Committee hears bill to fund nitrate treatment and well repairs in southeastern Minnesota

Sen. Gustafson presented Senate File 1183 asking for continued and expanded funding for a program that provides water-treatment systems and well repairs to households whose private wells exceed safe nitrate levels, primarily in Southeastern Minnesota. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion.

Jay Eidsness, senior staff attorney at the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, testified in support and described the public-health gap between municipal systems — which are tested regularly — and private wells, which rely on owners for testing and treatment. Eidsness said the unique geology of parts of Southeastern Minnesota increases vulnerability to nitrate contamination and noted that some counties' well testing programs have found many wells with unsafe nitrate levels.

Eidsness described the bill's priorities: households under 300% of the federal poverty guideline, households with young children and pregnant people, and coordination between the Department of Agriculture and Department of Health. The proposal would expand the 2024 supplemental appropriation ($2.8 million) to roughly $3,866,000 per year to allow both reverse-osmosis treatment systems and, where appropriate, well repairs that permanently address contamination.

David Heinrich, president of Bergerson Caswell, a diversified well contracting firm and legislative chair of the Minnesota Water Well Association, testified that many problematic wells predate updated code and that new construction rarely shows high nitrates. Heinrich recommended directing some funds to reconstructing wells to provide a durable solution rather than relying solely on point-of-use treatment systems. He also said the state should bolster accredited lab capacity so rural homeowners can access timely testing.

Committee members asked whether previous estimates (e.g., 9,200 people cited by an outside letter) fit the bill's eligibility (below 300% of federal poverty guidelines); testifiers said the connection was unclear. Members also discussed coordination with Health and Human Services and existing Department of Health work on PFAS in some regions. Senator Gustafson said the bill would be laid over.

Ending: The committee laid Senate File 1183 over for possible inclusion after hearing testimony about targeting limited funds to low-income and high-risk households and balancing short-term treatment with longer-term well repairs.