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Well Water Testing · New Germany, MN

Water testing in New Germany

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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New Germany · Carver County

Well Water Testing in New Germany

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.

New Germany is a Great Northern depot town of the 1880s, now a small Carver County city beside the Lake Minnetonka LRT Trail. Housing here runs to a small core of village homes near the old depot, and newer houses added as the population grew from 372 in 2010 to 464 in 2020, across the old depot area, the blocks around County Roads 30 and 33 and the Lake Minnetonka LRT Trail corridor.

New Germany is served by our Minnetonka team →  ·  (612) 457-1634

Well water in Carver County

MDA's 2018 township testing in Carver County covered San Francisco Township, where 160 wells were tested and 2.5% were over the 10 mg/L nitrate-nitrogen health standard. That is one township, so treat it as a regional signal. MDH says arsenic runs about 10 percent above 10 ug/L statewide and can vary widely between nearby wells, and it lists coliform yearly, nitrate every year, and arsenic and lead at least once.

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

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

Pairs well with:

Septic inspection in New GermanyRadon testing in New GermanySewer scope in New Germany

Water tests available in New Germany

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.

New Germany 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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Well water around New Germany, Carver County

New Germany, MN water testing: well cap in the foreground, small cabin behind it in southeastern Minnesota bluff country in autumn color
Coliform bacteria: MDH recommends testing every year →
Well cap in the foreground, modern farmhouse with black windows behind it in southeastern Minnesota bluff country in winter snow (Carver County, Minnesota)
Nitrate: EPA limit 10 mg/L, highest risk to infants →
New Germany, MN water testing: well cap in the foreground, older brick country home behind it in southeastern Minnesota bluff country in autumn color
DRO: a screen for diesel and heating-oil petroleum →

Nitrate in Carver County wells

2.5%

2.5% of 160 wells tested in San Francisco Township 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

Arsenic in New Germany 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 New Germany

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.
Is nitrate a problem for Carver County private wells?
MDA's 2018 initial testing in San Francisco Township found 2.5% of 160 wells over the 10 mg/L health standard. One township does not describe every property. Nitrate is only one item: MDH also recommends coliform bacteria every year and arsenic and lead at least once.
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 should I know about an older house near the New Germany rail corridor?
New Germany formed around a Great Northern depot in the 1880s and became a village in 1901, so its oldest homes date to the rail-town years. The former line is now the Lake Minnetonka LRT Regional Trail. Older houses here often have stone or block foundations, added-on kitchens and updated furnaces on very old wiring. The city has grown by about a quarter since 2010, so newer builds sit near much older ones. We compare each house by age and check foundation, grading, and mechanical upgrades. Carver County is EPA Radon Zone 1.
Why would I need a DRO test on a house I'm buying?
A DRO test may be worth considering if the property has an old fuel or heating oil tank, or is near a petroleum release or contaminated site. It helps show whether petroleum may be present and which further tests are needed. Ask the seller for tank and release history as well.
What does a positive total coliform result mean in well water?
Coliform bacteria are common on the ground surface, so a positive result suggests surface contamination has entered the well. Most coliform bacteria do not cause disease, but their presence suggests disease-causing microorganisms may also be in the water. MDH advises using boiled or bottled water until the well is disinfected and a retest comes back negative.
What happens if the seller doesn't disclose a well?
Unless buyer and seller agree otherwise in writing before closing, a seller who fails to disclose a well, and knew or had reason to know of it, is liable to the buyer for the costs of sealing that well plus reasonable attorney fees. The buyer must act within six years after closing. The statute is Minnesota Statutes 103I.235, subdivision 2. Pipes, pits or wellhead hardware on the property can point to an undisclosed well worth raising with your agent.
How common is arsenic in Minnesota well water?
The Department of Health says about 40 percent of Minnesota wells have arsenic in the water. It occurs naturally in rocks and soil, levels can differ between wells even within a small area, and you cannot taste, see, or smell it. The EPA limit for community water systems is 10 micrograms per liter. Only a lab test shows the arsenic level in a specific well.
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