Funded by $400,000 from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund Emerging Issues Account, this project is led by Freshwater Research and Policy Director Carrie Jennings, teamed with mapping technology experts at SharedGeo. In addition, the work will be informed by the expertise of two advisory boards (technical and end user) representing several Minnesota state agencies, Tribal governments, community and nonprofit groups, engineers, researchers, and other key stakeholders.

Using science to address the speed of business
At least 20 Minnesota cities from the Twin Cities to Rochester have been approached by data centers or other high-volume water users in the last year, raising questions about long-term groundwater sustainability to support rivers, lakes, wetlands and drinking water.

“These projects tend to be confidential and fast-moving without much scientific input during the initial planning stages,” explained Jennings. “Sites are often chosen for reasons other than water security – such as electrical grid, fiber capacity and land prices – with the assumption that water is available. However, groundwater availability is highly variable throughout different regions of the state.”

Fortunately, Minnesota has a wealth of dynamic water data available to aid in decision-making. The challenge is to make the information widely available in a format that people can understand and use – and that is where the Water Risk Atlas comes in.

Importantly, this screening tool is not intended to be a substitute for environmental review or site-specific investigations. Rather, it could be used by businesses and economic development agencies to direct water-intensive industries toward regions that can potentially support the proposed use – and away from water-stressed regions. This would be a valuable first step in avoiding water-use conflicts later on. 

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Freshwater welcomed two interns, Georgia Akins and Ben Arnold, in fall 2025, who contributed to several key projects across the organization. Georgia worked on updates to the Minnesota Water Stewards Program, developed a StoryMap highlighting water quality and environmental equity in the Twin Cities, and supported PFAS education initiatives. Ben contributed to Freshwater's Rural Health and Drinking Water project by creating GIS-based maps and tools to support well-testing outreach and connect well owners with water service providers.

From water quality research to community outreach and mapping tools, both interns brought unique skills and perspectives to Freshwater. Learn more about Georgia and Ben below.

Georgia Akins graduated from Macalester College in 2026 where she majored in Environmental Studies and minored in Biology and Statistics. As a student researcher at the Bratt Aquatic Ecology Lab and a participant in a Sea Education Association study-abroad program in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, and Mo'orea, French Polynesia, Georgia gained valuable research experience. These opportunities supported her senior honors thesis in Macalester's Environmental Studies Department, which investigated relationships between contemporary algal communities and historical environmental disinvestment in the Twin Cities.

Ben Arnold graduated from Macalester College recently where he majored in Geography and Environmental Studies. Ben is passionate in utilizing spatial and statistical methodologies to better understand the ways that our physical and social environments contribute to negative health outcomes. Beginning fall of 2026, Ben will begin his Master's in Geography at the University of Iowa.

Read what our interns have to say about their Freshwater experiences.

What projects or work have you been involved with during your internship at Freshwater?

Georgia: I first began working with Freshwater during my senior year of college as part of my Environmental Studies capstone at Macalester. I initially worked to help revamp the Minnesota Water Stewards Program, offering a student perspective and scientific expertise on the program’s curriculum. At the same time, I also worked with the Programs Department to transform results and information from my research with the Bratt Aquatic Ecology Lab at Macalester into a public, interactive website. This resource is now available as a StoryMap site that allows users to learn more about how historical disparities in environmental disinvestment affect contemporary water quality across the Twin Cities. Since this site’s publication, I have been contributing to a larger project surrounding PFAS mitigation and education in Minnesota. As part of this project, I developed an action step for Freshwater’s Minnesota Water Stewards Program, which provides participants with accessible but impactful solutions for mitigating PFAS exposure in their water sources.

Ben: I have been interning at Freshwater since September 2025, working on their Rural Health and Drinking Water project. Using GIS with well and census data, I have created maps and datasets to inform our well testing outreach. Additionally, I have been creating static and interactive maps visualizing the distribution of arsenic across our 8-county project area. Lastly, I am working on a web app to help connect well owners with a water service provider.

