Yes. Extra samples are free too. You are encouraged to test all the wells on your property (house, barn, irrigation, etc.). Also, you may collect neighbors’ or relatives’ samples and bring them in for analysis. If you have a water treatment unit that reduces or removes nitrate such as a reverse osmosis unit or a distiller, feel free to collect a sample before treatment and after treatment to ensure the treatment system is working properly. It is not necessary to collect a sample from before and after a water softener. A softener does not reduce nitrate, and the nitrate result will be the same before and after treatment.
Yes. Extra samples are free too. You are encouraged to test all the wells on your property (house, barn, irrigation, etc.). Also, you may collect neighbors’ or relatives’ samples and bring them in for analysis. If you have a water treatment unit that reduces or removes nitrate such as a reverse osmosis unit or a distiller, feel free to collect a sample before treatment and after treatment to ensure the treatment system is working properly. It is not necessary to collect a sample from before and after a water softener. A softener does not reduce nitrate, and the nitrate result will be the same before and after treatment.
The health risk limit for nitrate in drinking water is 10 mg/L, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Minnesota Department of Health. If the sample has a nitrate concentration above 10 mg/L, it is critical that infants six months and younger do not drink this water in any form. Also, you should have your water re-tested at a certified water testing laboratory. The Minnesota Department of Health has a searchable database to find an Accredited Laboratory.
Options for well owners to reduce or remove nitrate vary depending upon type, age, and location of well. Drinking bottled water may be a good short-term solution. To figure out why you may have nitrate in your water supply, do some investigating. Look at your well record from when it was installed (your county may have this info.). Is your well fairly old? Does your well have construction problems? Is it a sand point, shallow, or hand dug? These well characteristics tend to commonly plague the owner with contamination problems. If you have concerns about your private well water, contact your county health department, a licensed well contractor, or your nearest Minnesota Department of Health district office.
There are water treatment units than can reduce the level of nitrate in your drinking water. However, they are an investment in both money and maintenance. Reverse osmosis, distillation, and ion exchange will reduce levels of nitrate significantly if the units are maintained properly. Keep in mind that these units can stop working at any time without your knowledge so test your water at least every year.
The other major contaminant to test for annually is bacteria. You can have this done at a certified water testing laboratory. Contact a certified water testing lab in your area to get a bacteria test kit. The Minnesota Department of Health has a searchable database to find an Accredited Laboratory.
The health risk limit for nitrate in drinking water is 10 mg/L, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Minnesota Department of Health. If the sample has a nitrate concentration above 10 mg/L, it is critical that infants six months and younger do not drink this water in any form. Also, you should have your water re-tested at a certified water testing laboratory. The Minnesota Department of Health has a searchable database to find an Accredited Laboratory.
Options for well owners to reduce or remove nitrate vary depending upon type, age, and location of well. Drinking bottled water may be a good short-term solution. To figure out why you may have nitrate in your water supply, do some investigating. Look at your well record from when it was installed (your county may have this info.). Is your well fairly old? Does your well have construction problems? Is it a sand point, shallow, or hand dug? These well characteristics tend to commonly plague the owner with contamination problems. If you have concerns about your private well water, contact your county health department, a licensed well contractor, or your nearest Minnesota Department of Health district office.
There are water treatment units than can reduce the level of nitrate in your drinking water. However, they are an investment in both money and maintenance. Reverse osmosis, distillation, and ion exchange will reduce levels of nitrate significantly if the units are maintained properly. Keep in mind that these units can stop working at any time without your knowledge so test your water at least every year.
The other major contaminant to test for annually is bacteria. You can have this done at a certified water testing laboratory. Contact a certified water testing lab in your area to get a bacteria test kit. The Minnesota Department of Health has a searchable database to find an Accredited Laboratory.
If you are sending a sample to a certified lab, follow instructions provided by the lab. The instructions below are for collecting a sample to take to your local SWCD or county Environmental Services office or to a local nitrate testing clinic.
