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Well Water Testing · Harris, MN

Well Water Testing in Harris

Well water testing for homes on a private well across Minnesota. We collect the sample the right way and send it to an accredited laboratory for…

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Harris · Chisago County

Well Water Testing in Harris

Well water testing for homes on a private well across Minnesota. We collect the sample the right way and send it to an accredited laboratory for coliform bacteria and E. coli, nitrate, arsenic, lead, manganese, 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. We also look at the visible wellhead, the pressure tank and the water treatment equipment during the home inspection.

Harris is a St. Paul & Duluth Railroad town on the I-35 corridor, platted in 1873, with farm acreage around it. Housing here runs to older houses near the old railroad townsite, farmhouses, and newer acreage builds across a city of about 20 sq. mi., across the small commercial strip and townsite off Interstate 35, and the large rural area of farms and acreages around it.

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Well water in Chisago County

MDA's 2018 township testing in Chisago County covered Amador and Sunrise townships: 382 wells were sampled and 3.7% were at or over the 10 mg/L nitrate limit, with Sunrise at 5.0% and Amador at 0.8%. That is one snapshot of two townships, so a single well can differ. MDH adds that arsenic is in groundwater statewide, found in about 40 percent of new wells drilled since 2008, and that manganese occurs naturally across Minnesota. We test for coliform bacteria and E. coli, nitrate, arsenic, lead, manganese, iron, hardness, pH, fluoride, sulfate and uranium 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, chisagocountymn.gov.

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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 do you test for?
Our lab panel covers coliform bacteria and E. coli, nitrate, arsenic, lead, manganese, 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. 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. Book it with the home inspection and we collect the sample the same visit, so the lab results arrive with time to act on them inside your inspection window.
Is nitrate a concern in Chisago County wells?
MDA sampled 382 wells in Amador and Sunrise townships in 2018. About 3.7% were at or over the 10 mg/L limit: 5.0% in Sunrise and 0.8% in Amador. That is lower than several farm-heavy counties but not zero. MDH recommends nitrate testing every other year and coliform bacteria every year, and a buyer should test the well itself.
What should a buyer expect from a large, rural city like Harris?
Harris was platted in 1873 for the St. Paul and Duluth Railroad and incorporated in 1883, but its 20 sq. mi. are mostly farm and acreage ground. Most homes outside the townsite rely on private wells and septic systems, so those are on our list along with the roof, wiring and foundation. On acreage properties we also look at outbuildings, drainage across the lot and the age of heating systems. Chisago County is EPA Radon Zone 2, and it falls in the 3-1/2 foot Zone II frost depth.
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