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Well Water Testing · Foley, MN

Water testing in Foley

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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Foley · Benton County

Well Water Testing in Foley

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.

Foley is a Benton County seat of older and postwar homes on granite-country ground east of St. Cloud. Housing here runs to older and postwar homes in granite country, across the county-seat core and the rural edges.

Foley is served by our Big Lake team →  ·  (612) 457-1634

Clear water flowing from a faucet into a sample bottle at a Minnesota basement utility sink: well water testing in Foley, MN
Lead: MDH says no level is safe →

Well water in Benton County

Benton sits in central Minnesota, where MDH says the highest shares of new wells with arsenic detections are found, so a first arsenic test is worth doing on any private well. MDA's Township Testing Program sampled Langola, Maywood, Minden and Watab townships: the final dataset held 690 wells and 7.2% were at or over the 10 mg/L nitrate limit, with Langola at 14.4%. MDH also gives 100 µg/L as the safe manganese level for infant formula.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, mda.state.mn.us, bentoncountymn.gov, mndata.web.health.state.mn.us.

White hard-water scale on a shower door in a Minnesota cabin bathroom: well water testing in Foley, MN
Arsenic: about 10% of Minnesota wells exceed the standard →

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

Pairs well with:

Septic inspection in FoleyRadon testing in FoleySewer scope in Foley

Water tests available in Foley

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.

Foley 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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Nitrate in Benton County wells

7.2%

7.2% of 690 wells tested in Langola, Maywood, Minden and Watab townships were at or over the 10 mg/L nitrate standard (MDA township testing, None).

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

Arsenic in Foley 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

How long a private well lasts in Foley

0255075100+ years
25 to 50 years is common
100+ possible

Wells built before 1974, when Minnesota's well code began, are listed by MDH as higher risk for bacteria, along with leaking dug wells, wells in old frost pits and wells with corroded casings.

Source: Minnesota Department of Health

Wells built before 1974 often have no record on file. Test the water before you close. 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.
What did the state find when it tested nitrate in Benton County wells?
MDA tested four Benton townships. Of 690 wells in the final dataset, 7.2% were at or over the 10 mg/L health limit, and township results ran from 1.6% in Maywood to 14.4% in Langola. Nitrate has no taste or smell, so MDH suggests testing every year. Your own well can differ from the township average, which is why a lab result on the specific well is what matters at purchase.
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.
Does granite country change a Foley inspection?
It shapes it — shallow soils over bedrock affect drainage and basement construction, and Benton County is EPA Radon Zone 2, but a county zone never predicts one house, so testing is still worth doing regardless of the home's age.
Does boiling water remove nitrate?
No. MDH warns that boiling makes nitrate more concentrated because water evaporates and the nitrate stays behind. If your well is above 10 mg/L, use bottled water or another safe alternative for drinking and for infant formula, and have a licensed well contractor inspect the well.
What does it mean if E. coli is found in my well water?
It likely means feces, and the harmful germs they can carry, have entered the well. CDC notes most E. coli is harmless, but some types can cause serious illness, and a standard test cannot tell which type is present. Use bottled water or another safe water source.
Does a new well get tested for arsenic?
Yes. Minnesota Rules 4725.5650 requires the person constructing a new potable well to have a sample collected within 30 days, before the well is used, and analyzed for total coliform bacteria, nitrate-nitrogen, and arsenic. The Department of Health says contractors have tested new wells for arsenic since August 2008, and recommends owners test at least once beyond that initial test. A follow-up arsenic test gives a second data point, and MDH suggests retesting about six months after construction if arsenic was detected.
What should I look for on a well cap?
The Department of Health asks owners to check whether the well cap is securely attached, broken, or missing, whether the casing has cracks, holes, or corrosion, and whether electrical conduit and other connections are watertight. Under Minnesota Rules 4725.5450, a vent must be screened with openings of 1/16 inch or less and point downward. A damaged cap or vent is a good reason to test for coliform bacteria.
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