-square-foot facility designed to remove PFAS contaminants from the city’s water supply.
Fortney told commissioners the plant will use granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration, a process that captures PFAS molecules as water passes through specialized media.
During his presentation, Fortney walked through site constraints and design considerations, noting the long, narrow shape of the parcel influenced layout decisions, including the need for two driveways.
“The site itself … is a very narrow site, especially in the rear,” Fortney said.
Commissioners asked questions about construction timing, neighborhood impacts and operational activity at the facility.
A representative from project engineer WSB said construction is expected to last roughly 18 months once work begins.
“So if we bid this summer, start construction in the fall, then it would run through another year and a half after that,” the project manager told the commission.
Concerns about nearby residential properties were also addressed. The facility sits south of an industrial area but near large-lot residential homes.
Project representatives emphasized that most traffic and activity would occur on the north side of the site, away from homes, and that the facility itself would be largely automated.
“Public works operators will likely visit the site once a day, but they won’t be there very long, because nearly all the systems in there are automated,” the engineer said.
Noise impacts are expected to be minimal once the plant is operational, with the only notable equipment being a backup generator that would operate infrequently and be housed داخل the building.
The site plan includes landscaping buffers, lighting controls designed to limit spillover onto neighboring properties, and architectural materials meeting city code standards.
Following discussion, the Planning Commission recommended approval with standard conditions, including final engineering review, erosion control measures and compliance with city lighting and maintenance standards.
The Hastings City Council formally approved the site plan at its May 4 meeting, adopting a resolution granting approval for the project.
Council action followed the Planning Commission’s recommendation and included several conditions, such as requiring final approval of grading and utility plans, erosion control measures and a one-year timeline to begin substantial progress on the project.
The facility is one of three planned water treatment plants intended to bring Hastings into compliance with federal PFAS regulations.
The site plan approval comes as the city continues to confront widespread PFAS contamination across its water system.
In a report to the council, City Administrator Dan Wietecha said all six municipal wells in Hastings show contamination, with PFOA detected in all six and PFOS in two.
The issue stems from new federal standards that limit PFAS compounds to extremely low levels, requiring municipalities to act quickly to reduce contamination.
The city’s long-term solution is the construction of three decentralized water treatment plants, including the eastern facility now moving forward.
Wietecha said the overall project carries a projected cost of approximately $70.3 million, with ongoing annual operating costs exceeding $1 million.
Despite securing more than $23 million in grants and settlement funding so far, the financial burden remains significant, with water rates expected to rise substantially in the coming years.
Even with outside funding, the city anticipates total water rate increases of roughly 159 percent phased in between 2024 and 2028.
Work is already underway on portions of the system. Wietecha reported that raw watermain installation has been completed, with crews now focused on restoration and final construction elements in affected neighborhoods.
Meanwhile, construction continues on the city’s central treatment plant, where contractors are forming foundations and preparing for slab work.
The eastern plant is expected to go out for bids later this year, with council consideration of project plans and specifications tied to that process.
City officials are also continuing to pursue additional state and federal funding, including bonding requests and grant opportunities, to offset the cost of the system.
Wietecha noted recent meetings with legislators aimed at securing funding and increasing caps on existing grant programs.
In addition to funding efforts, the city is preparing for potential legal action related to PFAS contamination.
On April 20, the City Council approved hiring a law firm specializing in environmental litigation to pursue claims against responsible parties.
The timeline for compliance remains tight. Current federal regulations require communities to meet PFAS limits by April 2029, although federal agencies have indicated a possible extension to 2031.
Even with a potential extension, Wietecha emphasized the city is maintaining its current construction schedule to ensure safe drinking water for residents as soon as possible.
“Residents will continue to have contaminated water until all three WTPs are built and operational,” the report noted.
With site plan approval secured, the eastern water treatment plant represents a critical next step in Hastings’ multi-year effort to address PFAS contamination.
City leaders have consistently described clean and safe drinking water as the community’s top priority, and the project’s advancement signals continued momentum toward that goal.
As construction progresses on the first plant and planning advances on the next, residents can expect continued updates—and continued impacts—as Hastings works to meet federal standards and protect its water supply.