Four Minnesota cities getting funding for water testing

(St. Paul, MN) -- Four Minnesota cities are getting funding for independent investigations of their drinking water supplies.

The funding comes after a lawsuit by a former state employee and a resulting audit raised concerns about petroleum spill cleanup. The Legislature allocated 200-thousand dollars to the city of Paynesville, which is hiring a firm and working with the cities of Alexandria, Blaine, and Foley to test sites of four known petroleum leaks. The tests will determine if the cities need to dig up and remove contaminated soil.

The Minnesota Solution Control Agency says they are confident that the drinking water around the leak sites is clean and safe.