A proposed water rate increase in Hastings will help pay for PFAS cleanup in drinking water supplies.

Alex Cordes, a Hastings mother of four including her youngest, 2-year-old Stevie, worries about PFAS — so-called “forever chemicals” — in her tap water.

“It’s terrible,” she says. “Watching your kids brush their teeth or take a bath at night, (it) gives you a bad feeling.”

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency reports that Hastings has one of eighteen water systems in the state with PFAS levels exceeding the EPA limit of four parts per trillion.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS has been reporting on PFAS chemicals in East Metro drinking water for years.

Experts say the chemicals do not break down permanently in the environment and are linked to health problems including low birth weight, liver disease and some cancers.

Much of the pollution is linked to 3M, which is paying billions of dollars to help clean it up.

Hastings officials now plan to build three water treatment plants to filter out chemicals at a cost of $70 million.

Public Works Director Ryan Stempski says each treatment plant will take about eighteen months to build.

“So we’re trying to be transparent about the process,” he says. “We need to take action to provide clean and safe drinking water to communities.”

But when the snow falls, Hastings residents could potentially see their water bills rise – with a proposed ten percent increase to help pay for the construction of the first treatment plant.

The proposed increase is scheduled to be voted on by the Hastings City Council on Dec. 2.^nd.

“The 10 percent increase should cover the portion of the treatment plant not covered by 3M,” Stempski notes.

Just a few weeks ago, trustees of the 3M Settlement Fund discovered evidence that one of Hastings’ city wells was connected to a 3M landfill, resulting in a $14.5 million cleanup right for that well.

City officials say this offset a possible 37% increase in water rates.

However, Cordes is concerned about the current proposed increase.

“Every quarter for that 10% it’s an extra $50-$60, which isn’t that much,” she states. “But when you add in the cost of groceries, extracurricular activities and daycare.”

Hastings, like other communities affected by PFAS, faces a five-year deadline set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide its residents with PFAS-free water.

Stempski says city staff is looking at state and federal funding sources.

In the meantime, he notes that the city is trying to help.

“We will strive to provide PFAS-free water service that will act as a gas station of sorts for our residents,” he explains. “If we can get a refund through additional efforts, we will continue to return it to residents.”

Cordes says he appreciates the city’s efforts, but hopes there is a way to reduce water bills.

And she says she’s worried about the future.

“How long have we been drinking and bathing in this water, and what will be the consequences when our children grow up?” she asks. “A terrible, terrible thought.”