We read 15 results from Rochester’s 2025 water quality report. No results over a legal limit; 6 above a health goal or guideline.
Serves about 121,395 people · Water system ID MN1550010 · Read the district’s 2025 report (opens in a new tab)
Open this district in the water lookupCompare with your own test results, see the district map and get matched filters.
Results from the 2025 report
Each number is copied from the district’s report and links to the page it’s printed on. Where the report lists several plants, wells or purchased water, the highest is shown.
| Contaminant | Result | Health goal | Legal limit | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper90th percentile of 50 homes tested, 0 over the action level · listed as a violation in the report · Customer taps (50 homes) · 2025 report, page 3 | 0.76 ppm | 0.3 ppm | 1.3 ppm (action level) | Above the health goal2.5x the health goal |
| Gross alpha (radioactivity)highest measured · range 4.3 to 14 · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report, page 4 | 14 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 15 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Lead90th percentile of 50 homes tested, 1 over the action level · listed as a violation in the report · Customer taps (50 homes) · 2025 report, page 3 | 7.46 ppb | 0.2 ppb | 15 ppb (action level) | Above the health goal37x the health goal |
| PFOA (a PFAS)highest running annual average · range ND to 0.97 · Wells · 2025 report, page 7 | 0.8 ppt | 0.007 ppt | 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the health goal114x the health goal |
| PFOS (a PFAS)highest running annual average · range ND to 2.7 · Wells · 2025 report, page 7 | 1.95 ppt | 1 ppt | 4 ppt from 2029 | Above the health goal2x the health goal |
| Radium (combined 226 + 228)highest measured · range ND to 4.9 · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report, page 4 | 4.9 pCi/L | 0 pCi/L | 5 pCi/L | Above the health goalThe health goal is zero |
| Bariumhighest measured · range 0.04 to 0.09 · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report, page 4 | 0.09 ppm | 2 ppm | 2 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Chloraminehighest running annual average · range 0.94 to 1.07 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 5 | 1.02 ppm | None set | 4 ppm | Below the legal limit |
| cis-1,2-Dichloroethylenehighest measured · range ND to 2.1 · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report, page 4 | 2.1 ppb | 70 ppb | 70 ppb | Below the health goal |
| Disinfection byproducts (HAA5)highest running annual average · range 1.2 to 5.5 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 5 | 4.1 ppb | None set | 60 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Disinfection byproducts (TTHM)highest running annual average · range 4.4 to 16 · listed as a violation in the report · Distribution system · 2025 report, page 5 | 12.9 ppb | None set | 80 ppb | Below the legal limit |
| Fluorideaverage · range 0.69 to 0.72 · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report, page 6 | 0.71 ppm | 1 ppm | 4 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Nitrate (as N)highest measured · range ND to 0.19 · listed as a violation in the report · Wells · 2025 report, page 4 | 0.19 ppm | 10 ppm | 10 ppm | Below the health goal |
| Lithiumhighest measured · range ND to 10.8 · sampled 2023 · Wells · 2025 report, page 9 | 10.8 ppb | None set | None | No health limit |
| Sodiumhighest measured · range 2.25 to 8.77 · Wells · 2025 report, page 9 | 8.77 ppm | None set | None | No health limit |
Utility results describe the whole system, measured where water enters the pipes, not your tap. Your home’s plumbing can add lead or copper.
EPA testing for PFAS and lithium
EPA’s own nationwide testing (UCMR 5) found these in Rochester’s water between Aug 2023 and Feb 2024. These are EPA lab results, separate from the district’s report. Anything not listed was not detected.
- PFHxS3.9 pptFound in 2 of 60 samples · highest resultNo federal limit in force for this one
- Lithium10.8 ppbFound in 2 of 60 samples · highest resultAbove EPA’s health reference level of 10 ppb (a guide, not a legal limit)
Source: EPA UCMR 5 occurrence data. The highest single result is shown; one high sample doesn’t mean every glass is that high.
What you can do
Nothing here is an emergency notice: if the district has a violation, it must tell customers directly. If you’d like to lower these at your tap, these are the treatments that remove them, and the catalog shows the models certified for each. Ranking is by certified removal; commissions never change the order.
Lead
Found: Copper, Lead
What removes it: Reverse osmosis or Certified carbon block or RO.
Radium and uranium
Found: Gross alpha (radioactivity), Radium (combined 226 + 228)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
PFAS ("forever chemicals")
Found: PFOA (a PFAS), PFOS (a PFAS)
What removes it: Reverse osmosis.
More districts: Minnesota water quality · All states · Something look wrong? Tell us