Drinking water quality · 2025
What's in Rochester, MN tap water
15 contaminants were measured in the Rochester, MN water system's 2025 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit.
- Reporting year
- 2025
- Contaminants measured
- 15
- Over federal limit
- 0
- Approaching the limit
- 2
- Service area
- MN
PFAS — EPA UCMR5 (2023–2025)
1 PFAS compound detected in Rochester, MN
The EPA finalized the first-ever federal drinking-water limits for six PFAS compounds in April 2024. These numbers come straight from EPA's UCMR5 lab dataset — every U.S. system serving more than 3,300 people tested every PFAS sample at an entry point to its distribution system. PFAS not listed below were either tested and not detected, or not yet sampled.
PFHxS (Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid)
● Below limitWhere your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Rochester, MN's drinking water comes from ground water, drawn from 30 sources.
Source
- WELL · 29
- WELL #33 ROSE HARBOR
Treatment
- Well #11 Entry Point
- Well #12 Entry Point
- Well #13 Entry Point
- + 27 more
Distribution
Compliance history
Federal Safe Drinking Water Act violation & enforcement records (EPA SDWIS). A violation is a regulatory determination by the state or EPA — separate from the measured levels above.
Radionuclides
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combined RadiumCombined radium-226 and radium-228 — naturally occurring radioactive elements. | 4.9 pCi/LMaximumAverage or Highest Single Test Result | 0 pCi/LMCLG | Approaching the limit |
| Gross AlphaGross alpha particle activity — a combined measure of alpha-emitting radioactive substances. | 14 pCi/LMaximumAverage or Highest Single Test Result | 0 pCi/LMCLG | Approaching the limit |
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| CopperA metal that enters water from corroding household plumbing. | 0.76 mg/L90th percentileAt the tap | 1.3 mg/LMCLG | Within the limit |
+By source (2)— of Detected Test Results, Number of Homes with High Levels
| |||
| LeadA toxic metal that leaches into water from old service lines, solder, and plumbing fixtures. | 0.007 mg/L90th percentileAt the tap | 0.015 mg/LAction level | Within the limit |
| BariumA metal from erosion of natural deposits and industrial discharge. | 0.09 mg/LMaximumAverage or Highest Single Test Result | 2 mg/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| LithiumA naturally occurring element found in some groundwater. | 10.8 ug/LMaximumAverage Result or Highest Single Test Result | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| SodiumA naturally occurring salt component. | 8.77 mg/LMaximumAverage Result or Highest Single Test Result | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChlorineA disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses. | 0.94–1.07 mg/LRangeof Detected Test Results | 4 mg/LMCLG | Within the limit |
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFOAPerfluorooctanoic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical' once used in nonstick and stain-resistant products. | 0–0.97 ng/LRangeof Detected Test Results | 0 ng/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| PFBAPerfluorobutanoic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS 'forever chemical.' | 3.4 ng/LMaximumAverage Result or Highest Single Test Result | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Inorganic chemicals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| FluorideA mineral often added to drinking water to help prevent tooth decay. | 0.69–0.72 mg/LRangeof Detected Test Results | 4 mg/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| NitrateA compound from fertilizer runoff, septic systems, and erosion of natural deposits. | 0.19 mg/LMaximumAverage or Highest Single Test Result | 10 mg/LMCLG | Within the limit |
| SulfateA naturally occurring mineral from rock and soil. | 31.8 mg/LMaximumAverage Result or Highest Single Test Result | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Other
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heptachlor Epoxide | 0.02 ug/LMaximumAverage or Highest Single Test Result | 0 ug/LMCLG | Within the limit |
Disinfection byproducts
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| HAA5Haloacetic acids — a group of five disinfection byproducts formed when disinfectants react with organic matter. | 1.2–5.5 ug/LRangeof Detected Test Results | None set | Within the limit |
People also ask about Rochester, MN's water
+Is Rochester, MN tap water safe to drink in 2025?
Every one of the 15 contaminants measured in Rochester, MN's 2025 Consumer Confidence Report is below its federal limit. "Safe" under the EPA's drinking-water standards is health-based, not aesthetic — but by those standards, no measured contaminant in this report exceeds its enforceable threshold. Individual health concerns (e.g. immunocompromised, infant, pregnancy) may warrant additional filtering regardless of compliance.
+What contaminants are in Rochester, MN tap water?
15 contaminants were measured in Rochester, MN's 2025 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning metals, inorganic chemicals, and pfas ("forever chemicals"). 10 have an enforceable federal limit; the rest are detected but unregulated. Every measured value, in the utility's own units, is on this page.
+Are any contaminants in Rochester, MN tap water approaching the federal limit?
2 contaminants are between 80% and 100% of the federal limit in this report: Combined Radium and Gross Alpha. Approaching means measured but not in violation — a margin that can close quickly if conditions change.
+Where does the data on this page come from?
Every value is transcribed from Rochester, MN's 2025 Consumer Confidence Report — the annual drinking-water report every U.S. public water utility is required by federal law to publish. The original source document is archived and viewable on this site. A water-quality report covers an entire service area, not a single address.
+How often is Rochester, MN's water quality data updated?
Each U.S. public water utility publishes one Consumer Confidence Report per year, covering the prior calendar year's measurements. This page reflects the 2025 report; a new report will replace it once the utility publishes its next annual update.