Well water testing in Washington County, Minnesota
Last verified: · 18 sources · What we couldn't verify
Washington County's private wells sit over the 3M/East Metro PFAS plume, where MDH has issued 3,165 well advisories since 2003 and eligible wells get free PFAS testing and filters; nitrate is high in the south (22% of 2014 Cottage Grove/Denmark samples over the limit). The county sells low-cost tests at its Stillwater office.
Washington County's groundwater plan says groundwater provides 100 percent of the county's water supply. Statewide, MDH says about 1.1 million Minnesotans (20 percent of the population) rely on private well water. We did not find a current Washington County count of private wells.[13][14]
Free and low-cost testing programs
Free PFAS well sampling and filters (3M / East Metro PFAS Settlement)
Free (settlement sampling area only) · Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) and Minnesota Department of Health (MDH)
Cost: No cost to eligible well owners; paid by the 2018 3M Settlement
Private drinking-water wells in the affected East Metro communities (Afton, Baytown Township, Cottage Grove, Denmark Township, Grey Cloud Island Township, Lake Elmo, Lakeland, Lakeland Shores, Maplewood, Newport, Oakdale, St. Paul Park, West Lakeland Township and Woodbury) can be sampled for free. Check the MPCA interactive map by address; if your well hasn't been sampled, submit the online request form. The contractor, West Central Environmental Consultants, contacts you within 30 business days to schedule, and results with next steps come in about 8-12 weeks. The state tests only the six PFAS with regulatory values (plus TCE inside the Baytown plume). If MDH issues a well advisory you're offered free bottled water right away, then a city-water connection or a free whole-house carbon (GAC) filter installed and maintained by the state. Wells outside the area aren't covered.[2][3][4][1]
Contact: MPCA East Metro Private Well Program: 651-757-2903, PFAS.Well.Sampling.MPCA@state.mn.us; scheduling (WCEC): 612-238-0789; MDH health questions: 651-201-4897, health.hazard@state.mn.us
Baytown TCE plume well sampling and filters
Free for eligible wells (Baytown/West Lakeland SWBCA) · Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (state Superfund)
Cost: No cost to eligible wells; owners of newer 'ordinance wells' pay for their own sampling and filters
A 5-mile trichloroethylene (TCE) plume runs from Lake Elmo through Baytown and West Lakeland Townships and Bayport to the St. Croix River. MPCA samples eligible existing private wells in the Special Well and Boring Construction Area and installs and maintains whole-house GAC filters when TCE is above MDH's 0.4 ug/L Health Risk Limit. Wells approved after April 9, 2002 (or after January 8, 2025 in newly added areas) are 'ordinance wells': township ordinances require sampling every 2 years and a GAC filter if TCE is at or above 0.1 ug/L, at the owner's cost.[4][6]
Contact: MPCA Baytown project manager Brigitte Hay: 651-757-2497; Baytown Township Clerk: 651-430-4992; West Lakeland Township Deputy Clerk: 651-436-4773
Washington County well water tests (fee for service)
Low-cost tests · Washington County Public Health and Environment
Cost: $25-$77 per test; standard coliform + nitrate test $50
Order a test kit online or by phone, collect the sample following the kit instructions, and bring it to the Government Center in Stillwater on Tuesdays between 8:15 and 10:30 a.m. Pay when you drop off (cash or check only, exact change for cash; no cards). Results are mailed within 7-10 days and also emailed. Water for most tests must not go through a water softener. The county does not currently offer PFAS testing.[1]
Contact: 651-430-6655; Government Center, Room 4600, 14949 62nd Street North, Stillwater, MN 55082
Washington County VOC (including TCE) sampling
Fee-based, county staff collect the sample · Washington County Public Health and Environment, analyzed by the Minnesota Public Health Laboratory
Cost: $196
Mail the Sampling Request Form with payment; county staff come to your property, take the sample and send it to MDH. MDH mails results in 6-8 weeks. MPCA and MDH recommend this route for Baytown/West Lakeland ordinance wells, though any accredited lab may be used.[1][4]
Contact: 651-430-6655, PHE@co.washington.mn.us; mail to 14949 62nd Street North, Stillwater, MN 55082
Free well water screening clinic (nitrate and chloride)
Free screening (yearly event) · Washington Conservation District with Washington County and partners
Cost: Free
Bring at least one cup (8 oz) of tap water in a clean hard plastic or glass container, labeled with where and when you collected it; staff screen it for nitrate and chloride and you can wait or get results by email. The 2026 clinic was Thursday, October 8 in Hugo and was open to everyone. The county's groundwater plan commits to one free private water sampling event each year with partners. A screening is not a certified lab test.[10][3]
Contact: Washington Conservation District, 455 Hayward Ave. N., Oakdale, MN 55128; 651-330-8220
Labs that serve the county
Twin City Water Clinic, Inc.
