The bright blue shipping container stood out in the snow-covered landscape of Tablyn Park in Lake Elmo, Minnesota. Inside, contractors calibrated a machine that state officials hope could help solve a decades-long pollution problem in the east metro area.
Within the trailer, groundwater will be pumped into large black drums that are topped with clear blue cylinders. Air will be injected into the water to create bubbles — and in the upper chambers, the machine will collect a foam that's brimming with toxic chemicals collectively known as PFAS. The decontaminated water will then be pumped back underground.
"The hope here is that we are able to reduce the spread of PFAS, so that we can reduce the number of necessary treatment options on wells," said Rebecca Higgins, a senior hydrogeologist for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency. "It's protecting this groundwater resource for current and future generations."
