Well Water Wise Week - May 4^th-8^th, 2026 

The Anoka County Public Health and Environmental Services (PHES) Department, in cooperation with multiple municipalities and county agencies, is sponsoring the 23^rd annual Well Water Wise (3W) week promotion May 4^th-8^th, 2026 to encourage residents to check the safety of their private well water. 

DURING 3W WEEK, May 4^th-8^th, 2026, water sample drop-offs and payments will be accepted all week! That means Monday through Thursday (8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) and Friday (before 11:30 AM) you can drop off your water sample.

• See below for more information on well water testing operations.

Why test your well water? 

Unlike public water utilities, private well water is not treated with chlorine to prevent bacteria growth. Simply looking at the appearance of drinking water is not a reliable indicator of whether it is safe to drink. An annual coliform bacteria test is a good way to ensure that your drinking water continues to be free of bacteria.

Nitrate-nitrogen occurs naturally in groundwater and wells at concentrations below one milligram per liter (mg/L). Nitrogen can seep into private wells from a variety of sources including septic systems, nitrogen fertilizers, animal feedlots, and landfills. The Minnesota Department of Health has established a Health Risk Limit (HRL) for nitrate-nitrogen at 10 mg/L. Levels above that point may pose an immediate risk to infants and pregnant women.  

The testing of private wells used for drinking water is the responsibility of individual owners. There are an estimated 25,000 private wells in service throughout Anoka County. Only a small percentage of them are tested annually. For more information about well water testing, call the Environmental Services Unit at 763-324-4260. 

Well Water Testing Operations

Anoka County Environmental Services has expanded the well water testing program’s capacity by increasing the collection hours and offering more analyses. 

Our normal collection dates will be every Monday from 8:30am - 4:00pm and Tuesday from 8:30am - 11:30am (excluding holidays). The exception to this is Well Water Wise week coming up on May 5th-10th where we will be expanding collection times to all week! (Monday - Thursday 8:30am-4:00pm and Friday Before 11:30am). Additionally, we will now accept tests for the following contaminants:

The 6th floor of the Anoka County Government Center is accessible to the public. Please come up the elevator to floor 6 and enter the lobby to the left of the elevators to pick up testing kits and drop-off your sample.

Below are the criteria for dropping off a sample:

• Water test kits must be obtained ahead of time, and are available for pick-up during regular business hours, Monday-Friday 8:30am to 4:00pm (excluding holidays).
• All test kits are currently available for pick-up at the 6^th floor of the Anoka County Government Center in the Public Health and Environmental Services Office. Additionally, sanitary analysis test kits can be picked up at your local city hall (locations are listed below).
• We will now only be accepting drop-offs and payment in person at the Anoka County Environmental Services Front Desk every Monday (8:30am - 4:00pm) and Tuesday (8:30am - 11:30am) excluding holidays. 
• Samples for Bacteria, Nitrates, and other contaminants listed above are accepted at this time. If other testing is desired, please call Maggie Huettl at (763) 324-4207 to see if those tests can be offered through us, or a private laboratory can be recommended.
• Samples for Bacteria and Nitrates must be collected as close to the drop-off time as possible to avoid exceeding the holding time of the sample, which can result in inaccurate results. 
• Specific water-related questions can be directed ahead of time to Maggie Huettl at (763) 324-4207.

Water test kits for Bacteria and Nitrates tests are currently available at the following locations during their regular business hours:

• Andover City Hall
• Bethel City Hall (23860 Dewey St NW)
• Blaine City Hall
• Blaine Public Works (1801 101st Ave NE, Blaine)
• Centerville City Hall
• Columbus City Hall
• East Bethel City Hall
• Ham Lake City Hall 
• Lino Lakes City Hall
• Linwood Township Hall
• Nowthen City Hall
• Oak Grove City Hall
• Ramsey City Hall
• St. Francis City Hall 

Water Education

Anoka County is a sponsor and partner of the Metro Area Children’s Water Festival, an annual event that is held on the last Wednesday of September. The festival has been held every year since 1998 and provides water resources education to 4th grade students throughout the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

Know The Flow

Know The Flow is a water resources management initiative to provide public information and coordination among Anoka County agencies, communities, and watershed management organizations. The website provides partners, residents, businesses, and property owners with information and events regarding the County’s water resources.

Water Resources Report

Anoka County maintains a Water Resources Report (PDF) produced by the Public Health and Environmental Services Department through collaboration with the Water Resources Management Task Force. The report provides an overview of the County’s water resources and guidance for a comprehensive approach to the management and protection of local water resources

Water Resources Management Task Force

The Anoka County Water Resources Management Task Force (Task Force) is an information-sharing forum for local partners to address water-related goals and emerging issues, and to collaborate with the Public Health and Environmental Services Department on updating the Anoka County Water Resources Report every 5 years. Partners include state and county agencies, watershed management organizations, municipalities, industries, citizen groups, and private citizens. The Task Force hosts speakers and presentations, updates one another on projects, and shares resources towards achieving mutual goals.