Protecting drinking water today requires more than maintaining what already works. It also means preparing for new challenges that are still coming into focus. Across Minnesota and the country, drinking water threats are evolving. While many communities have made progress addressing long‑standing contaminants, newer and more persistent challenges – such as PFAS and other widespread pollutants – are stretching the limits of traditional approaches.
As Freshwater celebrates Safe Drinking Water Week, we’re taking a moment to not only reflect on how far we’ve come, but to ask an essential question: how do we prevent tomorrow’s drinking water challenges from becoming crises?
Why innovation matters for drinking water protection
Most existing PFAS cleanup methods focus on treating water after contamination has already occurred, often by pumping groundwater to the surface and removing contaminants. While effective, these approaches can be extremely expensive and energy‑intensive, with costs that fall on utilities and communities for decades. In some cases, treatment systems also create concentrated waste streams that require long‑term management.
Freshwater advocates for prevention and early intervention to play a stronger role alongside treatment and regulation, especially when it comes to contaminants that persist in the environment. Innovation in this context means responsibly exploring new ways to:
- Reduce contamination before it reaches drinking water systems
- Complement existing treatment and infrastructure investments
- Lower long‑term costs while protecting public health
A closer look: addressing PFAS in groundwater, before it reaches the tap
One example of this forward‑looking work is Freshwater’s Biofilm Mediated Destruction of PFAS in Groundwater project, supported by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund through the Legislative‑Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).
PFAS contamination has been identified in both surface water and groundwater across Minnesota. The state’s Department of Health estimates that drinking water supplies for 140,000+ Minnesotans are contaminated by PFAS, covering 150+ square miles. Existing cleanup approaches largely rely on pulling contaminated groundwater to the surface for treatment, a process that can cost communities tens of millions of dollars to build and operate.
This multi-year project, advanced in partnership with the University of Minnesota and Bay West, explores an alternative approach. Instead of capturing PFAS after contamination has spread, Freshwater and its partners are developing and testing naturally occurring microbial biofilms that are capable of breaking down PFAS directly in groundwater. The goal is to demonstrate, at a field scale, whether this biological approach can safely reduce PFAS concentrations in place, without the need for continuous pumping or permanent above‑ground treatment facilities. This effort is still in the research and demonstration phase. It is not a replacement for existing treatment systems, and it will not solve PFAS contamination everywhere. But it represents an important step toward expanding the set of tools communities may have in the future, especially for preventing contamination from reaching drinking water intakes in the first place.
Innovation as part of a larger system
As with all drinking water protection, this work does not stand alone. Innovation is most effective when connected to:
- Strong public policy and regulation
- Long‑term infrastructure planning
- Source water protection and stewardship
- Community health and affordability considerations
Across Safe Drinking Water Week, Freshwater’s work highlights how each of these elements plays a role. Innovation adds another layer to help utilities, regulators, business leaders, and communities prepare for contaminants that existing systems were never designed to handle. Just as importantly, progress depends on collaboration. This project brings together scientists, water professionals, and public partners to test new ideas carefully, transparently, and with community benefit in mind.
Looking ahead with care and realism
Challenges facing drinking water systems are real and growing. But so is the opportunity to respond thoughtfully. By investing in science‑based research, testing new approaches responsibly, strengthening public systems, and protecting water upstream, Minnesota can stay ahead of emerging risks rather than respond only after contamination reaches homes. Safe Drinking Water Week reminds us that protecting drinking water is an ongoing commitment that must evolve alongside the challenges we face. Freshwater is working to ensure this commitment includes the foresight, collaboration, and innovation needed to keep drinking water safe for generations to come.
Supporting the work that prepares us for what’s next
Exploring new approaches to protect drinking water, while staying grounded in science, collaboration, and community benefit, requires long‑term commitment. Support from individuals who care about clean water helps Freshwater advance this kind of thoughtful, forward‑looking work, from testing innovative solutions to strengthening the systems that protect water today. If this work resonates with you, consider supporting Freshwater with a donation today to help ensure safe, reliable drinking water for generations to come.
Please reach out to Seth Thompson at sthompson@freshwater.org if you have any questions or would like to collaborate in support of this project.