This week we are pleased to welcome another deeply knowledgeable guest from the state of Minnesota: Vanessa Demuth, a geologist and well inspector from Dakota County, Minnesota’s Environmental Resources Department. Dakota County is one of a set of Minnesota counties that has stricter standards for well water pollutants than the state. Vanessa tells Steve and Jennifer how these stricter standards benefit the well owners of Dakota County, other well care tactics the county undertakes, unique pollutants, and more!
Topics Discussed
- Meet Vanessa Demuth
- Vanessa’s Water Hero: Dr. Fardin Oliaei, former Minnesota Pollution Control Agency scientist and whistleblower who first raised alarms about PFC contamination of the state’s groundwater by 3M
- Geological and groundwater conditions of Dakota County
- The unique aspects of Dakota County’s private well testing program
- PFAS sampling and biosolid application in Dakota County
- The under-publicized need to test wells for cyanazine
- How is Dakota County able to provide all of these resources for well owners?
- More from Dakota County
- Drinking Water Studies conducted by the Environmental Resources Department
- Safe Drinking Water Grant Opportunity
- Dakota County Government on Facebook
“I would encourage anyone in a corn-growing region that has private wells to test for cyanazine, atrazine, and their degradates.”
Vanessa Demuth
Go Further
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About the Guest
Vanessa Demuth has been a geologist and water well inspector with the Dakota County Environmental Resources Department since 1993. In that time, she has also worked on water testing, well seal grant, and treatment grant programs in addition to completing to research on groundwater quality and contamination in Minnesota. She is currently the vice president of the Minnesota chapter of the American Institute of Professional Geologists and serves on the City of Rosemount’s utility commission. Vanessa also started the city’s environmental commission during her time on Rosemount’s City Council.