NEARING THE FINISH LINE. While the City of Eau Claire's multi-million dollar class action lawsuits against chemical makers is still underway, its new PFAS facility is nearing the finish line. Its completion also falls on a year in which the Public Service Commission is reevaluating municipality water utility rates, with Eau Claire's likely to increase by roughly 20%.

It’s been five years since the City of Eau Claire discovered its drinking water was contaminated with PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), colloquially dubbed “forever chemicals.”

Then, the city moved swiftly in its efforts to mitigate the chemicals’ effects on residents. Significant operational changes were made – including the shutdown of half its water wells – and the city joined a handful of multi-million dollar class action lawsuits against major chemical makers, 3M and DuPont.

As explained by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, PFAS are widely used, long lasting chemicals which break down slowly over time. Often found in common applications, like fast-food box linings, non-stick cookware and fire-fighting foams, PFAS have been linked to a number of harmful health problems in humans and animals, such as reproductive issues and increased risk of some cancers.

City officials invited local media outlets to see the soon-to-be operational, 20,000-square-foot PFAS facility, which will eradicate the chemicals from the water.

”

i knew (the pfas contamination) was going to be a really big issue for the city, maybe the biggest issue the city has ever faced

but you look back at it ... we got out in front of everything.

LANE BERG

CITY OF EAU CALIRE COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR

Nearly two years into the process, City Utilities Manager Ben Spanel says the project is on track to open late this spring or summer.

Within the new facility, 16 huge vessels contain “media” which will filter PFAS out of the city’s drinking water through a process called ion exchange. Once the vessels begin operating, the filtering process begins immediately.

“(The tanks) look like a big propane cylinder,” Spanel explained. “The media in it is like a sand … the water flows through that media and, simply put, it almost acts like a magnet so that the media in there grabs the PFAS and hangs onto it while the water filters.”

The facility, pictured, will be connected to the existing plant further to its right. The white bridge structure, also pictured, will be used as part of the bridging skyway between the two.

Some of the 16 total vessels within the plant which will filter out PFAS from Eau Claire's drinking water.

Calgon Carbon, a leading PFAS removal provider, was awarded a contract to pick up and dispose of the used media as necessary.

“I knew (the PFAS contamination) was going to be a really big issue for the city, maybe the biggest issue the city has ever faced,” Lane Berg, former utilities manager and current community services director, said. “But you look back at it … we got out in front of everything.

“Other communities have dealt with it in different ways; we took it head-on, did the right things, were transparent, and even though it costs us a lot of money, the City of Eau Claire is going to benefit (from the facility).”

Financial Impacts

The project is a roughly $20 million investment, partially funded by class action lawsuit dollars. There are guardrails to the class action funds, City Finance Director Kitzie Winters said, guiding how the city applies them.

So far, two of four total checks from 3M – which will total about $9.4 million – have been received, Winters said. The city a roughly $1 million payment from DuPont, and a third class action lawsuit is underway, she said. Congressional funds from U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin and U.S. Rep. Derek Van Orden have been applied to the project, and the city continues to pursue additional monies for it.

As is routine every five or so years, the City of Eau Claire is also undergoing a utility rate increase process with the Public Service Commission (PSC). The PSC does a thorough audit and takes into municipalities' account revenue, financial stability, affordability, economic development and additional factors, Winters said.

“Water utilities raises rates primarily to fund essential infrastructure upgrades,” Winters said. Those include remedying aging pipes, covering operational costs and combating inflation, meeting new regulatory standards and treatment plants, like the PFAS facility. 

The city has completed two smaller simplified rate increases since 2021. This year, the net increase to water utility rates is likely to be about 20.04%, she said (on average, residents currently pay about $77 each quarter). At the same time, sewer rates were reduced by 5.7% percent in 2025, and will see no change in 2026.

“We anticipate that (the PSC) will set those rates to be effective on May 1 for the residents,” Winters said.

The PSC held a virtual public hearing on water utilities on Tuesday, Jan. 20, though no community members gave input on the rate increase, according to WEAU. 

Those who wish to offer thoughts to the PSC via electronic form can do so through Thursday, Jan. 22. 

Learn more about the City of Eau Claire's utilities, and keep up with the City of Eau Claire online for future updates.