State lawmakers visited city hall in Hastings on November 7th as part of their statewide capital investment tour to learn about the city's urgent need to build new water treatment plants to remove PAS the forever chemicals from the local drinking supply. >> This continues to be my main priority for Hastings. >> Residents of Hastings don't have to foot the bill for the increased cost. The city is seeking $18.3 million for a new eastern water treatment plant and $20.7 million for the western plant. Testing has shown all city wells and a new well line recently drilled having PAS contamination levels above the federal limit. Several wells being over five times that amount. >> It actually covers our entirety of the aquafer and hastings. There's there's really nowhere to turn but this project which we'll talk about. State and city leaders have described the 3M PAS settlement as being one of the top contributors of the city's current funding issue. >> When PAS is the main poller and that can be tied back to 3M, there's already been a settlement for $760 million. Woodbury has received $400 million and Hastings has only received a little over 13 million. Hastings has already pieced together funding from multiple sources, so far securing more than $23 million for the current water treatment plant that is under construction. >> Hastings has done its homework. Hastings has um found uh funding through various different sources. I think that should really be recognized and commended. Um and I think that the committee picked up on that. Without additional state or federal assistance, water bills in Hastings could rise to be among the highest in Minnesota. >> To hear that water bills could increase by 159% is not welcome by the residents of Hastings. >> Lawmakers expressed hope that a robust bonding bill will move forward. >> We have expressed interest in passing something. I think it will be really important for our colleagues in the Senate to work along with us to get something done this year. If there are other funding mechanisms, I will find them. Um, and I will support all the dollars that we can bring into this community so that the burden of the cost of this water treatment facility doesn't fall to the rateayers of the city. City leaders say the science is clear, the need is urgent, and support from the state is crucial to ensuring clean and affordable drinking water for the community's future.