Groundwater in Watonwan County contains multiple contaminants that exceed EPA health standards, including arsenic, chloride, iron, lead, manganese, nitrate, PFOA, PFOS, and sulfate. These levels are serious enough to require attention from well owners.
The rock and soil layers beneath this county naturally contain iron and manganese that dissolve into groundwater as water moves through them. Agricultural activity and past land use have contributed nitrogen that becomes nitrate in the water. The chloride, sulfate, and PFOS contamination reflect both natural mineral content in the rock and human sources including road salt, fertilizers, and industrial compounds that have entered the groundwater.
Groundwater in this county is very hard, driven by elevated iron and manganese that come from the rock layers below. These metals are common in the type of rock found here and become concentrated as water sits in the ground. Most wells in Watonwan County show these elevated mineral levels.
Wells in Watonwan County show high levels of several contaminants that exceed EPA health standards. Arsenic, lead, and PFOA and PFOS are chemicals that can damage your kidneys, bones, and immune system with long-term exposure. Nitrate affects how your blood carries oxygen and is especially harmful to babies. Manganese exposure can harm your brain and nervous system development.
The water in this county is extremely hard, which causes real problems at home. You will see orange or brown staining on fixtures and laundry from the high iron content. Scale builds up inside pipes and water heaters, shortening their lifespan and reducing water pressure. Your appliances like dishwashers and water heaters wear out faster.
We recommend a comprehensive water test right away since multiple health contaminants are present in county wells. Every well is different--yours could have higher or lower levels than what is common here, and testing is the only way to know what you are actually dealing with. A comprehensive metals and minerals panel costs between two hundred and four hundred dollars. Treatment options like reverse osmosis filters, ion exchange softeners, or activated carbon can address different contaminants depending on what your test shows.
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 | 6 | 100% | Low | High ⓘ | |
| Iron | 36 | 74% | Moderate | High | |
| PFOS ⓘ municipal | 6 | 67% | Low | High ⓘ | |
| PFOA ⓘ municipal | 4 | 50% | Low | High ⓘ | |
| Arsenic | 21 | 30% | Moderate | High | |
| Sulfate | 46 | 28% | Moderate | High | |
| Lead | 14 | 21% | Low | High | |
| Nitrate | 22 | 9% | Moderate | Moderate | |
| Chloride | 59 | 7% | Moderate | Moderate | |
| PFHxS ⓘ municipal | 2 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) ⓘ municipal | 2 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| Fluoride | 10 | 0% | Low | Low | |
| Nitrite | 13 | 0% | Low | Low | |
| PFNA ⓘ municipal | 2 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| pH | 8 | — | — | Low | Low ⓘ |
| Sodium | 32 | — | — | Moderate | Low |
| Uranium | 1 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| Hardness | 15 | — | — | Moderate | Low |
| Fecal Coliform | 1 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| E. coli | 1 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| PFBS ⓘ municipal | 2 | — | Low | Safe ⓘ |
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.
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.
Loading recent water news…