"Forever chemicals" found in more Minnesota waters

State regulators are raising concerns about water quality at hundreds more lakes, rivers, streams and wetland areas.

Driving the news: More than 300 bodies of water were added to the updated "impaired waters" list proposed by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, bringing the total of troubled sites to nearly 3,000.

• The additions include bodies of water where "forever chemicals" were newly detected in fish tissue, including a stretch of the St. Croix River between Taylors Falls Dam and Lake St. Croix.

Context: The list, based on water quality monitoring, is released every two years in accordance with the federal Clean Water Act.

• MPCA then works with partners to try to address the pollution problems.

Between the lines: Most of the impairments are "unhealthy conditions for fish and bugs," per an MPCA release.

• Other reasons include bacteria, sulfate levels in wild rice and and the presence of PFAS, the "forever chemicals" used in plastic and other products.

What they're saying: "Minnesota's water is its most valuable resource and everyone expects our lakes and streams to be suitable for swimming and fishing," MPCA commissioner Katrina Kessler said in a statement. "While Minnesota has made progress in cleaning up waters, too many of our lakes and streams are in still trouble."

1 bright spot: MPCA was able to remove 31 bodies of water from the last list thanks to improved water quality.

Go deeper: The full draft list, which is open to public comment, is posted on MPCA's website.