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Minnesota Tap Water Quality 2026

EPA drinking water data for 1,663 cities across Minnesota — covering lead levels, violation history, and compliance status.

Systems tracked: 817 Cities covered: 1,663 Updated: 2026 Q2
A

Minnesota earns an A for overall water quality

1663 communities across 87 counties and 817 water systems. 98.9% have no open violations.

Median lead where detected: 2.00 ppb
39.6% of systems report lead as not detected — a state filing convention, not a water quality measure
PFAS tested at 31.9% of communities; 14 above the federal limit
Lead reported for 100.0% of communities
98.9% of communities have no open violations
Water Systems
817
Active community systems
Median Lead Level
2 ppb
13% of EPA action level
Fully Compliant
98.9%
of systems — no active violations
How we grade states Grades are based on actual EPA enforcement data — MCL violations and lead levels measured against the 15 ppb federal action level. We do not use MCLG-based detections, which are aspirational zero-tolerance goals that would make nearly every state look dangerous. Read our full methodology →

Best & Worst Cities in Minnesota

✓ Cleanest Water
St. George
Benton County
4.0 ppb B
Langola
Benton County
4.0 ppb B
Callaway
Becker County
0.0 ppb B
Kelliher
Beltrami County
0.0 ppb B
Richwood
Becker County
0.0 ppb B
Moonshine
Big Stone County
1.0 ppb B
⚠ Needs Attention
Twin Lakes
Mahnomen County
0.0 ppb D
Twin Lakes
Mahnomen County
0.0 ppb D
Greenwood
St. Louis County
4.7 ppb D
Nett Lake
St. Louis County
0.3 ppb D
Middleville
Wright County
15.0 ppb D
Howard Lake
Wright County
15.0 ppb D

Water Quality by County

87 of 87
Sort:
CountySystemsLead LevelViolationsGrade
Stearns County 46 2.0 ppb 0 A
St. Louis County 46 3.0 ppb 0 A
Polk County 46 2.0 ppb 0 B
Hennepin County 41 2.0 ppb 0 A
Marshall County 37 2.0 ppb 0 B
Otter Tail County 36 6.0 ppb 0 A
Redwood County 34 3.0 ppb 0 A
Lyon County 31 3.0 ppb 0 A
Yellow Medicine County 30 3.0 ppb 0 A
Wright County 30 2.0 ppb 0 A

About Minnesota Drinking Water

Minnesota is served by 817 community water systems covering 1663 communities across 87 counties. 98.9% have no open violation on record.

Lead was detected in 1004 communities, with a median of 2.00 ppb — 13% of the federal action level. A further 659 reported none detected. That share is a state reporting convention rather than a measure of water quality, so it is stated separately rather than averaged in.

PFAS has been tested at 31.9% of communities here, and 14 are above the limits EPA set in 2024. Coverage matters: states that test more find more, so this figure is not comparable with a state that has tested less.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Minnesota tap water safe to drink? ▼
98.9% of communities have no open violation on record. 14 have PFAS above the federal limit set in 2024, which is the main open concern.
Does Minnesota have a lead problem? ▼
6 water systems report a 90th-percentile lead result at or above the 15 ppb action level. The action level is a treatment trigger, not a legal maximum, and 659 communities report no detection at all.
How complete is the data for Minnesota? ▼
Lead results are reported for 100.0% of communities and PFAS for 31.9%. Where a figure is missing it is shown as not reported rather than assumed safe.
How does Minnesota compare with other states? ▼
We do not rank states against each other. Lead reporting completeness ranges from under 20% to 100% depending on the state, so a national ranking would compare filing practice rather than water quality.