Tested Water
Menu

Getting your well water tested in Minnesota

Use a lab Minnesota certifies, or a mail-in kit. Across the state, the ones worth testing for are manganese, arsenic and nitrate, plus bacteria every year.

Compare lab tests Find my county

About 1,279,000 people in Minnesota get their water from a private well, about 2 in 10 residents.

Three ways to get tested, cheapest first.

2

A lab Minnesota certifies

The state's list of labs certified for drinking water. Many sell bottles you pick up or get by mail, and their results count for a home sale or loan.

Labs certified by Minnesota
3

A mail-in kit

Order online, fill the bottles at your kitchen tap and get results by email in about a week. Full well tests run about $210 to $220.

Compare kits for Minnesota
Buying a house or drilling a new well in Minnesota?

The well contractor must collect an initial water sample after construction to test for coliform bacteria, nitrate, and arsenic before the well is used.

Look up a well's drilling report

What turns up in Minnesota wells.

Share of tested wells over the limit, from lab tests the USGS, EPA and state agencies collected since 2000. Your own well needs its own test.

Tested wells over the limit, statewide
Manganese21%791 of 3,706Arsenic15%657 of 4,469Nitrate7%375 of 5,138Uranium2%2 of 118Leadunder 1%8 of 4,488Fluorideunder 1%3 of 4,671Radon0%0 of 26
GermsTest every year, whatever the chart says
Coliform bacteria75%200 of 267
StainsNot a health risk
Iron stains61%2971 of 4,844

Rare: under 5%Worth checking: 5 to 15%Widespread: 15%+

Lab results: Water Quality Portal (USGS and EPA)

Where it shows up most

  • Nitrate shows up most in Stearns County (about 6 in 10 wells), Rock County (about 1 in 3 wells), Pope County (about 1 in 4 wells).
  • Arsenic shows up most in Sibley County (about 4 in 10 wells), Kandiyohi County (about 4 in 10 wells), Becker County (about 1 in 3 wells).

Find your county.

9 counties have a full report with local test results and well depths.

AnokaDakotaHennepinOtter TailSherburneSt. LouisStearnsWashingtonWright
Every county in Minnesota: people on wells and typical depth
CountyPeople on private wellsShare of residentsTypical well depth
Anoka County85,34923%136 ft
St. Louis County62,49831%108 ft
Hennepin County62,2395%155 ft
Washington County54,22420%180 ft
Sherburne County49,02450%90 ft
Wright County44,74132%111 ft
Stearns County41,06226%73 ft
Dakota County39,8619%260 ft
Otter Tail County36,92261%89 ft
Crow Wing County34,58852%72 ft
Chisago County31,25055%130 ft
Ramsey County28,5325%141 ft
Itasca County27,13260%85 ft
Cass County25,54685%70 ft
Scott County25,10717%220 ft
Beltrami County24,06352%78 ft
Isanti County23,86358%110 ft
Douglas County23,29860%99 ft
Olmsted County22,97314%335 ft
Becker County22,18663%86 ft
Morrison County21,40063%71 ft
Carlton County20,27956%101 ft
Pine County18,83265%90 ft
Todd County16,98767%83 ft
Carver County16,45815%196 ft
Hubbard County16,44477%70 ft
Kandiyohi County16,41838%105 ft
Rice County16,33624%215 ft
Goodhue County15,61833%321 ft
Mille Lacs County14,46955%70 ft
Winona County13,98028%205 ft
Benton County13,44532%75 ft
Meeker County12,74254%118 ft
Aitkin County12,64981%90 ft
Blue Earth County12,39618%172 ft
Kanabec County12,13776%89 ft
Le Sueur County10,88238%235 ft
Polk County10,70834%120 ft
McLeod County10,03727%143 ft
Fillmore County9,36644%345 ft
Mower County8,75922%171 ft
Clay County8,53713%135 ft
Roseau County8,45855%84 ft
Freeborn County8,34727%188 ft
Wabasha County7,80737%170 ft
Houston County7,76541%200 ft
Wadena County7,48053%71 ft
Dodge County6,65732%215 ft
Steele County6,55718%185 ft
Pope County6,49057%104 ft
Nicollet County6,39919%250 ft
Sibley County6,38243%229 ft
Clearwater County6,35675%97 ft
Waseca County5,89031%204 ft
Brown County5,65822%147 ft
Renville County5,43337%156 ft
Redwood County5,17534%107 ft
Marshall County5,14057%140 ft
Pennington County5,13037%180 ft
Martin County5,06825%160 ft
Nobles County4,99422%150 ft
Lyon County4,93620%113 ft
Lake County4,92145%205 ft
Faribault County4,68534%140 ft
Yellow Medicine County4,08443%102 ft
Jackson County4,07741%180 ft
Chippewa County4,07032%120 ft
Koochiching County3,98733%128 ft
Swift County3,78939%109 ft
Murray County3,64945%151 ft
Cook County3,52663%205 ft
Lac qui Parle County3,44551%135 ft
Stevens County3,37335%123 ft
Cottonwood County3,32029%152 ft
Grant County3,16052%107 ft
Mahnomen County3,13458%105 ft
Rock County3,06532%198 ft
Watonwan County2,90626%137 ft
Pipestone County2,84830%133 ft
Lake of the Woods County2,75473%92 ft
Kittson County2,69364%78 ft
Norman County2,51039%154 ft
Lincoln County2,39742%152 ft
Wilkin County2,30235%135 ft
Red Lake County2,02551%138 ft
Big Stone County1,95538%160 ft
Traverse County1,19536%136 ft

Questions people ask about well water in Minnesota

Does Minnesota require private wells to be tested?

The well contractor must collect an initial water sample after construction to test for coliform bacteria, nitrate, and arsenic before the well is used.

Where can I get my well water tested in Minnesota?

Otherwise, use a lab certified by Minnesota for drinking water. The state's list is linked on this page.

Where these numbers come from

  • How many people use wells: EPA estimates from the 2020 Census.
  • Lab tests: Water Quality Portal (USGS and EPA), well samples since 2000.
  • State programs and links: Minnesota Department of Health.