Officials launch state's first Drinking Water Action Plan Plan aims to ensure safe and sufficient drinking water for everyone in Minnesota Well-known threats such as arsenic, nitrate and lead now compete with newer threats such as PFAS and a dwindling workforce for the attention and resources of those charged with protecting Minnesota's drinking water. Fortunately, the state now has its first-ever Drinking Water Action Plan, which outlines strategies for protecting drinking water from source to tap over the next 10 years. Officials celebrated the launch of the plan today at the New Brighton Water Treatment Plant. At the recommendation of the Clean Water Council, the State Legislature in 2023 directed the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), which is responsible for enforcing the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) in Minnesota, to lead the development of this plan. In doing so, MDH enlisted the help of numerous partners and gathered input through community meetings, surveys and focus group discussions. "Safe drinking water is essential for communities to thrive, and we're grateful to the partners who helped us create a plan to protect the future of our water," said Minnesota Commissioner of Health Dr. Brooke Cunningham. "The Drinking Water Action Plan represents our commitment to continue to do everything in our power, and in collaboration with partners, to ensure safe and sufficient drinking water for everyone, everywhere in Minnesota." The plan includes five broad goals: protect sources of drinking water, establish resilient drinking water infrastructure, ensure safe tap water, anticipate and manage emerging risks, and engage partners. The plan highlights things Minnesota has been doing well, which include identifying and managing potential threats to drinking water sources for public water systems, ensuring public water systems are in compliance with the SDWA and scanning the horizon for emerging contaminant risks. The plan emphasizes that more needs to be done to support small water systems and private well users who face unfair challenges. Shifts in land use and better understanding of contaminants have put a spotlight on the gaps in protections and resources for the more than 1 million Minnesotans who rely on a private well for their drinking water. Other risks and challenges that need to be addressed, underscored by the plan, include building public water system resiliency, reducing flooding impacts, investing in the future water operator and well contractor workforces, upgrading and modernizing data systems, and connecting with communities about their priorities and concerns. Partners who collaborated with MDH on the plan included the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources, Minnesota Public Facilities Authority and Metropolitan Council. MDH also contracted with the University of Minnesota Water Resources Center and Humphrey School of Public Affairs, Freshwater, and Clean River Partners to gather input from water resource professionals across the state and host community meetings. Participants shared their drinking water priorities and provided feedback on the draft plan at community meetings in Austin, Faribault, Lewiston, Little Falls, Northfield, St. Cloud and the Twin Cities between November 2023 and January 2024. MDH intends to work with its partners to update the plan every two years over the next 10 years to show progress and to highlight which risks are still present or have emerged. -MDH- Media inquiries:
Amy Barrett
MDH Communications
651-201-4993
amy.barrett@state.mn.us
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