Apple Valley Got $9.1 Million for Its Water & Here's Why Your Bill Might Still Go Up
TLDR
Apple Valley is getting $9.1 million from the state's 2026 bonding bill to help treat PFAS in its drinking water.
The full project costs around $100 million — so the state money covers less than a tenth.
The city plans a water rate study this year, and rates are expected to rise.
About half of Apple Valley's wells have detectable "forever chemicals."
At the 2026 State of the City, Mayor Clint Hooppaw thanked state lawmakers for finding Apple Valley $9.1 million to help deal with PFAS — the "forever chemicals" showing up in the city's water supply. It got a round of applause in the room. But the full story is a bit more complicated, and it's one that touches every household in the city.
What's Actually Going On With the Water
PFAS are synthetic chemicals that don't break down in the environment — hence "forever chemicals." They've been linked to health concerns, and they've turned up in nearly half of Apple Valley's wells. The tricky part: the city says it can't pin down exactly how they got there. As the Star Tribune reported, Apple Valley sits about 24 miles from the nearest 3M site, the company most associated with PFAS in Minnesota.
To clean them out, the city needs to add membrane filter technology to its treatment plant — which would also bump the plant's capacity from 18 million gallons a day to 20 million. The total bill? Roughly $100 to $106 million.
Where the Money Comes From
Here's the math problem. The city asked the state for $40 million. It got $9.1 million — chief-authored by Senator Erin Maye Quade and passed as part of a $1.2 billion bonding package. As Sun Thisweek detailed, City Administrator Tom Lawell called it generous but acknowledged it's less than requested.
The city has also pulled in over $3 million from class-action settlements against PFAS manufacturers, with more expected. But even adding that up, there's a massive gap left. And that gap tends to land in one place: resident water bills. Public Works Director Matt Saam put it bluntly in earlier reporting — residents didn't cause the problem, but they're the ones who'll pay to fix it. Apple Valley isn't alone here; Hastings has been raising water rates for the same reason.
What Happens Next
The city says it'll run an in-depth water rate study over the next year and a pilot study to test which membrane filters work best with Apple Valley's specific well water. So you won't see a change overnight — but the direction is clear. This is the kind of well-by-well water question other south metro cities are wrestling with too, like Rosemount's gross alpha radiation issue at Well 8. If you want to weigh in, the rate study is the window to watch.
The Bottom Line
The $9.1 million is real and it helps. But it's a down payment on a $100 million problem, and the rest has to come from somewhere. Keep an eye out for the city's rate study this year — that's when the real numbers for your household will start to take shape. It's not all bad news on the water front around here, either; Eagan just got a lake off the state's impaired waters list, a reminder that these problems can move in the right direction with enough work.
FAQ
Is Apple Valley's water safe to drink right now? The city is working to bring PFAS levels into compliance with EPA rules. The treatment upgrades are about meeting those standards going forward.
How much could my water bill go up? The city hasn't set new rates yet — that's what the upcoming rate study is for. Earlier reporting suggested significant per-household increases are on the table.
Why doesn't 3M just pay for it? The city has received over $3 million from PFAS-related settlements and expects more, but it can't trace its contamination to a specific source, which complicates things.
What's PFAS again? Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — synthetic "forever chemicals" that don't break down naturally and have been linked to health concerns.
When will the cleanup actually happen? First comes a pilot study to pick the right filter technology, then construction. This is a multi-year project.
