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Rochester utility flags near-MCL radionuclide readings and PFAS exceedance on an offline well
Summary
RPU said combined radium/gross alpha readings came close to maximum contaminant levels and PFAS results from a decommissioned well exceeded MCLs; staff said it has curtailed Well 12 and taken Well 20 offline while investing in new sources.
Rochester Public Utilities told the council that some of its groundwater sources are nearing federal drinking-water thresholds and that one well has been effectively removed from service.
Todd Warmstrom said the utility recorded a combined radium/gross alpha reading of about 4.9 picocuries per liter — "0.1 off of the maximum contaminant level" — and that another well (Well 20) produced PFAS results that exceeded the primary-drinking-water standard; Warmstrom said that Well 20 has been taken offline and Well 12 is being curtailed to reduce the risk of a primary‑drinking‑water violation.
Warmstrom also said the utility has spent about $2,500,000 to build Well 42 but has lost two other wells in recent years, meaning the system has not gained net new capacity from recent construction. He described iron and manganese as chronic aesthetic issues that produce complaints and explained that the system currently uses point-of-well chemical feeds (chlorine, orthophosphate and fluoride) rather than a centralized filtration plant.
Council members asked how treatment might change with alternative sources; Warmstrom said conventional treatment processes address many contaminants but that some candidate aquifers may require different treatment approaches.