What lessons have you learned from your internship, and how would you describe your experience working at Freshwater?

Georgia: Working with Freshwater has been the experience of a lifetime! I have learned so much about the work that goes into getting people involved with environmental issues, and the most effective ways to do so. In particular, this internship helped me to strengthen my scientific communication skills, especially in transforming dense scientific materials into usable and easy to understand resources for the public. These skills largely came out of the incredibly intimate and supportive environment that Freshwater possesses. Ever since I began working as an intern, I have felt heard and comfortable with making mistakes as I built my professional career. Everyone I worked with instantly made me feel welcome and was more than happy to offer their support or listen to my ideas. Being able to build a close relationship with my supervisor and other employees at Freshwater truly made me feel like I was part of the larger team, and not just an overlooked intern. I can confidently say that my internship with Freshwater was one of the highlights of my senior year—it was truly special.

Ben: This project has given me the opportunity to work with a cross-disciplinary team across several organizations, all working towards the same ambitious goals. Through this experience, I have learned how to collaborate with experienced professionals and share my unique perspectives on our project. Learning to synthesize information into a product that is as understandable as possible has been challenging, but also has given me the opportunity to explore new tools, like interactive web maps. To maximize the impact of our work, web maps can facilitate outreach, education, and finding arsenic treatment. Working on a project with important, tangible effects on my home state has been incredibly rewarding, and I'm excited to see it continue.

We're grateful for Georgia's and Ben's contributions over the past year and wish them continued success in their next endeavors. Freshwater is always excited to create opportunities for students to gain real-world experience, explore their interests, and make meaningful contributions to our mission. To stay informed about future internships, programs, and opportunities at Freshwater, be sure to follow us on social media and check our website regularly.

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The Minnesota Legislature adjourned on May 18 after passing a $1.24 billion bonding bill, along with relatively few water-related policy bills. Freshwater, along with our team at Park Street Public, engaged with bipartisan legislators and partners to build support for water infrastructure funding, and we backed passage of funding bills for the Outdoor Heritage Fund and the Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund. 

Here are some key outcomes from this year’s session, plus a look at several bills we were following that did not move forward. 

$1.2B bonding bill supports water infrastructure, falls short on lead pipes 
The 2026 Capital Investment (bonding bill) includes a number of important investments in Minnesota’s water: 

• $420 million to the Public Facilities Authority for water/wastewater infrastructure projects. 

• $56 million to the Public Facilities Authority for water/wastewater infrastructure grants. 

• $1.8 million to the Minnesota Department of Health for Drinking Water Regionalization Planning Grants. 

• $15 million to the Metropolitan Council for inflow and infiltration grants. 

• $2 million to the Board of Water and Soil Resources for Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) and Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). 

The bonding bill also included $15 million for lead service line replacement, significantly less than what Freshwater and our partners had expected. An earlier bill, HF3748/SF4122, would have appropriated $250 million and kept the state on track to replace all lead service lines by 2033. With an estimated $1 billion needed to address this issue in Minnesota, we will continue to advocate for robust funding in the coming years.

Dedicated environmental funding bills passed late in session
Two large environmental funding bills made it across the finish line just in time. The Legislature passed SF2077, the latest round of Outdoor Heritage Fund projects, along with governance updates to the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council, which oversees the fund. 

The Legislature also passed HF3426, funding projects from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. This includes $28 million for the new Community Grant program that is administered by the DNR.

Looking forward, Freshwater will be following the Clean Water Council’s process of finalizing budget recommendations for the next biennium. Those recommendations will go before the Legislature during next year’s session.

Policy bills stall around data centers and large water users
Freshwater continues to lead on careful siting and comprehensive planning for large water users such as data centers. We contributed to a policy statement recently published by the Clean Water Council and coordinated with partners on policy solutions to increase transparency in water-use reporting and protect groundwater supplies. Several related bills were considered (but not passed) during this legislative session: 

• HF3793 would strengthen DNR permitting oversight of large water users while also expanding allowable use of the Mt. Simon-Hinckley aquifer in a limited geographic area.
• HF2862 would specify a series of guidelines for data center permitting and environmental review.
• HF4077/SF4379 would prohibit municipalities from entering into nondisclosure agreements that restrict them from disclosing information about projects to the public.

