HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 2006-025CITY OF It.-AKE ELMO
COUNTY OF WASHINGTON
STATE OF MINNESOTA
RESOLUTION NO. 2006-025
A RESOLUTION RELATING TO PRIVATE WELLS
IN THE WEST CENTRAL LAKE ELMO AREA
WHEREAS, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, in conjunction with the
Minnesota Department of Health, has taken water samples from approximately 239
private residential wells in the west central portion of the City of Lake Elmo (the
"WCLE Area") as illustrated on Exhibit A attached; and
WHEREAS, the private welt water sampling in the WCLE Area indicates that the
following perfluorochemicats ("PFCs".) are present in some of the private wells:
A. Perfluorooctane sulfate ("PFOS") and perftuorooctanic acid ("PFOA")
have been detected in nineteen (19) private residential wells at levels in
excess of the health base values ("HBVs") set by the Minnesota
Department of Health; and
B� PFOS and PFOA has been detected in sixty four (64) residential wells at
levels that do not yet exceed the HBVs set by the Minnesota Department
of Health; and
WHEREAS, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency reports that, based upon
animal studies, concentrations of PFOS have been shown to adversely affect liver and
other organs; high concentrations of PFOA over a tong period of time may also cause
cancer in animals (still under review); and that developmental. affects have been seen
the offspring of rats exposed to PFCs; and
WHEREAS, the WCLE Area ties easterly of the nearby Oakdale 3M Landfill (a
Superfund Site) and lies southerly and westerly of the Washington County Landfill (a
closed landfill program site); and
WHEREAS, all of the private residential welts in the WCLE Area are located
downstream from the source of contamination and draw water from the same
aquifers; and
WHEREAS, the Minnesota Department of Health has determined that the
seating of the private wells within the WCLE Area wit[:
A. Remove the need to monitor multiple private welts whose future uses
are unclear.
B. Prevent the further spread of PFCs in or between the affected aquifers
from poorly constructed or failing welts.
C. Remove pumping of numerous welts as one of the complicating factors in
predicting ground water flow from the Washington County Landfill and
also predicting movement of the contaminates.
D. Stop the movement of PFCs from the ground water into the environment
(PFCs do not volatilize, so any PFCs pumped from a private welt will be
reintroduced into the soil and ultimately back into the ground water).
E. Minimize minor human exposures through other pathways (soil
gardening, swimming pools) from using contaminated water., even water
with PFCs below health based value levels).
F. Prevent the possibility of future cross connection and contaminations of
public water supply from do it yourself plumbers.
G. Eliminate the cost to the homeowner of maintaining and operating and
ultimately seating their well.
H. Eliminate liability concerns at the time of future property transfer.
WHEREAS, the WCLE Area will soon be part of an expanded format Special Well
Construction Area which may require, under statute, that the existence of the well be
disclosed at property transfer; and
WHEREAS, the seating of some, but not all of the welts, in the WCLE Area will
increase the likelihood of contamination in the unseated wells; and
WHEREAS, the City of Lake Elmo has obtained a 3M community grant which will
allow the City to extend the City water service to serve the WCLE Area and to connect
the parcels within the WCLE Area to the City water system (the "Water Improvement
Project") without the necessity of specialty assessing Water Improvement Project
costs to the parcels within the WCLE Area; and
F)
WHEREAS, the City of Lake Elmo will be awarding contracts in 2006 for the
construction of the Water Improvement Project; and
NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved that the Lake Elmo City Council hereby
declares that all private welts within the WCLE Area, as identified on Exhibit A
attached, are a known or potential health hazard and directs that, upon the
avaitabitity of a City water system, such private welts shall be seated in compliance
with the regulations of the Minnesota Department of Health and that the private
dwellings within the WCLE Area shalt be connected to the City water system.
Approved by the City of Lake Elmo on the 6"' day of March, 2006.
CITY OF LAKE ELMS
By:
Dean Johnston
Its: Mayor
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