Groundwater in Stearns County contains manganese, iron, arsenic, lead, nitrate, chloride, sulfate, and PFOA and PFOS. Many of these contaminants exceed EPA health standards and require attention.
The rock beneath this county naturally releases iron, manganese, and arsenic as water moves slowly underground. Nitrate and chloride seep down from fertilizers and road salt used on the land above. PFOA and PFOS are human-made chemicals that have contaminated some wells from industrial sources and aqueous film-forming foam used at airports and military sites.
Groundwater in this county is very hard, driven by elevated calcium and magnesium from the bedrock below. The same rock that produces this hardness also contains iron and manganese, which dissolve into the water as it percolates downward. These characteristics are widespread across wells throughout the county.
Wells in Stearns County commonly contain arsenic, lead, and nitrate at levels that exceed EPA health standards. Arsenic can damage your kidneys and increase cancer risk over time. Lead harms brain development in children and affects the nervous system in adults. Nitrate is especially dangerous for babies and can prevent blood from carrying oxygen properly. Chloride, sulfate, manganese, and PFOA and PFOS chemicals also exceed standards in county wells and pose serious health concerns.
County wells are very hard, which causes visible problems in your home. You will see rust stains on fixtures and laundry from the high iron content. Scale builds up inside pipes and water heaters, and hard water shortens the lifespan of dishwashers and other appliances. You may notice a metallic taste in the water or difficulty getting soap to lather.
Every well is different, and your water could have higher or lower levels than what is common in the county. Testing is the only way to know what is actually in your well so it can be properly treated. We recommend a comprehensive metals and minerals panel, which typically costs between $200 and $400. Treatment options like reverse osmosis systems, iron filters, and water softeners can address multiple concerns.
Not sure if your well is affected? Get certified results in 5–7 days.
Test Your Well Water with Tap Score →| Contaminant | Samples ⓘ | % Above MCL ⓘ | Distribution ⓘ | Confidence ⓘ | Risk ⓘ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manganese | 1314 | 49% | High | High | |
| Iron | 1260 | 34% | High | High | |
| PFOA ⓘ municipal | 99 | 19% | Moderate | High | |
| Nitrate | 484 | 18% | High | High | |
| PFOS ⓘ municipal | 82 | 12% | Moderate | Moderate | |
| Arsenic | 1152 | 11% | High | Moderate | |
| PFHxS ⓘ municipal | 30 | 7% | Moderate | Moderate | |
| Lead | 1354 | 2% | High | Low | |
| Chloride | 1488 | 1% | High | Low | |
| Sulfate | 1355 | 0% | High | Low | |
| Fluoride | 809 | 0% | High | Low | |
| Nitrite | 105 | 0% | High | Low | |
| PFNA ⓘ municipal | 78 | 0% | Moderate | Low | |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) ⓘ municipal | 70 | 0% | Moderate | Safe | |
| Hardness | 79 | — | Moderate | Low | |
| PFBS ⓘ municipal | 36 | — | Moderate | Low | |
| pH | 245 | — | High | Low | |
| Sodium | 1236 | — | High | Low |
MCL = Maximum Contaminant Level (EPA limit for public water; used as benchmark for private wells). Distribution shows % of sampled wells in each concentration band. Methodology.
* Microbial contaminants (E. coli, coliform) reflect only samples from the last 10 years.
Data shows potential risk — a certified test confirms whether your water is affected.
Order a Tap Score Test →Population-level CDC data. Not individual risk prediction.
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