Private wells, PFAS and sustainable aviation fuel
Safe drinking water for private well owners is one of Freshwater’s top priorities and the focus of our Rural Health and Drinking Water project. While policies supporting private well owners did not move forward this session, we are encouraged by the introduction of HF3252/SF3577 that would establish a rebate program for residents with contaminated water to install home treatment systems. 

Minnesota’s landmark PFAS prohibition (Amara’s Law), continued to garner attention at the Legislature this session with several proposals to delay reporting requirements and narrow the scope of products subject to those requirements. While a reporting delay did not pass, SF4612 limits PFAS reporting to products manufactured on or after July 1, 2023. The current deadline for reporting is September 15, 2026.

We are pleased to see the tax bill included environmental guardrails on Minnesota’s sustainable aviation fuel tax credit. These policies encourage the use of water friendly feedstocks such as winter camelina, and also help prevent conversion of natural lands into cropland for aviation fuel.

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As we reflect on the April 2026 congressional vote to roll back federal protections around mining near the Boundary Waters, we are reminded that clean water is our shared priority as Minnesotans and environmental leaders. The BWCA is an invaluable place, home to some of the highest quality freshwater ecosystems in the world. Keeping it safe from pollution should be something we can all agree on, regardless of politics.

It is important to note that any proposed mine in this area is still subject to a rigorous and lengthy state permitting process. Freshwater will continue to closely monitor state regulatory processes that evaluate water risk and support science-based policies that protect our waters.

To learn more about this issue, we recommend these resources:

• Article by the Minnesota Reformer
• MPCA permitting processes

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Progress on water infrastructure funding 
A bonding bill is urgently needed this year to help address a backlog of critical infrastructure projects across the state. Lead service line replacement is just one example. Minnesota made a public commitment to replace all lead service lines in the state by 2033. However, we only have around 1/3 of the funding needed for these replacements, and that will run out by 2027. HF3748/SF4122 would appropriate $250 million to the Public Facilities Authority for lead service line replacement. The bill was heard in the House Capital Investment Committee on April 14 and the Senate Capital Investment Committee on April 23.

Freshwater also supports community-led regionalization of water systems, which can help strengthen drinking water and wastewater systems for small and rural communities by pooling shared resources. HF4301/SF4457 includes $1 million in grants to assist counties, municipalities and townships in planning efforts related to drinking water regionalization. The Senate bill passed the Health and Human Services Committee, then was heard in the Capital Investment Committee on April 16 and laid over for possible inclusion in a bonding bill.

In the coming weeks, Freshwater will be coordinating with municipalities, water industry leaders and business partners to meet with legislators and emphasize the importance of passing a robust bonding bill for water infrastructure this session. 

Uncertain path for water policy bills 
The Minnesota House has not yet introduced an environment omnibus bill, and the Senate environment omnibus does not include significant water policy provisions. This leaves an uncertain path for many of the water policy bills we have been following.

Here are three water-related bills that have seen significant movement this session:

• HF3793 (DE Amendment)  on water use permits was heard in the House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy committee on April 14 and laid over. The bill would strengthen DNR permitting oversight of large water users while also expanding allowable use of the Mt. Simon-Hinckley aquifer under certain conditions (see bill summary). 

• HF4077/SF4379: This bill would prohibit municipalities from entering into nondisclosure agreements that restrict them from disclosing information about projects to the public. The bill was passed by Senate Judiciary and Public Safety Committee on April 7 and reached a tie vote in the House Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee on April 9. The legislation aims to increase transparency around data centers and other large development projects. 

