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Lake Elmo discusses PFAS plume, Washington County landfill history and long-term remediation options
Summary
City staff outlined PFAS testing results, ownership history of the Washington County landfill in Lake Elmo, and technical and funding uncertainties for remediation including a proposed multi‑well injection/pump array and local treatment plants.
At an April 2025 council workshop, Lake Elmo staff reviewed local PFAS contamination issues, historical ties to the Washington County landfill, interactions with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and trustees of the 3M settlement, and conceptual remediation options.
The nut graf: Lake Elmo officials said PFAS in the aquifer is a long-term problem that will require both near-term interim measures (point-of-use or point-of-entry filtration for private wells and temporary treatment for municipal wells) and long-term, capital‑intensive remediation such as multi‑well pump-and‑inject arrays or new treatment plants; who pays for operations and long-term maintenance remains unresolved.
Clark Schroeder summarized the regulatory and technical situation and noted that the city took ownership of the Washington County landfill in 1995. Schroeder said the landfill is managed today under the MPCA closed‑landfill program and that records show Ramsey County and Washington County municipal and…
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