Drinking water quality · 2024
· Verified
What's in Saint Paul, MN tap water
20 contaminants were measured in the Saint Paul, MN water system's 2024 annual report. Each is shown below against its federal limit — 2 sit at or above that limit.
- Reporting year
- 2024
- Contaminants measured
- 20
- Over federal limit
- 2
- Approaching the limit
- 0
- Worst contaminant
- PFOA
- Service area
- MN
PFAS — EPA UCMR5 (2023–2025)
1 PFAS compound above EPA limits in Saint Paul, 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.
PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic acid)
● Over EPA limit (1.9×)near national p90 (13.649999999999999 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
PFHxS (Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid)
● Below limitbelow national p90 (12.049999999999997 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
PFBA
● Detected (no federal limit)9.3× the national p90 (18 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
PFBS
● Detected (no federal limit)below national p90 (13.909999999999979 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
PFHxA
● Detected (no federal limit)below national p90 (12.190000000000003 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
PFPeA
● Detected (no federal limit)near national p90 (15.95999999999999 ng/L across detecting U.S. systems)
Where your water comes from · EPA SDWIS
Saint Paul, MN's drinking water comes from ground water, drawn from 8 sources.
Source
- WELL · 5
- WELL #2 ENTRY POINT
- WELL #6 ENTRY POINT
- WELL #7 ENTRY POINT
Treatment
- Well #1 Entry Point
- Well #3 Entry Point
- Well #4 Entry Point
- + 2 more
Distribution
Also buys water from Saint Paul Regional Water Services, Inver Grove Heights.
Historical readings · EPA Six-Year Review (2012–2019)
1 contaminant historically over EPA limits in Saint Paul, MN
Every U.S. public water system reports compliance-monitoring data to EPA. The Six-Year Review releases the 2012–2019 window as a single dataset — here's what your system reported, year by year. Values shown are the highest detection per analyte per year, compared to the federal MCL.
| Contaminant | Worst detection | EPA limit | Years (2012–2019) |
|---|---|---|---|
GROSS ALPHA worst: 2018 | 25 pCi/L 1.7× | 15 pCi/L | '12'13'14'18'19 |
FLUORIDE worst: 2013 | 1.4 mg/L within | 4 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
NITRATE NITRITE worst: 2015 | 3.3 mg/L within | 10 mg/L | '12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19 |
BARIUM worst: 2014 | 0.129 mg/L within near national p90 | 2 mg/L | '12'14'18 |
CHROMIUM worst: 2014 | 0.0011 mg/L within below national p90 | 0.1 mg/L | '13'14 |
URANIUM worst: 2018 | 0.00136 ug/L within below national p90 | 30 ug/L | '18 |
COPPER worst: 2013 | 0.253 mg/L below national p90 | — | '13'16'19 |
LEAD worst: 2013 | 0.0069 mg/L | — | '13'16'19 |
Metals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| SodiumA naturally occurring salt component. | 26.6MaximumAverage Results or Highest Single Test Result | 20MCL | At or above the limit |
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFOSPerfluorooctanesulfonic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical' once used in firefighting foam and coatings. | 0–1.8Rangeof Detected Test Results | 2.3MCL | Within the limit |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acidPerfluoroheptanoic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical.' | 0–1.5Rangeof Detected Test Results | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
| Perfluorononanoic acidPerfluorononanoic acid, a PFAS 'forever chemical.' | 0–0.37Rangeof Detected Test Results | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
Disinfectants
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChlorineA disinfectant added to drinking water to kill bacteria and viruses. | 2.56–3.11 mg/LRangeRange Detected | 4 mg/LMCL | 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. | 16.1–43 ug/LRangeRange Detected | 60 ug/LMCL | Within the limit |
| TTHMTotal trihalomethanes — a group of four chemicals (including chloroform) formed when chlorine reacts with natural organic matter. | 28.1–52.3 ug/LRangeRange Detected | 80 ug/LMCL | Within the limit |
Inorganic chemicals
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| SulfateA naturally occurring mineral from rock and soil. | 21.3MaximumAverage Results or Highest Single Test Result | 500MCL | Within the limit |
| NitrateA compound from fertilizer runoff, septic systems, and erosion of natural deposits. | 0.08 mg/LHighest single sampleAverage or Single Test Result | 10 mg/LMCL | Within the limit |
Physical & aggregate
| Contaminant | Measured | Federal limit | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| TOCTotal organic carbon — a measure of organic material dissolved in the water. | 48AveragePercent of Removal Achieved | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
+By source (2)— of Percent Removal Achieved, Percent of Removal Achieved
| |||
| TurbidityA measure of cloudiness from suspended particles in the water. | 0.142 NTUMaximumTest Result | None set | Detected — no federal limit |
People also ask about Saint Paul, MN's water
+Is Saint Paul, MN tap water safe to drink in 2024?
The 2024 Consumer Confidence Report for the Saint Paul, MN water utility lists 2 contaminants at or above the federal limit: PFOA and Sodium. Whether that means the water is "unsafe" depends on which contaminant, how long the exposure, and individual health factors. The table on this page shows the measured value, the federal threshold, and the regulated statistic used for compliance.
+What contaminants are in Saint Paul, MN tap water?
20 contaminants were measured in Saint Paul, MN's 2024 Consumer Confidence Report, spanning pfas ("forever chemicals"), inorganic chemicals, and metals. 15 have an enforceable federal limit; the rest are detected but unregulated. Every measured value, in the utility's own units, is on this page.
+Which contaminants exceed federal limits in Saint Paul, MN tap water?
2 contaminants in Saint Paul, MN's 2024 report sit at or above the federal limit: PFOA (354.4× the limit); Sodium (1.3× the limit). The EPA enforces these limits against the regulated reporting statistic — typically a running annual average or 90th percentile — not a one-off sample spike.
+What is the worst contaminant in Saint Paul, MN tap water?
The contaminant with the highest measured value relative to its federal limit in the 2024 report is PFOA, at 354.4× the federal threshold. It belongs to the pfas ("forever chemicals") family of contaminants.
+Where does the data on this page come from?
Every value is transcribed from Saint Paul, MN's 2024 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 Saint Paul, 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 2024 report; a new report will replace it once the utility publishes its next annual update.