Mail-in: noHomeowner samples: yes
617 13th Avenue S, Hopkins, MN 55343
952-935-3556
On MDH's private-well lab list (coliform, nitrate, arsenic, lead; manganese subcontracted). Pick up a kit or have one mailed to you free, but samples must be dropped off in person (receiving hours Mon-Thu 8-3, Fri 8-1). Bacteria and nitrate samples must reach the lab on ice within 24 hours. Prices effective 10/06/2026: coliform $100, nitrate $100, arsenic/lead/manganese $75 each, 3-test bundle $200, 4-test $225; sample collection trip fee $100. The lab says typical turnaround is 1-2 business days.[7][15][16][17]
MDH list of accredited labs accepting private well samples (Oct 2026, PDF)
Instrumental Research, Inc.
Mail-in: not verifiedHomeowner samples: yes
7800 Main Street NE, Fridley, MN 55432
763-571-3698
On MDH's private-well lab list for coliform and nitrate, with arsenic and lead subcontracted. The lab says private homeowners are among its clients and offers a drinking water bottle kit. Prices not published - call.[7][18]
MDH list of accredited labs accepting private well samples (Oct 2026, PDF)
Pace Analytical Services, LLC - Minneapolis
Mail-in: not verifiedHomeowner samples: yes
1700 Elm Street SE, Suite 200, Minneapolis, MN 55414
612-607-1700
On MDH's private-well lab list for coliform, nitrate, arsenic, lead and manganese. Prices and homeowner kit process not checked - call.[7]
EMSL Analytical, Inc.
Mail-in: not verifiedHomeowner samples: yes
3410 Winnetka Avenue N, New Hope, MN 55427
763-449-4922
On MDH's private-well lab list for coliform, nitrate, arsenic, lead and manganese. Prices not checked - call.[7]
Tri-City/William Lloyd Analytical Lab
Mail-in: not verifiedHomeowner samples: yes
9300 Poplar Bridge Road, Bloomington, MN 55437
952-563-4904
On MDH's private-well lab list for coliform, nitrate, arsenic and manganese (not lead). Prices not checked - call.[7]
RMB Environmental Laboratories, Inc. - Burnsville
Mail-in: not verifiedHomeowner samples: yes
501 Highway 13 E, Suite 104, Burnsville, MN 55337
952-456-8470
On MDH's private-well lab list for coliform and nitrate, with arsenic, lead and manganese subcontracted. Prices not checked - call.[7]
MDH's October 2026 map of accredited labs accepting private well samples lists no lab inside Washington County; the closest are in Hennepin and Anoka counties. Accreditation is per test, so confirm a lab is accredited for each test you need with MDH's lab search or MNELAP (651-201-5324, health.mnelap@state.mn.us). For PFAS, MPCA says to search the lab list with Category 'Emerging Contaminant' and 'Accepts samples from private home owners'.[7][2]
Local contaminants of concern
- Major concern PFAS (3M / East Metro plume). From 2003 through 2025 the state collected 8,976 private well samples in the settlement area, MDH issued 3,165 well advisories and 1,504 treatment systems were installed or maintained. The most advisories were in West Lakeland Township (922), Lake Elmo (894), Cottage Grove (362) and Afton (230). In 2025 alone, 1,137 advisories were issued, partly because MDH lowered its PFOS and PFOA values in 2024 and old results were re-evaluated (330 advisories). An advisory is issued when one PFAS is above its guidance value or the PFAS mixture exceeds a Health Index of 1. MPCA says concentrations appear to be slowly rising near the plume edges (e.g. west Woodbury, southeast Maplewood, south Cottage Grove, Grey Cloud Island) and more quickly in spots near I-94 in West Lakeland, northern Afton and Lakeland, while much of southern Afton, St. Mary's Point and Denmark Township appear largely unaffected.[5]
