The 2025 legislative session has begun, and lawmakers – well, most of them anyway – have returned to St. Paul to work on behalf of the people of Minnesota.
Taking the oath of office for the first time was a memorable and humbling experience. It is an honor to represent your interests in the Minnesota House, and it is a responsibility I do not take lightly.
As you might expect, I have a number of goals this session. They include ending the fraud that’s running rampant in Minnesota’s government, reducing mandates for our schools, and making life more affordable for residents. But when it comes to local initiatives this session, my top priority is ensuring our water is safe to drink.
Years ago, PFAS (per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances) were found in east Metro city water supplies, including Cottage Grove. 3M was charged with releasing chemicals into the groundwater and eventually reached a $720 million settlement with the state in 2018.
Despite having some PFAS water pollution at the time, Hastings was not among the communities that could access this settlement funding. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency eventually found a connection between Cottage Grove’s 3M facility and PFAS in a city well in Hastings, meaning the City can access funding to treat its water.
Last April, Minnesota increased its threshold limit for PFAS contaminants. The Department of Health told Hastings that five of its six wells were now above the allowable drinking water standard, forcing the City to act. Hastings has decided the best course of action is to build several water treatment plants at an estimated cost of $68.9 million. The first well under construction is estimated to cost $26.7 million.
To help pay for this, the City increased water rates by 10% on January 1. A second potential rate hike is set for July 1, and that also could approach 10%.
In order to help prevent any further financial punishment of Hastings residents and business owners, I am authoring three separate bills that would utilize state funding to cover the costs. The first two would allocate $16.6 million in either general fund or capital investment proceeds to help pay for the first water treatment plant and associated water lines. The last proposal would seek $45.7 million from the 3M trust fund to help pay for the three treatment facilities. To me, it’s important to have numerous options on the table for the House to consider.
The City of Hastings is completely faultless here yet is now on the hook for a nearly $70 million project. Doing nothing is not an option. If that happened, the State could shut down the City’s wells due to noncompliance.
Moving forward, I will continue to keep Hastings’ water treatment plant funding needs at the forefront and will keep you updated on any progress in the Minnesota House.
In the meantime, if you have any questions on these three bills or any other legislative issue, do not hesitate to contact me. I can be reached at rep.tom.dippel@house.mn.gov or 651.296.3135.