As part of the series “Polluted Waters - Costly Cleanup,” MPR’s Dan Gunderson reports on federal Clean Water Act and the pressure for Minnesota to fulfill those testing and clean up requirements.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is releasing an updated list of polluted streams, rivers, and lakes, known officially as "impaired waters." It's expected several hundred impaired waters will be added to the list. It's estimated up to 40 percent of Minnesota lakes and rivers are polluted. Federal law requires the state to monitor polluted waters and develop a cleanup plan for those that don't meet standards. But there's not enough money to test or clean up the water.

This is part one of a five-part series on impaired Minnesota waters.

Click links below for other parts of series:

part 2: https://archive.mpr.org/stories/2005/10/11/polluted-waters-costly-cleanup-pollution-cleanup-cost-is-hard-to-comprehend

part 3: https://archive.mpr.org/stories/2005/10/12/polluted-waters-costly-cleanup-drainage-ditches-cause-pollution-oversight-is-spotty

part 4: https://archive.mpr.org/stories/2005/10/13/polluted-waters-costly-cleanup-urban-runoff-a-toxic-brew

part 5: https://archive.mpr.org/stories/2005/10/13/polluted-waters-costly-cleanup-the-campaign-to-save-the-whitewater-river

Awarded:

2005 NBNA Eric Sevareid Award, Series - Large Market Radio category

2006 MNSPJ Page One Award, third place in Radio – In Depth – Over 50,000 category