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Well Water Testing · Alden, MN

Water testing in Alden

Water testing for Minnesota homes, above all those on a private well. An accredited laboratory tests the water for coliform bacteria and E. coli…

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Alden · Freeborn County

Well Water Testing in Alden

Water testing for Minnesota homes, above all those on a private well. An accredited laboratory tests the water for coliform bacteria and E. coli, nitrate, arsenic, lead, manganese, VOCs (volatile organic compounds), DRO (diesel range organics), iron, hardness, pH, fluoride, sulfate and uranium. The Minnesota Department of Health recommends testing a private well for coliform bacteria every year, nitrate every year, and arsenic and lead at least once.

Alden is a small farm town on the I-90 corridor west of Albert Lea. Housing here runs to small I-90 corridor farm-town homes, across the town core.

Questions about a Alden home?  ·  Call or text (612) 457-1634

Well water in Freeborn County

MDA sampled London and Mansfield townships in Freeborn County in 2019 and published a final report in 2022, so the county has a state nitrate record for buyers to ask about. MDH describes central and southeast Minnesota as having more homes on wells at increased nitrate risk, where row crops meet sand-gravel and fractured bedrock aquifers. It also says southeastern groundwater tends to have low manganese, below 50 µg/L, and arsenic occurs statewide.coli, nitrate, arsenic, lead, manganese, iron, hardness, pH, fluoride, sulfate, uranium, VOCs and DRO (diesel range organics) through an accredited lab.

County facts checked September 2026 against: Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Department of Health, mndata.web.health.state.mn.us, mda.state.mn.us, freeborncountymn.gov.

Home inspection in Alden →  ·  More about well water testing →  ·  Every water test, explained →

Pairs well with:

Septic inspection in AldenRadon testing in AldenSewer scope in Alden

Water tests available in Alden

Bacteria

Shows whether surface water or waste is reaching the well.

  • Total coliform bacteria
    Surface contamination reaching the well
    None should be present (MDH)
  • E. coli
    Fecal contamination from septic, manure or wildlife
    None should be present (MDH)

Health chemicals

No taste, color or smell. These are the long-term health checks.

  • Nitrate
    Fertilizer, septic and manure; highest risk to infants
    10 mg/L (EPA)
  • Arsenic
    Natural arsenic from Minnesota rock and soil
    10 µg/L (EPA)
  • Lead
    Lead service lines, solder and brass fixtures
    No safe level (MDH)
  • Manganese
    Natural manganese; a concern for infants
    100 µg/L for infants (MDH guidance)
  • Fluoride
    Natural fluoride; dental health
    4.0 mg/L (EPA)
  • Uranium
    Natural radionuclide in groundwater
    30 µg/L (EPA)

Petroleum & solvents

Fuel and chemical spills from old tanks or nearby sites.

  • VOCs (volatile organic compounds)
    Fuels, solvents, degreasers and paints
    Varies by compound (EPA)
  • DRO (diesel range organics)
    Diesel and heating-oil petroleum
    No limit of its own; a petroleum screen (MPCA)

Household quality

Staining, scale and taste, and choosing the right treatment.

  • Iron
    Rusty staining and metallic taste
    0.3 mg/L, aesthetic (MDH)
  • Hardness
    Scale buildup; sizing a water softener
    No health standard
  • pH
    Corrosive or scaling water
    6.5 to 8.5, aesthetic (EPA)
  • Sulfate
    Taste and odor; diarrhea risk for infants
    250 mg/L, aesthetic (EPA)

Limits from MDH, EPA and MPCA. Compare your lab results with these values.

Alden private well testing timeline

Minnesota Department of Health schedule: coliform bacteria and nitrate every year, arsenic and lead at least once. Source: MDH
TestYear 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5Year 6
Coliform bacteria
Nitrate
Arsenic
Lead

When to test your water

  • Every yearColiform bacteria and nitrate, the basic safety checks for a private well. Nitrate can come from fertilizer, septic systems and animal waste.
  • At least onceArsenic and lead. Arsenic can differ even between neighboring wells.
  • Before a baby drinks the waterColiform bacteria, nitrate, arsenic, lead and manganese. MDH recommends testing a private well for all five before a baby drinks the water.
  • When you buy a homeA full baseline while you can still ask questions or negotiate.
  • After flooding or well workFlooding and repairs to the well are reasons to test again.
  • When taste, color or smell changesMDH says a change in taste, smell or look is a reason to test for coliform bacteria.
  • Near a fuel tank or industrial siteVOCs, plus DRO for diesel and heating oil. MDH says to consider a VOC test if the well is near fuel tanks or a commercial or industrial area.
  • City water in an older homeLead. MDH says homes built before 1940 may have lead service lines, and plumbing parts made before 1986 may contain lead.

Based on: MDH well testing, MDH coliform bacteria, MDH nitrate, MDH water for babies, MDH flood precautions, MDH lead.

How to get it done

  1. Choose your testsPick the water testing you need in the free instant quote.
  2. Pick a timeBook online. The quote takes about 30 seconds.
  3. Get certified lab resultsA certified laboratory analyzes the water and reports each result.

