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Well Water Testing · Montgomery, MN

Water testing in Montgomery

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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Montgomery · Le Sueur County

Well Water Testing in Montgomery

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.

Montgomery is a small Czech-heritage southern town of early-1900s homes. Housing here runs to early-1900s Czech-heritage homes with postwar infill, across the historic town core.

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

Well water in Le Sueur County

MDA sampled Kasota and Ottawa townships in Le Sueur County in 2018 and reported the results in 2019 and 2020, so state nitrate data exists for part of the county. MDH says arsenic occurs across Minnesota, with about 40 percent of new wells since 2008 showing a detection. On manganese, MDH notes southwestern Minnesota tends higher, some wells over 1,000 µg/L, and the southeast tends low, so a well in this south-central county needs its own result.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, lesueurcounty.gov.

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

Pairs well with:

Septic inspection in MontgomeryRadon testing in MontgomerySewer scope in Montgomery

Water tests available in Montgomery

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.

Montgomery 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 Montgomery: what matters

Montgomery, MN water testing: prep sink with running water in a Minnesota farmhouse kitchen
Nitrate: EPA limit 10 mg/L, highest risk to infants →
Laundry tub faucet running in a 1960s Minnesota kitchen (Le Sueur County, Minnesota)
Lead: MDH says no level is safe →
Montgomery, MN water testing: refrigerator water dispenser filling a glass in a Minnesota lake cabin kitchen
Arsenic: about 10% of Minnesota wells exceed the standard →

How deep Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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 the state tested nitrate in Le Sueur County wells?
MDA's Township Testing Program sampled Kasota and Ottawa townships in 2018, with an initial overview in 2019 and a final one in 2020. Those reports cover just two townships. MDH recommends testing nitrate every year, so a buyer should test the actual well rather than lean on a township average.
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.
What is specific to Montgomery's older homes?
Heritage-era construction — balloon framing, original masonry and systems that have been layered over for a century. The value in the report is untangling which layer is current and which is abandoned in place, especially in the wiring.
How do I get rid of E. coli in my well?
Disinfect the well with a chlorine solution, either through a licensed well contractor or by following the MDH well disinfection instructions. Then have an accredited lab retest the water before you drink it. MDH suggests testing again two to four weeks later, and a contractor can look for the entry point if it returns.
How do you get rid of VOCs in well water?
MDH advises first removing the source of contamination or using a safer water supply. If that is not possible, home treatment may be appropriate, and some technologies can reduce VOCs depending on the filter media. Choose a certified unit, use a licensed plumber or water conditioning contractor, and retest after installation.
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.
How long does a well last, and are older wells riskier?
The Department of Health says a well's life varies: some last 100 or more years, though 25 to 50 years is more common. It lists wells built before 1974, when the Minnesota Well Code began, as higher risk for microbial contamination, along with leaking dug wells, wells in old frost pits, and wells with corroded casings. If the home's well predates 1974 or sits in a pit, a coliform test is a sensible baseline.
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