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Well Water Testing · Beauford, MN

Water testing in Beauford

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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Beauford · Blue Earth County

Well Water Testing in Beauford

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 other year, and arsenic and lead at least once.

Beauford is an unincorporated farming community of farmsteads and acreages south of Mankato. Housing here runs to farmsteads and acreages on private wells and septic, across the crossroads and the farm ground along Highway 22 south of Mankato.

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

Well water in Blue Earth County

MDA's 2018 township testing in Blue Earth County covered five vulnerable townships and 642 tested wells, and 0.3% were over the 10 mg/L nitrate-nitrogen health standard. That is a low rate, but it is a township-scale sample, so your own well can differ. MDH says about 10 percent of Minnesota private wells exceed 10 ug/L arsenic, and levels can change a lot across short distances. MDH lists coliform yearly, nitrate every other year, and arsenic and lead at least once.

County facts checked September 2026 against: blueearthcountymn.gov, mda.state.mn.us, mda.state.mn.us, Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota Department of Health.

See all Beauford inspections →  ·  More about well water testing →  ·  Every water test, explained →

Water tests available in Beauford

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. Your lab report compares each result to these values.

Beauford private well testing timeline

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

Test again any time after flooding, after work on the well, or when the water's taste, color or smell changes, and always when you buy a home with a well.

Water testing in Beauford: what matters

Beauford, MN water testing: well cap in the foreground, modern farmhouse with black windows behind it on the edge of the Twin Cities suburbs in winter snow
Nitrate: EPA limit 10 mg/L, highest risk to infants →
Well cap in the foreground, ranch home on acreage behind it in the Minnesota River valley in spring green (Blue Earth County, Minnesota)
E. coli: a sign of fecal contamination →
Beauford, MN water testing: well cap in the foreground, newer two-story home on a rural lot behind it in the Minnesota River valley in winter snow
Coliform bacteria: MDH recommends testing every year →

Nitrate in Blue Earth County wells

0.3%

0.3% of 642 wells tested in five vulnerable townships were at or over the 10 mg/L nitrate standard (MDA township testing, 2018).

Source: Minnesota Department of Agriculture township testing

Township numbers are averages. Only a test of your own well tells you its nitrate level. Get a free instant quote

How deep Beauford 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 Beauford 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 other 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.
Are Blue Earth County wells high in nitrate?
In MDA's 2018 results for five townships, 0.3% of 642 wells tested over the 10 mg/L health standard. That is a sample of certain townships, not a guarantee for one property.
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 inspect acreages around Beauford?
Yes — the Beauford area is a short run from our Mankato base. Nearly every property here is on a private well and septic, so both get flagged for the specialized testing they deserve; outbuildings are inspected on request, and the house gets the full read on wiring, plumbing, roof and foundation. Our Mankato-based inspectors do the thermal imaging and mold testing here themselves, and Blue Earth County is EPA Radon Zone 1.
What is a first-draw lead test?
A first-draw sample is taken after water has sat in the plumbing for at least six hours, so it shows how much lead has dissolved from the plumbing. MDH also describes a flushed sample, taken after running the water for a minute or two. Use an accredited laboratory.
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.
How far must a well be from a lake, stream, or pond?
The minimum horizontal distance between a water-supply well and the ordinary high water level of a stream, river, pond, stormwater retention pond, or lake is 35 feet (Minnesota Rules 4725.4350). The distance does not apply to areas protected by a FEMA-accepted flood control structure, to wetlands, ditches, or depressions holding water under six months a year, or to artificial ponds under 5,000 gallons. If the wellhead is close to surface water, a coliform test is a reasonable check of how the water is holding up.
How can I tell if there is a forgotten well on my property?
The Department of Health suggests looking for a pipe 1 to 8 inches wide at, above, or below the surface, a low spot or sunken area, a metal, wood, or concrete cover, a windmill or old well house, and a concrete patch or glass block in a basement step or floor. Well pits and basement offsets are other common signs. Visible signs like these are worth raising with your agent and a licensed well contractor.
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