By 2028, Woodbury will have a long-term solution to removing PFAS from its drinking water as construction of a new treatment plant is in the works.

“It is the largest capital improvement project in the history of the city of Woodbury,” assistant public works director Jim Westerman said.

The $330 million plant will connect all 20 of Woodbury’s groundwater wells through 17 miles of pipe to a central location for treatment. The plant will treat for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances using granular activated carbon, which can remove PFAS chemicals to ensure safe drinking water, according to Westerman.

The scope of the project means there will be some challenges for residents and visitors during construction.

“This effort is going to have significant disruption to the city of Woodbury and the community at large because of those pipeline projects and the traffic impacts,” Westerman said.

Roads closures from April through June include Dale Road, Interlachen Parkway, Pioneer Drive, Bailey Road and Arbor Drive, according to the city of Woodbury.

PFAS in the wells

Other communities like St. Paul and Minneapolis rely on surface water or a combination of surface water and groundwater, while Woodbury’s municipal water system comes from a 100% groundwater-based system, Westerman said.Nine of the city’s wells, which have had health advisories placed on them by the Minnesota Department of Public Health, are being treated for PFAS by four temporary plants, the first of which was constructed in 2020 and has since expanded.

The new, 32 million-gallon-per-day treatment plant will add two new wells to the system and is being built on 22 acres of land south of Hargis Parkway and east of Radio Drive. The new system will replace the temporary plants as a long-term solution for addressing water contamination.

More than 90% of funding for the permanent plant and pipelines will come from a 2018 PFAS settlement reached between 3M Co. and the state of Minnesota. Additional funding for the project will come from federal sources and the city’s water utility fees.

The Maplewood-based 3M began making PFAS at a facility in Cottage Grove in the 1940s and historically disposed of PFAS wastes in four east metro locations, the source of identified PFAS impacts in Washington County groundwater.

New standards

A number of other cities in the east metro are stepping up efforts to handle the “forever chemicals” after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized new standards last year for PFAS in drinking water. While some communities are able to comply by shutting off certain wells or blending water with cleaner wells, others including Hastings, South St. Paul and Stillwater will have to install costly new filtration systems to remove the chemicals.

Westerman said he asks community members to have patience during Woodbury’s construction and understand that the ultimate goal is to provide everyone with high-quality drinking water.

For more information on PFAS and Woodbury’s water treatment program, go to woodburymn.gov and click on “Water Treatment.”