• HF3426/SF3857: Project funding appropriations from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. This bill includes recommendations from the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) for over $103 million in outdoor-related projects. The bill passed the House Environmental and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee on April 16, and it passed the Ways and Means Committee on April 22. The bill passed the Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy Committee back on March 12, and a final version will need to be reconciled between the House and Senate.

The end of the legislative session can be unpredictable, so we will continue to monitor progress and engage on water policy and funding bills as they develop through the end of session on Monday, May 18. Visit the Freshwater Policy page to learn more.

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The brewery was filled with a wide range of people who care deeply about Minnesota’s waters, from watershed professionals, nonprofit partners, and industry leaders to Minnesota Water Stewards, elected officials, and Freshwater members. Conversations flowed easily as guests connected across sectors, shared ideas, and reflected on the role water plays in public health, ecosystems, culture, and community life.

World Water Day offered a meaningful moment to pause and appreciate the people who make this work possible. For nearly 60 years, Freshwater has advanced science‑based, community‑centered solutions to water challenges, and evenings like this underscore how essential relationships, trust, and collaboration are to that mission.

We are especially grateful to Back Channel Brewing for hosting us and for their generous support through the Community Tuesdays program, donating 5% of net beer sales to support Freshwater’s work. Thank you as well to the many partners who joined us in conversation and helped make the evening welcoming and energizing. Events like this strengthen the connections that help us advance a future of clean, accessible water for all communities.

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The report, Securing Illinois’ Groundwater Future, describes the state’s current groundwater management framework and includes a number of recommendations – from setting management goals for groundwater supply to improving water use reporting. It also assesses the high-capacity well review process, calling for improved coordination and administrative funding to perform this important work. 

Proposed improvements for Illinois
State Senator Laura Ellman (D-Naperville) recently convened a subject matter hearing on groundwater and introduced a bill (SB3162) that would direct the Illinois Department of Agriculture to consider water quantity in its procedures for restricting groundwater withdrawal. 

The bill would also require the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Groundwater to submit a report to the Governor and General Assembly by January 1, 2028, on the unsustainable depletion of aquifers in the state with a legislative proposal to remedy the problem. The directive asks for a proposal to establish a single statewide permitting program for groundwater withdrawal that would, “simplify the current patchwork of State groundwater regulations administered by multiple agencies.” 

Currently, under the Water Use Act of 1983, groundwater permitting decisions are made by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the Illinois Department of Public Health from a well construction and water quality perspective – without consideration of quantity. 

A lack of coordinated protections for groundwater supply has led to a 1,000-foot water level drop in portions of the St. Peter Sandstone aquifer in northeastern Illinois.

Groundwater governance in the Great Lakes region
In addition to Illinois, Freshwater studied groundwater governance in each of the other EPA Region 5 states: Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Funded by The Joyce Foundation, this work is detailed on the Freshwater website and divided into Phase 1 and Phase 2 reports. By analyzing each state’s groundwater challenges and governance systems, the project team sought to share best practices and identify solutions that could be implemented to sustain future groundwater supplies. 

“We really benefited from working with CMAP, and we learned a lot from our comparisons of the Chicago metropolitan area with the Twin Cities,” said Freshwater Research and Policy Director Carrie Jennings. 

“We are pleased to see these conversations around sustainable groundwater use taking place in Illinois. This is a good example of research influencing public policy as the state considers critical improvements to its groundwater permitting and management.”

Policy change through research and collaboration
This work is rooted in a simple but powerful theory of change: rigorous research, paired with cross-sector collaboration, leads to informed policymaking that strengthens water governance across the region. The proposed legislative solutions in Illinois demonstrate this progression in action.

