Groundwater in Kanabec County contains radon, manganese, lead, arsenic, chloride, and nitrate. Several of these contaminants exceed EPA health standards and need attention from well owners in this area.
These contaminants come from different sources. Radon seeps up from the rock itself. Manganese, lead, and arsenic occur naturally in the local rock layers. Nitrate and chloride typically come from fertilizer use, septic systems, and road salt that seep down into the groundwater over time.
Groundwater in this county is soft, with low levels of calcium and magnesium. The rock layers here do not dissolve easily into water the way limestone does in other areas, so minerals stay low. Most wells in Kanabec County show this soft water character.
Wells in Kanabec County show arsenic, chloride, lead, manganese, nitrate, and radon at levels that exceed EPA health standards. Arsenic can damage your kidneys and increase cancer risk over time. Lead harms children's brain development and learning. Nitrate is especially dangerous for babies under six months old and can cause serious illness. Radon, a radioactive gas, increases lung cancer risk when you breathe it in. Manganese at high levels can affect your nervous system and cause problems with movement and memory.
The good news is that Kanabec County wells are soft, so you won't deal with scale buildup in pipes and appliances or that chalky film on dishes. You won't have staining from hard water minerals. Your water will feel gentler on your skin and easier for washing.
We recommend testing your well right away since every well is different and yours could have higher or lower contamination than the county average. A comprehensive panel that checks for metals, minerals, bacteria, and chemicals costs between $200 and $400 and is the only way to know exactly what is in your water. Once you have results, you can treat specific problems with options like activated carbon filters for some contaminants or radon removal systems.
Not sure if your well is affected? Get certified results in 5–7 days.
Test Your Well Water with Tap Score →| Contaminant | Samples ⓘ | % Above MCL ⓘ | Distribution ⓘ | Confidence ⓘ | Risk ⓘ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radon | 1 | 100% | Low | High ⓘ | |
| Manganese | 111 | 72% | High | High | |
| Iron | 120 | 46% | High | High | |
| Nitrate | 16 | 6% | Moderate | Moderate | |
| Lead | 97 | 5% | Moderate | Moderate | |
| Arsenic | 97 | 4% | Moderate |
Moderate
Elevated concentration, not % above limit
|
|
| Chloride | 140 | 0% | High | Low | |
| Fluoride | 119 | 0% | High | Low | |
| HFPO-DA (GenX) ⓘ municipal | 2 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| Nitrite | 2 | 0% | Low | Low ⓘ | |
| PFHxS ⓘ municipal | 2 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| PFNA ⓘ municipal | 2 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| PFOA ⓘ municipal | 2 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| PFOS ⓘ municipal | 2 | 0% | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| Sulfate | 124 | 0% | High | Low | |
| Sodium | 120 | — | High | Low | |
| pH | 15 | — | Moderate | Low | |
| PFBS ⓘ municipal | 2 | — | Low | Safe ⓘ | |
| Hardness | 14 | — | Low | Low |
MCL = Maximum Contaminant Level (EPA limit for public water; used as benchmark for private wells). Distribution shows % of sampled wells in each concentration band. Methodology.
* Microbial contaminants (E. coli, coliform) reflect only samples from the last 10 years.
Data shows potential risk — a certified test confirms whether your water is affected.
Order a Tap Score Test →Population-level CDC data. Not individual risk prediction.
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