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Water testing in Alden: what matters

Alden, MN water testing: well cap in the foreground, lakeshore cottage with a screened porch behind it on a Minnesota lake in summer
Coliform bacteria: MDH recommends testing every year →
Well cap in the foreground, cabin with a stone chimney behind it on a Minnesota lake in winter snow (Freeborn County, Minnesota)
DRO: a screen for diesel and heating-oil petroleum →
Alden, MN water testing: well cap in the foreground, lake home with a boathouse behind it on a Minnesota lake in spring green
Nitrate: EPA limit 10 mg/L, highest risk to infants →

How deep Alden wells go

15 ftsand and gravel (most wells)sandstone and limestone (SE and east central, incl. Twin Cities)1,000+ ft · fractured rock such as granite (NE)
Source: MDH Well Owner's Handbook

Depth and aquifer change what is in the water. Test the well you are buying, not the neighbor's. Get a free instant quote

Arsenic in Alden private wells, out of every 100

About 40 in 100 have some arsenic About 10 in 100 are above the 10 µg/L standard

Source: Minnesota Department of Health

You can't see, smell or taste arsenic. One lab test tells you where the well stands. Get a free instant quote

Questions

Common questions.

Who needs well water testing?
Any home on a private well, and above all when you are buying one. A private well is not regulated like a city water system, so the owner is responsible for knowing what is in the water. Testing before closing tells you whether the water needs treatment while you can still ask questions or negotiate.
What does the water panel cover?
The panel covers coliform bacteria and E. coli, nitrate, arsenic, lead, manganese, VOCs (volatile organic compounds), DRO (diesel range organics), iron, hardness, pH, fluoride, sulfate and uranium. Bacteria and nitrate are the short-term health checks. Arsenic, lead, manganese and uranium are the ones you cannot see or taste. VOCs and DRO screen for solvents and petroleum, such as fuel from an old oil tank or a nearby leak site. Iron, hardness, pH and sulfate explain staining, scale, odor and wear on plumbing and appliances.
How often should a well be tested?
The Minnesota Department of Health recommends coliform bacteria every year, nitrate every year, and arsenic and lead at least once. Test again after flooding, after any work on the well, or if the taste, color or smell of the water changes.
Is well water testing part of the home inspection?
It is an add-on. Add it to your home inspection quote. Testing early in your inspection window leaves time to act on the results.
Has Freeborn County been tested for nitrate?
Yes. MDA's Township Testing Program covered London and Mansfield townships in 2019, with a final report published in 2022. Those figures are township-level. MDH suggests nitrate testing every year and coliform every year, and the reliable answer for a specific house is a lab test on its own well.
My home is on city water. Is water testing still worth it?
Often yes. Community water systems follow EPA testing rules and report results in an annual Consumer Confidence Report, but that report does not measure your own plumbing. MDH and EPA say lead enters mainly from service lines and plumbing materials, and the only way to know is a tap test. MDH recommends an accredited lab, and your utility can say whether your home has a lead service line.
When should a home be tested for DRO or VOCs?
MDH suggests considering a VOC test when a well is near fuel tanks or a commercial or industrial area. MPCA reports petroleum has leaked at about 22,000 Minnesota sites, including home heating-oil tanks, and releases can threaten drinking water and send vapors into buildings. Reasons to test include a nearby leak site, a former or buried fuel tank, or a fuel odor or sheen. MPCA's leaking-tank-site database shows reported releases.
Do you cover Alden?
Yes — it is on the I-90 corridor by Albert Lea, well within our southern range.
What does DRO mean in a water test?
DRO means diesel range organics. In Minnesota petroleum cleanup work, MPCA runs DRO and gasoline range organics (GRO) as part of the investigation to determine whether a water plume is a mixture of petroleum products. It is a screening and investigative result, not a measure of health risk.
How do you get rid of coliform bacteria in a well?
The usual method is shock chlorination, also called well disinfection. A licensed well contractor can do it, or owners can follow the MDH well disinfection instructions. Afterward, have an accredited lab retest the water. MDH suggests retesting again about two to four weeks later because coliform can regrow, and repeating disinfection if it returns.
Do I have to seal an old unused well in Minnesota?
Yes, in most cases. Under Minn. Stat. 103I.301, a well that is not in use must be sealed unless the owner holds a maintenance permit. A well must also be sealed if it is contaminated, was improperly sealed, or endangers groundwater or safety. The property owner is responsible for having it sealed by a licensed person. A suspected unused well or pit is a question for a licensed well contractor.
Does the well disclosure apply to sand-point and dug wells too?
Yes. The Minnesota Department of Health says the disclosure law covers all types of wells, whether used for drinking water, irrigation, livestock, heating or cooling, or monitoring. That includes drive-point (sand-point) wells, drilled wells, and dug wells. The law is Minnesota Statutes section 103I.235, part of the Ground Water Protection Act. Ask for the disclosure early, then have the in-use well tested before closing.
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