- Major concern Nitrate. Highest in southern Washington County, where thin soils cover shallow bedrock. In 2014 Minnesota Department of Agriculture sampling of 526 wells, 22% in Cottage Grove and Denmark Township exceeded 10 mg/L nitrate-N (Cottage Grove 28%, Denmark 14%), with a maximum of 34.1 mg/L. Countywide, the DNR groundwater atlas found 7 of 261 samples (3%) at or above 10 ppm and 36% at or above 1 ppm. The county's average was 2.05 mg/L across more than 14,000 well tests from 1978-2013.[11][12][13]
- Local hot spots Trichloroethylene (TCE) and other VOCs. The Baytown TCE plume (from a 1940s-50s metalworking site) runs about 5 miles from Lake Elmo through Baytown and West Lakeland Townships and Bayport to the St. Croix River. MDH also lists Special Well and Boring Construction Areas at Lake Elmo/Oakdale (former Washington County Landfill and Oakdale disposal site), Lakeland/Lakeland Shores and St. Paul Park/Newport, where well construction is restricted because of groundwater contamination.[4][6]
- Moderate concern Manganese. 43 of 197 samples (22%) in the DNR county groundwater atlas were at or above MDH's health-based value of 100 ppb. MDH recommends testing at least once, before a baby drinks the water.[12][8][1]
- Lower concern Arsenic. The DNR atlas says Washington County generally lacks the geology that causes high arsenic: of 165 samples, only 1 exceeded 10 ppb and 24 were 2 ppb or more. Statewide, about 11% of private wells exceed the federal standard, so MDH still recommends testing at least once.[12][14][8]
PFAS isn't part of the county's test menu. Outside the settlement area you pay a private accredited lab; MPCA and MDH will help interpret results, and the state re-samples to confirm before taking any action.
A county rate can't tell you what's in your well. Only a test can. See what to test for.
Typical cost
| Test / item | Price |
|---|---|
| Washington County standard test (coliform bacteria + nitrate)[1] | $50 |
| Washington County single tests: coliform $25; nitrate $25; arsenic, lead or manganese $39 each[1] | $25-$39 |
| Washington County special tests: fluoride, iron, sodium, sulfate $39; hardness $57; iron bacteria $77[1] | $39-$77 |
| Washington County VOC/TCE sampling (county collects, MDH lab analyzes)[1] | $196 |
| PFAS sampling for eligible wells in the 3M settlement area[3] | Free |
| Nitrate/chloride screening at the yearly WCD clinic[10] | Free |
| Twin City Water Clinic: coliform or nitrate $100; arsenic, lead or manganese $75[15] | $75-$100 |
| Twin City Water Clinic bundles: 3 tests $200; 4 tests $225; 5 tests $240[15] | $200-$240 |
| Instrumental Research, Pace, EMSL, Tri-City and RMB prices | Not published - call |
Prices are from the published lists cited, as of the last-verified date. Confirm before ordering.
How often to test
- MDH: test every year for coliform bacteria and nitrate, and at least once for arsenic, lead and manganese; test treated water after treatment. Washington County's page says nitrate every other year, but MDH's current guidance is every year.[8][1]
- MPCA: a well inside the East Metro PFAS plume without an advisory should be tested for PFAS every 1-3 years.[3]
- Baytown/West Lakeland ordinance wells must be sampled for TCE every 2 years.[4]
- Afton requires annual coliform, nitrate and lead testing for licensed short-term rentals.[14]
- When selling property in Washington County that isn't on city water, the seller must tell the buyer in writing whether it is in a Special Well and Boring Construction Area.[6]
How to collect a sample
General steps from Twin City Water Clinic's collection instructions, plus Washington County's drop-off rules. Always follow the instructions that come with your kit:
- Use only the lab's bottles, label each with the date, time and location, and keep them closed until you fill them. Don't touch the inside of the bottle or cap.