To take your sample, run your cold water tap for five to ten minutes then collect about one cup of water in a plastic baggie (double bag) or clean jar. Keep the water cool until arrival. You can collect the water anytime within one day of the nitrate analysis.
No. However, you may be asked to fill out a voluntary survey, but it is not required. The MDA does not record well owner information or results of individual water analyses.
Yes. Extra samples are free too. You are encouraged to test all the wells on your property (house, barn, irrigation, etc.). Also, you may collect neighbors’ or relatives’ samples and bring them in for analysis. If you have a water treatment unit that reduces or removes nitrate such as a reverse osmosis unit or a distiller, feel free to collect a sample before treatment and after treatment to ensure the treatment system is working properly. It is not necessary to collect a sample from before and after a water softener. A softener does not reduce nitrate, and the nitrate result will be the same before and after treatment.
The health risk limit for nitrate in drinking water is 10 mg/L, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Minnesota Department of Health. If the sample has a nitrate concentration above 10 mg/L, it is critical that infants six months and younger do not drink this water in any form. Also, you should have your water re-tested at a certified water testing laboratory. The Minnesota Department of Health has a searchable database to find an Accredited Laboratory.
Options for well owners to reduce or remove nitrate vary depending upon type, age, and location of well. Drinking bottled water may be a good short-term solution. To figure out why you may have nitrate in your water supply, do some investigating. Look at your well record from when it was installed (your county may have this info.). Is your well fairly old? Does your well have construction problems? Is it a sand point, shallow, or hand dug? These well characteristics tend to commonly plague the owner with contamination problems. If you have concerns about your private well water, contact your county health department, a licensed well contractor, or your nearest Minnesota Department of Health district office.
There are water treatment units than can reduce the level of nitrate in your drinking water. However, they are an investment in both money and maintenance. Reverse osmosis, distillation, and ion exchange will reduce levels of nitrate significantly if the units are maintained properly. Keep in mind that these units can stop working at any time without your knowledge so test your water at least every year.
The other major contaminant to test for annually is bacteria. You can have this done at a certified water testing laboratory. Contact a certified water testing lab in your area to get a bacteria test kit. The Minnesota Department of Health has a searchable database to find an Accredited Laboratory.
Details of the Nitrate Clinic Water Testing Program
Through local partners such as SWCDs and counties, the MDA offers water testing clinics to increase public awareness of nitrate contamination in rural drinking water. Results from the testing are for the private well user’s personal use. Well owners/users may remain anonymous.
Nitrate clinics are developed for homeowner education and outreach and are not designed as a scientific study. If you would like to learn more about the MDA’s work assessing private well nitrate concentrations, please see our Township Testing Program.
The MDA provides the necessary equipment to local partners who can provide free water testing at the local office or locally organized events. The local partner is responsible for their own personnel to run the clinic and recording the nitrate analysis results.
Important Notice: Planned Outage on July 21
The MDA and our partner Minnesota IT Services (MNIT) will be doing technology improvements on Monday, July 21, 2025. This work will require taking several systems offline throughout the day. You will not be able to apply for or renew any licenses or permits online on July 21. You will also not be able to look up any licensing or permitting information.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Licensing systems should be restored by Tuesday, July 22, 2025. We will provide updates if that timeline changes.
How to Use Our Online System
In order to Apply or Renew a license online, we suggest you use Internet Explorer version 11 or higher, Firefox version 52 or higher, Safari version 10 or higher. We are currently experiencing issues with Google Chrome, version 57 and higher, and you may experience issues with this browser. All older browsers are currently not supported due to security issues with those browsers.
New License and Permit Surcharge
As part of our ongoing efforts to improve our services, the MDA is introducing a surcharge (MINN. STAT. 17.033) on certain licenses and permits. This surcharge is an application processing charge that will be added to applications and renewals for 2025 and beyond. The surcharge will be calculated as 5% of the license or permit fee, with a minimum charge of $5.
The surcharge is supporting the modernization of our technology systems, which will provide better online services and more efficient processing of applications. The collected funds will be dedicated to upgrading our electronic systems, making it easier for you to interact with us and access the services you need.
