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Well Water Testing · St. Stephen, MN

Well Water Testing in St. Stephen

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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St. Stephen · Stearns County

Well Water Testing in St. Stephen

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.

St. Stephen is a Slovene-settled Stearns County farm town anchored by its 1903 church. Housing here runs to older farmhouses and church-town homes, later houses and newer acreage builds around a population of about 800, across the old church-centered townsite, the county road grid and the surrounding farm ground and acreages.

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Well water in Stearns County

MDA's 2014 and 2015 sampling covered many townships: the final dataset had 1,788 wells and 6.9% were at or over the 10 mg/L nitrate limit. Results ranged from 0% to 11.4%, and only Grove Township topped 10%, with the rest under 10%. MDH says central and west-central Minnesota show the highest shares of new wells with arsenic detections, so arsenic testing is sensible here. 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, content.civicplus.com.

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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 high in Stearns County wells?
MDA's final dataset for townships sampled in 2014 and 2015 had 1,788 wells with 6.9% at or over the 10 mg/L limit. Only Grove Township exceeded 10% (11.4%), and every other township was under 10%. Results vary a lot by township, so MDH's advice to test nitrate every other year applies to your own well.
What is different about buying a house in a Slovene farm town like St. Stephen?
St. Stephen was settled by Slovene immigrants and incorporated in 1914, and the 1903 Church of St. Stephen and its 1890 rectory are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Around that core are farmhouses and acreage homes, many likely on private wells and septic systems. We check the wells and septic where they exist, and we date the wiring, plumbing and roof on older farmhouses, which have often been added onto for larger families. Stearns County is EPA Radon Zone 1, and the city covers 3.72 sq. mi., so lots can be large.
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