- For lead, take the first water from the kitchen tap after it has sat in the pipes for at least 6 hours.
- For bacteria, nitrate and arsenic, use a tap before any filter or softener (for example an outside spigot with no hose). Run the water 5-10 minutes and disinfect the spout with an alcohol pad, bleach or a flame.
- Fill each bottle to its fill line; leave air space in the bacteria bottle.
- Refrigerate bacteria and nitrate samples and get them to the lab on ice within 24 hours.
- County kits: bring samples to the Government Center in Stillwater on a Tuesday between 8:15 and 10:30 a.m., with cash (exact change) or a check.
Source[17][1]. General steps: How to test your well water.
After you get results
County results are mailed in 7-10 days and emailed; MDH's well staff (651-201-4600) can help you understand them. In the PFAS settlement area, an MDH well advisory means the water is considered unsafe to drink: you're offered free bottled water and then a free whole-house GAC filter or reimbursement to connect to city water. MDH recommends testing for coliform any time the well is worked on or the water changes, and disinfecting the well if bacteria are found.[1][3][5][9]
What we couldn't verify
- A current count or share of Washington County homes on private wells.
- Exactly which addresses fall inside the 3M settlement PFAS sampling area (MPCA's interactive map wasn't readable as text).
- Prices, mail-in options and kit process at Instrumental Research, Pace (Minneapolis), EMSL (New Hope), Tri-City/William Lloyd and RMB (Burnsville).
- Which Minnesota accredited labs accept homeowner PFAS samples, and their prices (MDH's lab search is interactive and wasn't queried).
- Which lab analyzes Washington County's fee-for-service tests other than VOCs, and the county kit's own sampling instructions (not posted online).
- The date of the next Washington Conservation District screening clinic (the 2026 clinic on Oct 8 has passed; 2027 not announced).
- County radon-in-water, uranium, lead and bacteria rates (no county data found).
- Current county groundwater plan figures: the 'Groundwater Plan 2025-2035' link on the county site returned the 2014-2024 plan, which is what we cite.
- Courier or drop-off sites marked on MDH's lab map (the star icons aren't readable as text).
Sources
- Washington County Public Health and Environment: Water Tests
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency: Well sampling in the East Metro area
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency: PFAS Well Sampling Frequently Asked Questions (wq-gw1-09, PDF)
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency: Washington County Groundwater Plume Sites fact sheet (October 2025, PDF)
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency: 2025 Private Well Sampling for PFAS Compounds (memo, March 3, 2026, PDF)
- Minnesota Department of Health: Special Well and Boring Construction Areas
- Minnesota Department of Health: Accredited Labs in Minnesota Accepting Drinking Water Samples from Private Well Users (October 2026, PDF)
- Minnesota Department of Health: Well Testing, Results, and Options
- Minnesota Department of Health: Bacterial Safety of Well Water
- Washington Conservation District: Well Water Screening Clinic (Hugo), October 8, 2026
- Minnesota Department of Agriculture: Initial Township Testing of Nitrate in Private Wells - Washington County 2014 Summary (PDF)
- Minnesota Department of Natural Resources: Groundwater Atlas of Washington County, Minnesota (C-39 Part B, 2019, PDF)
- Washington County: Washington County Groundwater Plan 2014-2024 (PDF)
- Minnesota Department of Health: Private Wells in Rental Properties and at Property Transfers (November 2024, PDF)
- Twin City Water Clinic: Analysis Pricing (effective 10/06/2026, PDF)
- Twin City Water Clinic: Request a kit to be mailed to you
- Twin City Water Clinic: How to Collect Your Water Sample
- Instrumental Research, Inc.: Instrumental Research Environmental Testing Labs
All sources accessed on or before 2026-11-03.