Lead In Drinking Water In Minnesota
What residents of Minnesota need to know about lead in drinking water — including how it enters water, which utilities have documented violations, and what steps to take.
Source: EPA SDWIS, Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), CDC · Last reviewed: 2025-01-01
Quick Answer
Is lead in drinking water a real concern in Minnesota?
Yes — Minneapolis and Saint Paul have significant lead service line inventories, and Minnesota enacted legislation in 2023 requiring accelerated lead service line replacement statewide.
Is this mostly a public-water issue, a private-well issue, or both?
Both public water service lines and household plumbing; Minneapolis and Saint Paul concentrate the highest urban risk, while older outstate Minnesota cities also have pre-1986 infrastructure.
What is the main reason residents should care?
Minneapolis and Saint Paul have tens of thousands of lead service lines connecting older homes to the water main. Minnesota's 2023 Lead Service Line Replacement law set a timeline for full replacement, but the process will take years — and interim risk remains for homes on lead service lines.
Key Facts
| Federal Lead Action Level | 15 µg/L — no safe level per CDC |
| MN LSLR Law | 2023 legislation requires statewide lead service line replacement with funding |
| Twin Cities risk | Tens of thousands of lead service lines in Minneapolis and Saint Paul |
| Primary risk areas | North Minneapolis, Frogtown, older Saint Paul neighborhoods |
| State oversight | Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) |
Why This Matters in Minnesota
Minneapolis and Saint Paul are mid-sized cities with large concentrations of pre-1940 housing — particularly in neighborhoods like North Minneapolis, Frogtown, the Rondo corridor, and South Saint Paul. Lead service lines were the standard connection material for decades, and both cities have tens of thousands identified. Minnesota enacted a Lead Service Line Replacement law in 2023 that establishes replacement requirements and funding mechanisms, following extensive advocacy from public health groups. The Minnesota Department of Health has been active in lead testing guidance and in requiring utilities to submit lead service line inventories. Duluth, Rochester, and smaller outstate cities also have older housing stock and aging infrastructure.
Historical Context
Minnesota's 2023 Lead Service Line Replacement law was one of the most significant pieces of state drinking water legislation in years, establishing funding and a timeline for replacing all lead service lines statewide. Madison, WI's completed LSLR program (which showed measurable drops in child blood lead levels) is often cited as a model.
Minnesota Utilities With Lead Violation Records
The utilities listed below have at least one lead violation on record in EPA's SDWIS database. Violations may be open or resolved — see individual utility pages for current status and risk level.
Saint Paul Regional Water Services
Saint Paul · 392,529 served
Brooklyn Park
Brooklyn Park · 89,995 served
Woodbury
Woodbury · 82,643 served
Eagan
Eagan · 68,223 served
Eden Prairie
Eden Prairie · 63,726 served
Oakdale
Minnesota · 28,674 served
Fridley
Minnesota · 27,476 served
Rosemount
Minnesota · 26,500 served
Willmar
Minnesota · 21,045 served
Otsego
Minnesota · 19,000 served
How Lead Gets Into Drinking Water
Lead service lines
The pipe connecting a home to the water main may be made of lead, especially in pre-1986 construction. Water sitting in these lines can accumulate lead before it reaches the tap.
Lead solder
Lead solder at pipe joints was banned for potable water systems in 1986. Homes built before that date — including significant portions of older Minnesota cities — may still have lead solder throughout their plumbing.
Older brass fixtures
Faucets, valves, and fixtures with high lead content were common before the 2014 revision of 'lead-free' standards. Replacing older fixtures at kitchen and drinking taps can meaningfully reduce exposure.
Corrosive water chemistry
Soft, acidic, or low-alkalinity water dissolves lead from plumbing more readily. Utilities use orthophosphate and other corrosion control treatments, but household plumbing after the meter is not within their control.
Who Should Pay Closest Attention
Families in North Minneapolis, Frogtown, and other older Twin Cities neighborhoods — particularly renters in older multifamily housing — face the highest exposure risk. Minnesota MDH provides resources for identifying service line material and has led public communication campaigns.
Families with children under six
Pregnant residents
Households in homes built before 1986
Renters who cannot inspect building plumbing
Residents on a confirmed lead service line
Households that had plumbing work done recently (disturbances dislodge protective scale)
How to Check Your Situation in Minnesota
- 1
Identify your water utility. Use the ZIP lookup below or browse the Minnesota utility directory on this site.
- 2
Read your utility's page on this site to see its current risk level and any open lead violations.
- 3
Contact your utility and ask for your address-level service line material status. Under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR), utilities must maintain and provide this information.
- 4
Review your utility's most recent Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) — mailed annually or available on the utility's website.
- 5
Consider testing your tap water at a Minnesota Department of Health (MDH)-certified lab. Your state health department or Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) maintains a list of certified labs.
- 6
If you have young children or are pregnant, install a certified NSF/ANSI 53 or 58 filter at the kitchen tap as a precautionary measure.
Treatment Options
Boiling does not remove lead. Use a certified filter for drinking and cooking water.
NSF/ANSI Standard 53 — Activated Carbon Block
Under-sink or pitcher filters certified to Standard 53 are independently verified to reduce lead. Replace filters on the manufacturer's schedule — an overdue filter may not perform as certified.
NSF/ANSI Standard 58 — Reverse Osmosis
RO systems certified to Standard 58 remove 95–99% of lead and a broad range of contaminants. Requires under-sink installation. More comprehensive than Standard 53 for households with multiple contaminant concerns.
Flushing — temporary mitigation only
EPA recommends flushing the cold tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes if water has sat in pipes for 6+ hours. Not a substitute for certified filtration or service line replacement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Pages
Lead — National Overview
All U.S. utilities with lead records
Minnesota State Overview
All utilities and water quality data
Nitrate in Drinking Water
A separate but common concern
Reverse Osmosis Guide
Removes 95–99% of lead
Activated Carbon Filter Guide
NSF/ANSI 53 certified options
All Contaminants
Complete reference library
Data Sources & Provenance
All data on this page is sourced from official U.S. government or public datasets.
Find Your Utility
State Regulator
Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) ↗