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City explores PFAS treatment at landfill; officials warn of technical difficulty and high cost
Summary
Environmental‑services staff asked councilors to note PFAS treatment needs at the city landfill, describing leachate as the primary PFAS source in the wastewater system and warning treatment is technically difficult and expensive.
City environmental services staff told the Committee of the Whole on Aug. 5 that per‑ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) leaching from the city landfill are contributing PFAS to the wastewater stream and that the city is evaluating possible treatment technologies, though the work is technically difficult and expensive.
Mayor Payne and staff said the landfill is currently the principal PFAS source entering the wastewater treatment plant via leachate. The administration described ongoing testing at the landfill and exploratory work to identify treatment systems that could reduce PFAS in leachate and prevent PFAS from reaching Lake Superior.
“This is a national problem,” Mayor Payne said. “It’s incredibly difficult to do,” and he cautioned that effective treatment technologies are emerging and will be costly. Councilors asked whether PFAS is leaching into the lake; staff said leachate is currently routed to the wastewater treatment process and emphasized long‑term monitoring and closure obligations for the landfill.
The discussion noted that funding would likely come from the wastewater fund and be developed as part of wastewater capital planning rather than the priorities‑based budgeting list; staff cautioned the project could be extremely expensive if the city pursues a full‑scale treatment solution. The mayor said the city is interested in being “out ahead of it” environmentally but recognized large‑scale treatment may wait for federal or state grant programs and emerging technology.
No formal action or appropriation was taken at the meeting; staff were presenting possible future capital needs and testing results for council awareness and budget planning.
