Water

Water shortages and problems around Minnesota — and the country — have many wondering what is the true cost of clean and reliable water. This reporting is supported in part by The Water Main, a project of American Public Media.

‘Forever chemicals’ found in groundwater at dozens of Minn. landfills
Fifteen of the closed landfills were found to have PFAS contamination at least 10 times higher than the state’s health-based advisory values. MPCA officials say the agency will expand water monitoring and testing efforts to get a better idea of the scope of the contamination and if further action is needed.
Zebra mussels discovered on aquarium plants at Minnesota pet stores
Invasive zebra mussels, which were accidentally brought to the Great Lakes more than 30 years ago on cargo ships from Europe, have now been found in aquarium plants sold at pet stores in Minnesota and more than 25 other states.
MPCA wants to change some clean water rules. What does that mean?
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency says that the standards haven't changed much since the 1960s, and are based on outdated science. Environmental groups worry the proposed changes could lead to more pollution.
Research: Scanning wastewater could offer advance warning of COVID — or other viruses
A year into the COVID-19 pandemic, Minnesota researchers say their effort to learn whether surveying a community’s sewage could help detect the prevalence of COVID-19 — and possibly predict surges of the virus — appears promising.
30 years later, echoes of largest inland oil spill remain in Line 3 fight
About 50 people gathered at the Prairie River near the site of a crude oil spill in Grand Rapids Wednesday. Thirty years ago, on March 3, 1991, the Line 3 oil pipeline ruptured at the site, spilling 1.7 million gallons of crude oil into a wetland and onto the frozen Prairie River. It's still the largest inland oil spill in U.S. history.
Leaders of tribal nations in MN ask Walz to pause Line 3 work during legal appeal
In a letter, the group urged Walz to issue an executive order putting a stay on the pipeline replacement project construction while lawsuits challenging the project’s approval play out in court.