Belle Plaine Water Reports and Guides

The City of Belle Plaine serves water to over 5,000 people. In 2007, the city upgraded it’s filtration system to produce up to 2,300 gallons per minute of filtered water. This system uses aeration and potassium permanganate to help reduce iron and manganese. Once filtered, the city adds chlorine and fluoride as required by the Department of Health.

The high level of total dissolved solids (TDS) and organic matter also affect overall taste.

Soft Water
National Hardness Average
Belle Plaine Hardness

Belle Plaine Water Softener Recommendations

The national average for water hardness is 5gpg (grains per gallon). Belle Plaine water hardness is 26-28gpg, which is almost 6x harder than average.

A water softener will protect your water heater, plumbing, and appliances from hard water damage. A high efficiency water softener will offer the same protection, but will use far less water and salt.

Need the Right Water Softener or Filter for Your Home in Belle Plaine, MN?

Contact us for a FREE water test and site inspection. We’ll get you a FREE quote to help you get the water quality you want.

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Belle Plaine Water Reports

The City of Belle Plaine does regular water testing and publishes the results in Annual Drinking Water Reports. These reports explain which water contaminants, and what levels have been found.

2009 Belle Plaine Water Report

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The EPA has two standards for drinking water contaminants:

MCL: Maximum Contaminant Level
The legal limit for a certain contaminant

MCLG: Maximum Contaminant Level GOAL
The level with ZERO HEALTH RISKS, aka the “Health Limit”

All water contaminants meet the EPA’s “Legal Limit”. Contaminants that exceed the EPA’s Health Limit have been highlighted below.

Inorganic Contaminants

Inorganic contaminants include natural and manmade salts and metals. You are mostly exposed to inorganics through drinking water, most do not easily pass through skin. Carbon Filters (refrigerator and faucet filters) have almost ZERO impact on these contaminants. Reverse Osmosis very effective at removing inorganic contaminants.

Contaminant	Amount Found	Health Limit	Legal Limit	Potential Effects
Arsenic	1.65	0	10	Skin damage or problems w/ circulatory systems, increased risk of cancer
Barium	0.013	2	2	Increase in blood pressure
Fluoride	0.69-1.3	4	4	Bone disease;children may get mottled teeth
Mercury	0.07	1.2	2	Kidney damage
Nitrate	3	10	10	Blue-baby syndrome

Organic Contaminants

Organic contaminants can come from either natural sources like algae, or man-made chemicals. You can be exposed through drinking water, absorption through skin (bathing), and inhalation. This makes a Hybrid Filter System, or Whole House Carbon Filter a good preventative tool.

Contaminant	Amount Found	Health Limit	Legal Limit	Potential Effects
Dalapon	1.2	200	200	Changes in kidney

Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts

Disinfectants are added to kill bacteria. Disinfectants like Chlorine react with other chemicals and create “Disinfection Byproducts. These chemicals enter the body through inhalation, absorption through skin, and drinking water. A Whole House Carbon Filter is a good preventative tool in addition to a Drinking Water System for these compounds.

Contaminant	Amount Found	Health Limit	Legal Limit	Potential Effects
Chlorine	0.19 – 0.66	4	4	Dry skin, eye/nose irritation, stomach discomfort

This information was compiled from Belle Plaine’s water treatment reports, the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA), Minnesota Department of Health(DOH), World Health Organization(WHO), and Environmental Working Group(EWG).