City selects new well site
3M to pay cost for Oakdale project
Katy Zillmer
staff writer
The city of Oakdale, in partnership with 3M and the Minnesota Department of Health, has completed the testing process to build a new well and selected its final location as Goodwin Park.
The new well is a replacement for one located at Hilo Avenue and Stillwater Boulevard that does not meet the Department of Health's standards for safe drinking water. The older well, labeled as "No. 8," is not in line with safety standards due to contamination originating from the former Washington County landfill in Lake Elmo.
Perfluorochemicals (PFCs) were legally disposed of in the landfill by 3M into the 1980s and are the source of the groundwater contamination.
PFCs were used to make products that resist heat, oil or grease such as non-stick cookware or stain-resistant carpets. 3M phased out use of the chemicals from 2000 to 2002 and stopped disposing them in landfills in the 1980s.
Due to the contamination, 3M is covering the cost of the new well, said Oakdale Public Works Director Brian Bachmeier. The well's estimated cost is $1 million, he said.
Finding a location for a new well in Oakdale was a bit of a challenge due to high levels of iron and manganese found at four different sites.
"These are natural minerals and there is not an adverse health effect associated with the minerals, however they create aesthetic problems," Bachmeier said. The minerals can cause water to appear black or rusty, he added. "It's an aesthetic concern, not a health concern."
The potential sites for the well that had higher levels of iron and manganese could have been treated, but officials working on the project chose to keep searching.
The result was a site at 40th Street and Goodwin Avenue, in the southern portion of Goodwin Park.
When complete, the well will occupy 600 square feet in the park.
City Planner Whitney Ridlon said the exterior building materials will be brick and stone with steel siding. Lighting on the building will cast down against the structure, which is the same style for all the city's well houses, Ridlon said. The lighting is installed for security purposes, and there will also be a security system.
Bachmeier said there are homes located to the south and west of the well site, however the operation will be quiet and not disturb the neighbors.
"Municipal well buildings fit nicely in residential areas. Once they're constructed and under operation, the fit quite nicely," Bachmeier said.
City staff will review bids from companies interested in completing the project and plan to select a contractor at the City Council meeting on Nov. 17.
The schedule is set to have the new well operating by next summer, "the high-demand water season," Bachmeier said.
Well No. 8, which is not in use by the city, may be sealed after the project is complete or the Department of Health may decide to use the site for future testing, he said. "It will not be part of our municipal well supply."
Katy Zillmer can be reached at kzillmer@lillienews.com or at 651-748-7822.
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