Dakota County Newsletter - Spring/Summer 2025 - Keeping it Clean

New grant helps private well users

Dakota County is committed to providing easy access to safe drinking water for all residents.

We are using a $100,000 grant from the Minnesota Department of Health to provide no-cost water testing and financial assistance to well users with water quality issues.

About 50 percent of private well users in Dakota County may have contaminants like nitrate, arsenic, lead or manganese. State dollars help address these quality concerns and make sure that everyone has clean and safe water to drink.

The grant is available for eligible landowners or renters using a private well as their primary drinking water source. Funding can be used to:

• Repair or replace wells contaminated with nitrate or bacteria

• Buy and install water treatment systems for contaminated wells

Applicants must:

• Meet certain income criteria

• Have well water exceeding state guidelines for arsenic, manganese, nitrate, coliform bacteria or lead

Free water tests available

Free test kits are available for private well users who have not received a kit in the last five years or meet high-risk criteria. That criteria include households with pregnant women, infants or children, individuals over age 65 and more. Kits are provided on a first-come, first-served basis while funding lasts.

To learn more and see if you are eligible, visit www.dakotacounty.us and search safe drinking water.