The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) provided health-based guidance levels for PFOS and PFOA that are lower than the previous health-based values for these chemicals on Tuesday.
The City of Hastings released the following statement:
“With this release by MDH, no action is recommended at this time, but they will continue to keep the city informed. Hastings works with MDH to regularly sample all municipal wells, and both PFOS and PFOA are present in our wells. City staff continue to work with MDH and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to understand the meaning of these guidance levels and future steps we should take to protect the drinking water system. The City of Hastings continues its plans to design three PFAS water treatment plants to mitigate PFAS from our drinking water, which will position the city for implementation when action is required and funding is determined.”
Hastings’ plans to fight the forever chemicals in its drinking water come with a $70 million pricetag for construction of treatment plants and another $30 million to operate them for 30 years. The city is hoping to be able to use 3M settlement funding and has made a request for bonding help through the Minnesota State Legislature.
Below is the MDH announcement:

Community Water Systems
MDH health-based guidance levels for PFOS and PFOA
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) released revised health-based guidance values (HBVs) for two per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). These values are lower than Minnesota’s previous HBVs for those chemicals.
MDH is evaluating how to incorporate the updated PFOS and PFOA guidance values into our risk assessment for PFAS in drinking water. We will keep systems informed and work with systems if action needs to be taken to meet lower drinking water values for PFAS. MDH has been a leader in PFAS science and will continue to follow evolving science in developing future guidance and recommendations.