What's in your Tap?
- Predictable Plumbing
- Jun 2
- 4 min read
Minneapolis Tap Water: What's Really in It, and Why You Should Filter It Now
Clean Water? Not So Fast, Minneapolis
If you live in Minneapolis or the surrounding metro, chances are you trust your tap water. After all, it’s treated and tested, right? But just because your water meets government standards doesn’t mean it’s risk-free. In fact, multiple contaminants—many with known or suspected links to cancer, neurological damage, and developmental issues—may still be flowing from your tap.
As a licensed plumbing company in Minneapolis, we specialize in water quality solutions, and we’ve seen firsthand how many homes have unfiltered exposure to lead, chlorine byproducts, PFAS, and more. In this post, we’ll break down the hidden health risks in Twin Cities water and why a professionally installed filtration system is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity.
Sources include the U.S. EPA, CDC, Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), and peer-reviewed research.
Lead: The Invisible Toxin in Older Minneapolis Homes
Lead isn’t present in Minneapolis source water, but homes built before 1986 often contain lead service lines, fixtures, or solder (EPA, 2023). When water sits in these pipes, it absorbs lead and delivers it to your tap.
Health risks: Irreversible brain damage, lower IQ in children, kidney problems, and high blood pressure in adults (CDC).
The problem: No amount of lead is considered safe (EPA, CDC).
Solution: Flush your pipes, test your water, and install a filter certified for lead removal. Minneapolis offers free lead test kits (Minneapolis Public Works). Replacing lead lines with help from a licensed plumber is the permanent fix.
PFAS: Forever Chemicals with Lifelong Consequences
Known as “forever chemicals,” PFAS do not break down and build up in the body over time (EPA, 2024). While Minneapolis water currently contains low levels of PFAS, suburbs like Woodbury, Hastings, and Oakdale exceed new EPA health limits (Star Tribune, 2024).
Health risks: Cancer, liver damage, thyroid disruption, immune suppression, and developmental issues (EPA, CDC).
The problem: PFAS cannot be removed by boiling or basic pitcher filters.
Solution: Install a certified reverse osmosis or activated carbon filtration system (NSF Standard P473). These systems are recommended by MDH for homes in affected areas.
Chlorine & Chloramine: Germ Killers With Byproducts
Minneapolis uses chlorine and chloramine to disinfect water (Minneapolis Water Treatment Division). While essential for killing pathogens, these chemicals can react with organic matter in water and form disinfection byproducts like trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs).
Short-term effects: Eye, skin, and respiratory irritation (CDC).
Long-term risks: Prolonged exposure to THMs and HAAs has been associated with increased risk of bladder cancer, liver/kidney issues, and reproductive effects (EPA, WHO).
THM levels in Minneapolis water are within legal limits (~30–50 ppb, below the EPA max of 80 ppb), but the EPA acknowledges long-term exposure to even compliant levels may pose some risk.
Solution: Activated carbon filters significantly reduce these byproducts (EPA Drinking Water Treatability Database). We regularly install these systems in homes across Edina, Minnetonka, and Bloomington.
Nitrates: The Silent Threat in Outer Metro Wells
Nitrates from fertilizers and septic systems can contaminate groundwater, especially in outer-ring suburbs like Lakeville, Andover, and Dakota/Anoka Counties. Minneapolis surface water has low nitrate levels (~1 mg/L), but private wells and some suburban systems are more vulnerable (MDH).
Health risks: Blue baby syndrome in infants, and possible links to colon cancer, thyroid dysfunction, and pregnancy complications (EPA, MDH).
Solution: Annual testing for well users. Reverse osmosis systems are the gold standard for nitrate removal.
Other Contaminants in Twin Cities Water
Additional concerns include:
Arsenic – naturally occurring in groundwater; linked to skin, lung, and bladder cancer (EPA, WHO).
Radium – a radioactive element present in deep aquifers; long-term exposure increases cancer risk (EPA).
Manganese – neurotoxic at high levels, especially in infants (MDH).
Microbial risks – rare but possible during water main breaks or infrastructure failures (CDC).
The Standards Don’t Equal Safety
EPA and MDH water standards are based on cost-benefit analysis and may not reflect the latest health science. Many contaminants have no safe level of exposure, and others are only partially regulated. For example:
Lead is toxic at any concentration (CDC).
PFAS health limits were recently lowered to near-zero parts per trillion (EPA, 2023).
Long-term DBP exposure carries risk even under legal thresholds (EPA).
The Solution: Whole-Home Water Treatment
At Predictable Plumbing, we specialize in modern water treatment tailored to Minnesota water. We install:
Whole-home carbon filtration – reduces chlorine, chloramine, PFAS, and disinfection byproducts
Reverse osmosis systems – removes lead, nitrates, arsenic, and fluoride at the tap
Water softeners – protect your fixtures and appliances from hard water and mineral buildup
We serve homeowners across Minneapolis, Wayzata, Chaska, Eden Prairie, and Eagan.
Protect Your Family—Don’t Wait for a Notice
Tap water issues don’t show up overnight. The damage from lead, PFAS, and disinfection byproducts is slow, silent, and cumulative. If you’re concerned about your water quality, call Predictable Plumbing today for a professional consultation.
Better water. Better health. Predictable results.
Sources:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (www.epa.gov)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov)
Minnesota Department of Health (www.health.state.mn.us)
City of Minneapolis Water Quality Reports (www.minneapolismn.gov)
World Health Organization Drinking Water Guidelines
NSF International (www.nsf.org)
Star Tribune coverage on PFAS levels in Minnesota
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