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The City of Minneapolis draws surface water from the Mississippi River to supply water to its residents. Surface water is prone to algae growth and decaying organic material, such as dead leaves and aquatic plants, which can make water taste and smell “fishy”, swampy, earthy, musty, or moldy.
Heavy rains and melting snow can wash chemicals, herbicides, and pesticides from agriculture and industry into rivers. There are still 99 rural Minnesotan communities that release sewage into lakes and streams due to a lack of funds for infrastructure improvements.
Because the Mississippi is a relatively dirty water source, massive amounts of chlorine, ammonia, and chloramines are added for disinfection. Ferric Chloride is added to help reduce the brown/yellow color of the source water, and chemical softening is used to reduce water hardness from 14 grains down to 5-6 grains. Lastly a poly/ortho phosphate is added to help reduce the corrosive effects of the disinfectants.
Minneapolis also has the largest distribution system in the Midwest with roughly 1,000 miles of unlined cast iron pipe that is 80-100 years old, and averages 1 water main break per week.
Mineral and sediment buildup in these pipes causes water discoloration and requires periodic flushing. Minneapolis is now upgrading10 miles of pipe each year, for a100 year project to overcome this discoloration.
The EPA has established two standards for additional contaminants in tap water:
MCL: Maximum Contaminant Level - The maximum allowable level of a certain contaminant
MCLG: Maximum Contaminant Level GOAL - The level where studies have found ZERO HEALTH RISKS, aka the "Health Limit"
Certain contaminants that absorb easily through your skin have been highlighted in orange. For those items, a Point of Entry (POE) system is recommended to treat all the water for your home/business.
2010 Minneapolis Water Report
2010 Minneapolis Addendum
2009 Minneapolis Water Report
2008 Minneapolis Water Report
2007 Minneapolis Water Report
2006 Minneapolis Water Report
2005 Minneapolis Water Report
2004 Minneapolis Water Report
2003 Minneapolis Water Report
2002 Minneapolis Water Report
2001 Minneapolis Water Report
2000 Minneapolis Water Report
1999 Minneapolis Water Report
| Contaminant | Levels Found |
Health Limit |
Potential Effect | Treatment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpha Emitters | 0.4 | 0pCi/L | Increased risk of cancer | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow |
| Atrazine | 0.15 - 0.30 | 0.15 | Cardiovascular system or reproductive problems | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow, DMT Systems, Carbon Filters |
| Bromodichloromethane | 1.2 - 9.22 | 0ppb | Increased risk of cancer, damage to liver, kidneys, and nervous system | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow, DMT Systems, Carbon Filters |
| Bromoform | 2.4 - 7.7 | 0ppb | Increased risk of cancer | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow, DMT Systems, Carbon Filters |
| Carbon Tetrachloride | 0.70 | 0ppm | Liver problems; increased risk of cancer | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow, DMT Systems, Carbon Filters |
| Chlorine | 3.0 - 4.1 | 4.0ppm | Eye/nose irritation; stomach discomfort | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow, DMT Systems, Carbon Filters |
| Chloroform | 25.29 - 62.0 | 5.7ppb | Nervous system depression, increase in kidney and liver tumors | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow, DMT Systems, Carbon Filters |
| Cryptosporidium | 5 - 119 | 115(oocysts/100L) | Gastrointestinal illness (e.g., diarrhea, vomiting, cramps) | Pureoflow, Ultrafiltration |
| Dibromochloromethane | 0.31 - 2.17 | 0.4ppb | Increased risk of cancer | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow, DMT Systems, Carbon Filters |
| Dichloroacetic acid | 15.82 - 39.0 | 0ppb | Irritant and corrosive to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow, DMT Systems, Carbon Filters |
| Fecal Coliform and E. Coli Bacteria | 1% | 0% | Short term effects, such as diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They may pose a special health risk for infants, young children, and people with severely compromised immune systems. | Pureoflow, Ultrafiltration |
| Giardia | 7.0 - 435 | 149(cysts/100L) | Gastrointestinal illness (e.g., diarrhea, vomiting, cramps) | Pureoflow, Ultrafiltration |
| Haloacetic Acids | 10.2 - 55.5 | 0ppb | Increased risk of cancer | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow, DMT Systems, Carbon Filters |
| Mammalian Virus | 1.0 - 37.0 | 9.5(MPNX/100L) | Gastrointestinal illness (e.g., diarrhea, vomiting, cramps) | Pureoflow, Ultrafiltration |
| n-Nitrosodimethylamine | 0.01 - 0.02 | 0.01 | Increased risk of cancer, mutagenic and clastogenic activity | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow, DMT Systems, Carbon Filters |
| Tetrachloroethylene | 0.06 - 0.6 | 0ppb | Liver problems; increased risk of cancer | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow, DMT Systems, Carbon Filters |
| Thallium | 0.5 - 1.0 | 0.5ppm | Hair loss; changes in blood; kidney, intestine, or liver problems | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow |
| Total Coliform Bacteria | 1 - 5% | 0% | Not a health threat in itself; it is used to indicate whether other potentially harmful bacteria may be present | Pureoflow, Ultrafiltration |
| Total Trihalomethanes | 14.9 - 80.0 | 0ppb | Liver, kidney or central nervous system problems; increased risk of cancer | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow, DMT Systems, Carbon Filters |
| Turbidity | 0.28 - 0.56 | 0NTU | Higher turbidity levels are often associated with higher levels of disease-causing microorganisms such as viruses, parasites and some bacteria. These organisms can cause symptoms such as nausea, cramps, diarrhea, and associated headaches. | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow, Ultrafiltration |
| Contaminant | Levels Found |
Health Limit |
Potential Effect | Treatment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fluoride | 0.98 - 3.77 | 4.0ppm | Bone disease (pain and tenderness of the bones); children may get mottled teeth | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow |
| Hardness | 4 - 6gpg | NA | Increased energy consumption, damage to plumbing, appliances, fixtures, clothing, and glassware | Pureoflow, DMT Systems, Water Softener |
| Iron | 0.1 - 0.4ppm | NA | Increased energy consumption, damage to plumbing, appliances, fixtures, clothing | Pureoflow, DMT Systems |
| Monochloroacetic acid | 12.17 - 57.9 | 70ppm | Increased risk of cancer | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow, DMT Systems, Carbon Filters |
| Nitrate | 0.4 - 2.2 | 10ppm | Infants below the age of six months could become seriously ill and, if untreated, may die. Symptoms include shortness of breath and "blue baby" syndrome. | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow |
| Sodium | 9.9 - 15ppm | NA | Hypertension | Pureoflow, DMT Systems |
| Sulfate | 25.5 - 30.8ppm | NA | Catharsis, Dehydration from diarrhoea | Pureoflow, DMT Systems |
| Trichloroacetic acid | 5.55 - 15.0 | 20ppm | Increased risk of cancer | Reverse Osmosis, Pureoflow, DMT Systems, Carbon Filters |
This information was compiled from Minneapolis' water treatment reports, the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA), Minnesota Department of Health(DOH), World Health Organization(WHO), and Environmental Working Group(EWG).
