 Minnesota's health officials have lowered exposure limits for some chemicals that have been in drinking water in the east metro area of St. Paul and in Bemidji. The chemicals are known as PFOA and PFOS and were used at a 3M manufacturing site and dumped at sites in Washington County. State health officials say there's no immediate health threat, but after reviewing research about the chemical's effects on fetuses and infants, they concluded current federal standards don't go far enough to protect infants from long-term risks. Department of Health officials say drinking water with the elevated levels does not pose an immediate health risk but can build up in the body over time. State of Minnesota health officials have identified that Bemidji has a number of supply wells for its public drinking water systems affected by the updated values. The city of Bemidji says that the water is safe to drink for all residents. In a statement, city manager Nate Matthews said that the city has made adjustments to its well-pumping system, deactivated two wells and blended the water from three others to ensure the city's water supply meets those guidelines. The city says that it has hired an engineering consultant and will begin to work on a permanent solution to provide treatment of these chemicals in the city's water supply system. If you've enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland Public Television.