Minnesota residents who get their drinking water from a community public water system can find out if their system’s water has any level of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) through an interactive online dashboard that Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) released on June 7. The website shows results of statewide testing in public water systems; latest data show most systems do not have PFAS at or above levels of concern.
Interactive Online Dashboard
According to the results of statewide testing reflected in the new dashboard, the vast majority of community water systems have either no detections of PFAS or levels that are below the current state levels of health concern. Health officials say the statewide testing and dashboard will provide a baseline of information to help communities manage any changes in PFAS occurrence or health risk understanding in the future.
PFAS, commonly called “forever chemicals,” are extremely stable and do not break down in the environment. Higher levels of exposure to PFAS are associated with a wide range of negative human health effects. These include higher cholesterol, changes to liver function, reduced immune response, thyroid disease, and, in the case of PFOA, increased kidney and testicular cancer.
MDH began a project in 2021 to test for PFAS in community water systems across the state. Testing and monitoring will be ongoing through 2022. Minnesota joins other states such as Michigan, Ohio, and Illinois that have tested drinking water statewide for PFAS. MDH has prioritized sampling in systems that are most vulnerable to PFAS contamination to address the highest potential public health risks first.
Informational resources to help answer questions from residents are attached to this email. Please contact health.hazard@state.mn.us with questions about PFAS health risks and health.drinkingwater@state.mn.us with questions about drinking water testing.
Information for private well users near tested systems
If you use a private well for drinking water that is near a community water system with PFAS results over health-based guidance, you will be notified if you are part of a MPCA environmental investigation. MDH works with MPCA during investigations to issue private well advisories.
MDH does not issue well advisory letters based on third party results (i.e., those not provided by the state or its contractors). MPCA would need to resample the well and provide results to MDH before a well advisory would be issued. MPCA and MDH staff are available to answer questions about private testing results.
If you want to test your private well and are not part of an MPCA environmental investigation, the following can help you understand how to test your own well.
The Minnesota Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (MNELAP) accredits seven laboratories that test for PFAS and say they will accept samples from homeowners. Contact the laboratory to make sure they will accept samples from homeowners and to get sample collection information and costs.
Accredited Laboratories – PFAS Testing
| Laboratory Name | City | State | Phone |
| Eurofins Test America Denver | Arvada | CO | (303)736-0100 |
| Enthalpy Analytical LLC. | El Dorado Hills | CA | (916)673-1520 |
| ALS Environmental | Holland | MI | (616)399-6070 |
| Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories Environment Testing, LLC | Lancaster | PA | (717)656-2300 |
| Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy Laboratory Services | Lansing | MI | (517)335-9800 |
| Pace Analytical Services, LLC – Minneapolis MN | Minneapolis | MN | (612)607-1700 |
| SGS North America, Inc. | Wilmington | NC | (910)350-1903 |
The list of laboratories is current as of June 2022. You can confirm the list above at Search for Accredited Laboratories (https://www.health.state.mn.us/labsearch).
Don’t be put off by the fact that some are not in Minnesota – they will mail bottles and instructions. Some accredited laboratories may not accept samples from homeowners, and sometimes they are not very responsive to such requests (likely when they have more than enough work and don’t have capacity for a one-time, one-sample project).
If you can’t find a laboratory willing to take your sample, you could also try contacting an environmental consulting firm here in Minnesota and request that they collect the sample. They will either have their own laboratory or contract with a local lab. This can avoid problems that private homeowners have in finding a laboratory to run the sample.
If you would like help interpreting your sample results and how they relate to MDH health-based guidance values, please contact the Site Assessment and Consultation Unit at 651-201-4897 or email health.hazard@state.mn.us.
For more information about testing your private well, see the MDH webpage Water Quality/Well Testing/Well Disinfection (https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/water/wells/waterquality/index.html).
Until their wells are tested, residents who have concerns about their health can take steps to reduce their potential exposure to PFAS. Filters containing activated carbon or reverse osmosis membranes have been shown to be effective at removing PFAS from water supplies. Other types of common water treatment systems, such as water softeners, are not likely to remove PFAS. Boiling water will not remove PFAS. See PFAS and Home Treatment of Water (https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/hazardous/topics/pfcs.html) for more information.
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