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Well Water Testing · Woodbury, MN

Water testing in Woodbury

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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Woodbury · Washington County

Well Water Testing in Woodbury

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.

Woodbury is a fast-growing eastern suburb dominated by 1990s-2010s subdivision construction. Housing here runs to 1990s-2010s subdivision construction, across the master-planned developments and newer commercial edges.

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

Well water in Washington County

MDA's 2014-2015 township testing in Washington County covered Cottage Grove and Denmark. The final dataset held 441 wells with 15.0% at or over the 10 mg/L nitrate-nitrogen health risk limit. Cottage Grove (city) was 20.2% and Denmark 8.3%. MDA said Cottage Grove had more than 10% of wells over the limit. MDH lists coliform yearly, nitrate every year, and arsenic and lead at least once.

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

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

Water tests available in Woodbury

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.

Woodbury 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 Woodbury: what matters

Woodbury, MN water testing: well cap in the foreground, farmhouse behind it on the southwestern Minnesota prairie in summer
Nitrate: EPA limit 10 mg/L, highest risk to infants →
Well cap in the foreground, modern farmhouse with black windows behind it in southeastern Minnesota bluff country in autumn color (Washington County, Minnesota)
E. coli: a sign of fecal contamination →
Woodbury, MN water testing: well cap in the foreground, ranch home on acreage behind it on the southwestern Minnesota prairie in summer
VOCs: fuels, solvents and degreasers →

Nitrate in Washington County wells

15%

15% of 441 wells tested in Cottage Grove and Denmark were at or over the 10 mg/L nitrate standard (MDA township testing, 2014-2015).

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

How deep Woodbury 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 Woodbury 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.
Is nitrate high in Washington County wells?
In MDA's 2014-2015 testing, 15.0% of 441 wells were at or over 10 mg/L. Cottage Grove was 20.2% and Denmark 8.3%, so it depends on location. MDH recommends testing for coliform bacteria every year.
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.
Are newer Woodbury homes still worth inspecting?
Absolutely — newer construction still shows grading shortcuts, attic ventilation issues and workmanship defects we document on every report.
Is there a safe level of lead in drinking water?
No. MDH states that there is no safe level of lead. The EPA action level of 15 parts per billion for public water systems is a point at which a utility must act, not a level considered safe. Babies, children under six, and pregnant women are at highest risk.
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.
Who is allowed to seal a well in Minnesota?
Only licensed or registered contractors. Minnesota Rules 4725.3875 makes the property owner responsible for having a contractor licensed or registered under the rules seal an unused well or boring. The Department of Health also states that only a licensed well contractor can legally seal wells. Its online directory lists currently licensed contractors. Sealing is licensed work done by a well contractor; testing the well in use is a separate step.
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.
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