Safe Water

Safe Water

How do I know that the water we drink is safe?

More that 75% of Minnesotans get their primary source of drinking water from a public supply. The Minnesota Department of Health administers and enforces the Safe Drinking Water Act to nearly 10,000 public water supplies in Minnesota.

Countryside Public Health will provide water testing services for anyone not receiving water through a municipal supply. A water supply should be tested about once a year since contamination of a water supply can be intermittent and a sample drawn on one particular day may not be representative of water collected on a different day.

How to I get my water tested?

Water testing kits are available at your county Countryside Public Health office. The samples can be tested for coliform bacteria, nitrates, iron, hardness, sulfates and fluoride. The deposit for the water test kit is $5 which is applied to the tests you decide to request. We recommend that the water samples be taken and mailed to the Benson office on Mondays, Tuesdays or Wednesdays, as the samples need to be in the lab for testing by Friday. You will be sent the results of your test by mail.

What if my well is contaminated?

Wells containing coliform bacteria are advised on disinfecting procedures. A retest of the well should be done no sooner than 48 hours following the disinfection.

For more information visit or call your county Countryside office: Or call the Environmental Staff in the Benson office. 1-800-657-3291

Home | About Us | Contact Us | News | Sitemap

Click on map below to visit county site.

News and Events

August 20, 2010
School Immunizations--what is needed?

August 31, 2010
Getting Kids Back to School

August 31, 2010
Pregnancy, Breastfeeding & West Nile Virus

August 31, 2010
Bed Bugs

Have a Question?

Just pick up the phone and give us a call!

Ortonville - 1-866-277-5587
Montevideo - 1-800-894-0192
Madison - 1-800-255-0736
Benson - 1-800-657-3291
Granite Falls - 1-800-407-3628
WIC - 1-800-244-6026

Monday-Friday
8:30 am to 4 pm