Sauk Rapids requests $3.6 million for new wells after PFAS exceedances

Sauk Rapids officials told the House Capital Investment Committee on March 20 that two municipal wells have been taken offline after testing showed PFAS levels above health guidance and that the city needs state help to restore capacity.

"In February 2021, I got an email from our utilities director. It was a letter from the Department of Health indicating that the test results for Wells 2 and 3 exceeded their recommendations for PFAS levels," Ross Olsen, city administrator for Sauk Rapids, said. "We expedited a well, Well 7. We are far below capacity now. We shut down Wells 2 and 3 for the safety of the community." Olsen said the city is requesting $3,600,000 to cover half of the drilling cost for a new well and related engineering and connection work to return the system to prior capacity.

Committee members pressed only briefly; Representative Andrew O'Driscoll introduced the request and asked the committee to consider the appropriation. Olsen explained Sauk Rapids has historically operated two separate pressure systems — a high-pressure and a low-pressure system — and that the two contaminated wells are part of the low-pressure system, a factor he said is “driving these costs.” He said the city did not anticipate losing two of its five wells and expedited other work to maintain service.

The testimony cited Department of Health and Environmental Protection Agency guidance as the bases for concern but did not reference a specific statute or state appropriation language. The committee did not take a vote; the hearing was informational.

The committee hearing did not include a formal decision. Sauk Rapids officials said they would return with additional materials if the committee requests them.