Minneapolis Water Meets New Federal Standards for PFAS

Excerpt from the May 2 City of Minneapolis e-newsletter

The City of Minneapolis is proud to provide city residents and businesses with safe, high-quality drinking water. You can look at monthly water quality reports on the City’s website or watch a video about how the City’s water is brought from the river to the tap.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the federal agency responsible for regulating drinking water, issued new standards for several per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in drinking water. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS, are a large group of human-made chemicals.

PFAS are used in many products, including:

• Nonstick cookware
• Food packaging
• Stain-resistant carpets
• Fire-suppressing foam

Unfortunately, research suggests that exposure to PFAS may result in adverse health impacts. The good news for Minneapolis residents is these regulated compounds have not been detected in the Mississippi River, which is our water source, or in the finished water that we send out to your tap.

The City of Minneapolis has been monitoring for PFAS for nearly 10 years. Minneapolis tap water has always met and continues to meet the new federal standards.

For continued information about Minneapolis drinking water, watch for our annual Consumer Confidence Report. This report has data and information about various water quality metrics we provide to customers and state and federal regulators. The new Consumer Confidence Report will be posted by the end of May on the City website.