Benton County, MN
drinking water quality
41,881 residents · 68 public water systems · 4 ZIP codes
EPA sampled 1 of 68 public water systems here, together serving about 13,835 people. The highest reading was PFHxS at 34.2 ng/L at Sauk Rapids. 1 of the sampled system was above a federal limit. Last sampled 7/26/2023.
What was found
| Compound | Highest result | Federal limit | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFHxS | 34.2 ng/L | 10 ng/L | 3.4× |
| PFOS | 12 ng/L | 4 ng/L | 3.0× |
| PFOA | 8.1 ng/L | 4 ng/L | 2.0× |
Also detected, with no federal limit set: lithium (9100 ng/L), PFBA (14.6 ng/L), PFBS (9.1 ng/L), PFHxA (7.4 ng/L), PFPeA (6 ng/L).
What this means
PFAS are industrial chemicals that EPA describes as breaking down only very slowly in the environment. In April 2024 EPA set the first enforceable national limits: 4 ng/L for PFOA and PFOS, 10 ng/L for PFHxS, PFNA and GenX.
These figures are county-level and come from EPA’s sampling of public water systems. They describe the worst result found in the county, not what comes out of any particular tap — that depends on which system serves the address, and on the plumbing in the building. A private well is not covered by this programme at all.
ZIP codes in Benton County
56329 · 56357 · 56367 · 56379
Readings are county-level, so every ZIP here shares the figure above. Search your ZIP on the map to see it in context.