• Research: Through Securing Illinois’ Groundwater Future and Freshwater’s broader EPA Region 5 groundwater governance studies, our teams documented gaps in state-level groundwater oversight, assessed policy barriers, and highlighted governance models that better protect shared aquifers. This technical analysis created a clear evidence base to inform decision-making.
• Collaboration: By partnering with CMAP and engaging leaders, utilities, planners, and community members across Illinois and other Great Lakes states, Freshwater helped elevate groundwater supply issues into policy conversations. These collaborations ensured the research resonated with the practical needs and realities of water managers.
• Policy impact: Senator Laura Ellman’s subject matter hearing and subsequent bill (SB3162) reflect increasing legislative attention to the very issues Freshwater and CMAP identified: the need for statewide groundwater management goals, coordinated permitting, and stronger interagency oversight. As Illinois considers reforms to modernize groundwater permitting and planning, Freshwater’s research continues to shape and inform this important policy work.

Together, these steps exemplify Freshwater’s belief that good science and inclusive collaboration are catalysts for meaningful, lasting policy change, helping ensure that groundwater, an often-invisible resource, is sustainably managed for generations to come.

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Here are the priorities we plan to work on during the 2026 session:

Smart design and development of new high-volume water users

Whether it’s data centers, sustainable aviation fuel facilities or green hydrogen, we encourage more regional planning, cross sector collaboration, transparency, community input, evaluation of impacts, and sustainable water use around new developments with high-volume water users.

1a. Promote efficient design with emphasis on water circularity. Incentivize closed loop geothermal systems and water reuse systems.

1b. Increase transparency during the planning process. Restrict non-disclosure agreements from pertaining to water use, and limit the scope and timescale of these agreements.

Water infrastructure funding

The 2025 Legislature passed a small bonding bill, but there is a backlog of critical infrastructure projects across the state not being funded. Infrastructure is critical to thriving economies and healthy communities. The 2026 Legislature can address these needs, including aging drinking water, stormwater, and wastewater infrastructure urgently needed across Minnesota.

Freshwater supports water infrastructure investments for the Public Facilities Authority (PFA). We also encourage equity-based project prioritization, so that low-income communities have increased access to the state revolving funds.

Freshwater also supports funding for the Minnesota Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP). This successful program leverages federal dollars to compensate landowners for granting conservation easements and establishing native vegetation habitat – and it can be used to complement other important water quality and climate related efforts such as soil health and water storage.

3a. Lead service line funding. Consider additional appropriations to fund lead service line replacement programs through the PFA.

3b. Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP). We support the creation of a statewide assistance program for water and wastewater bills.

Safe drinking water for private well owners

High levels of nitrate in drinking water indicate significant agricultural contaminant issues in Minnesota, especially in the southeastern part of the state where the karst topography makes groundwater particularly vulnerable. Geogenic contaminants like arsenic and manganese also present risks to private well owners.

Freshwater supports strong legislative action to increase well testing, protection for private wells and private well owners, and well water treatment and mitigation of contaminants.

Items to monitor in 2026

• Chloride/safe salting legislation
• Sustainable aviation fuel standards and tax incentives
• Clean Water Fund and LCCMR recommendations support
• White Bear Lake, Little Rock Creek work groups and solutions to water conflicts
• Neonicotinoid pesticide regulation
• Wild rice and sulfate standard
• Funding for SWCD’s and local governments

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A bold new effort to address one of Minnesota’s most persistent water challenges is now underway. Thanks to support from the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR), Freshwater is partnering with Bay West and the University of Minnesota on a 3-year project to develop and test innovative, biofilm-based technologies to destroy PFAS – often called “forever chemicals” – in contaminated groundwater.

PFAS are chemicals widely used in products like firefighting foam, non-stick coatings and waterproof materials. Their strong chemical bonds make them extremely resistant to breakdown, and they’ve been detected in water supplies across Minnesota, posing risks to human and environmental health.

Most existing cleanup approaches focus on capturing and concentrating PFAS after groundwater is pumped to the surface, an approach that is costly, energy-intensive and difficult to scale. This project takes a different path. By harnessing the power of naturally occurring microbial biofilms, the team aims to demonstrate a more sustainable, in-place solution that can break down PFAS in the ground itself.

Over the coming years, we’ll be sharing updates and lessons learned as this work progresses. This project represents an important step toward long-term, science-based solutions to protect Minnesota’s water.

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