Minneapolis and St. Paul are two different water systems drawing from the same source — the Mississippi River — and both perform well by national standards. Minneapolis treats about 57 million gallons daily through an advanced ultrafiltration membrane plant; St. Paul Regional Water Services (SPRWS) serves approximately 450,000 residents across 1,200 miles of water main. Neither city's finished tap water has significant PFAS detections, both use chloramine disinfection, and both have active lead service line replacement programs.
The more complicated story is in the eastern suburbs. 3M's Cottage Grove manufacturing facility dumped PFAS chemical waste in the east metro for decades, contaminating groundwater across a widening plume that now affects hundreds of private wells and multiple municipal systems. Minnesota sued 3M, won hundreds of millions in settlement funds, and those funds are now financing treatment plant construction across the east metro. But the plume is still spreading.
Here's how to navigate what's relevant to where you live.
Minneapolis City Water
Source: 100% Mississippi River surface water. Minneapolis's intake is upstream of the metro area, minimizing industrial and agricultural contamination. The city uses ultrafiltration membrane technology — one of the more advanced treatment approaches for a major US city — which provides an extra barrier against Cryptosporidium, bacteria, and fine particulates compared to conventional sand filtration.
PFAS: Minneapolis tests for PFAS. The only PFAS detected is PFBA (perfluorobutanoic acid) at extremely low levels — far below the Minnesota Department of Health guidance value of 7,000 ppt and not a regulated compound under current EPA MCLs. All other tested PFAS compounds are non-detect. For Minneapolis city tap water, PFAS is not a practical concern.
Lead: Minneapolis has a lead service line replacement program underway. Pre-1986 homes — especially in older Minneapolis neighborhoods like Longfellow, Powderhorn, Phillips, North Minneapolis, and Northeast — may have lead solder. The city is working through inventory and replacement. Check your address at minneapolismn.gov to see your service line material.
2023 90th percentile lead level: below the federal action level. Active corrosion control in place.
Disinfection byproducts: Minneapolis uses chloramine disinfection (not free chlorine). The chloramine itself doesn't produce the same DBP profile as free chlorine, but it does create other byproducts. TTHM levels up to 29.2 ppb and HAA5 up to 29.7 ppb have been reported — within federal MCLs and relatively moderate compared to river-source cities like Atlanta or San Diego.
Hardness: Moderate — approximately 7–10 GPG. Noticeable but not extreme. Standard carbon filtration handles taste; whole-house softening is optional.
Chloramine taste: Chloramine produces a distinct "pool water" or antiseptic smell/taste that standard activated carbon pitchers (Brita, PUR) don't remove effectively. Catalytic carbon filtration or RO is required to address chloramine.
St. Paul Regional Water Services
Source: Primarily Mississippi River surface water; supplemented by 10 groundwater wells (425–465 feet deep, Prairie Du Chien-Jordan aquifer) used as needed.
PFAS: SPRWS has been testing for PFAS since 2005. All tests have shown PFAS below the reporting limit — essentially non-detect. As of the 2025 Water Quality Report, this remains the case. St. Paul's Mississippi River intake, positioned upstream, has not accumulated the PFAS burden seen in the east metro groundwater.
Lead service line replacement: St. Paul is mid-program. The 2025 Water Quality Report states the plan to replace 3,000 lead service lines in 2026, then 3,500/year through 2029, tapering to 1,500/year in 2032 until complete. This is an aggressive replacement timeline — one of the more robust programs among comparable-size cities. Pre-1945 St. Paul homes (particularly in areas like West 7th, Payne-Phalen, and Thomas-Dale) are most likely to have lead service lines.
Disinfection byproducts: Similar to Minneapolis — chloramine disinfection, moderate DBP levels within federal MCLs. TTHM and HAA levels are present but not among the highest nationally.
Hardness: Similar to Minneapolis — moderate, 7–10 GPG range.
The 3M PFAS Legacy: The East Metro Story
This is the most consequential water quality issue in the Twin Cities region, and it doesn't affect Minneapolis or St. Paul city tap water directly — it affects the eastern suburbs served by groundwater.
What happened: 3M manufactured PFAS compounds (used in Scotchgard and other products) at its Cottage Grove facility for decades and disposed of chemical waste in the east metro. PFAS chemicals leached into the groundwater and spread in a contamination plume. 3M phased out PFAS manufacturing and reached a landmark settlement with Minnesota — hundreds of millions of dollars now being spent on treatment infrastructure.
Current status (2025–2026): The MPCA reports that PFAS concentrations in the east metro groundwater "appear to be slowly increasing" as the plume continues to spread toward the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers. Private well advisories jumped dramatically — 420 advisories issued in 2024, approximately 30x higher than the previous year, driven by increased sampling, changed guidance thresholds, and more sensitive lab equipment. Communities most affected include Lake Elmo, West Lakeland Township, and Afton.
What's being done: 37 active remediation projects are underway in the east metro. A $330 million water treatment facility is under construction in Woodbury — the largest capital project in that city's history, designed to treat 32 million gallons per day for PFAS. Treatment plants are also being developed in Hastings, Cottage Grove, and St. Paul Park.
Private wells: If you have a private well in Washington, Dakota, or Ramsey County, PFAS testing is strongly recommended. The Minnesota Department of Health offers guidance and, if your well is flagged with an advisory, you're entitled to a free connection to city water or a granular activated carbon filter system installed at no cost.
The MPCA has established site-specific water quality criteria for PFAS in portions of the Mississippi River near the 3M Cottage Grove facility (river miles 812–820), with updated criteria published in 2025.
South St. Paul municipal wells: In April 2024, South St. Paul was notified that 7 of 8 municipal wells were flagged as potentially exceeding new EPA PFAS thresholds. After review, one well was confirmed to exceed the 4 ppt PFOA/PFOS standard. The city is working with MDH on compliance measures.
What This Means By Location
Minneapolis city residents: Your tap water is in good shape. PFAS essentially non-detect, moderate DBPs, active lead replacement program. Main practical concern: chloramine taste (use catalytic carbon filter or RO) and lead in pre-1986 homes. Standard NSF 53 certified filtration is adequate for most households.
St. Paul city residents: Same picture — PFAS non-detect, active lead replacement underway. Chloramine disinfection means catalytic carbon or RO for taste. Pre-1945 homes should check service line status and use NSF 53 certified lead filtration.
East metro suburbs on city water (Woodbury, Cottage Grove, Hastings, South St. Paul): Your municipal systems are dealing with PFAS groundwater contamination in the source wells. Check your specific system's most recent consumer confidence report. Treatment infrastructure is being built, but current-status depends on your specific supplier. RO at the kitchen tap is the recommended home mitigation while plant-level treatment is completed.
East metro private well users: Test immediately. Contact Minnesota Department of Health — well testing resources are available, and advisories come with remediation entitlements.
→ Check your specific Twin Cities ZIP code water quality at PureCity
Filter Recommendations for Twin Cities Residents
Minneapolis / St. Paul city residents — primary concerns: chloramine, lead in older homes:
- Clearly Filtered Pitcher (~$90) — certified for lead, PFAS, chloramine, and 360+ contaminants; best all-around pitcher for Twin Cities water (catalytic carbon handles chloramine)
- Frizzlife SK99 Under-Sink (~$90) — NSF 53 for lead; catalytic carbon block; good for pre-1986 homes on city water
- Brita Elite (~$40) — NSF 53 for lead; does not address chloramine effectively; adequate for newer homes in lower-risk buildings where taste is the main concern
East metro residents with PFAS concerns:
- APEC ROES-50 (~$215) — NSF 58 certified RO; removes PFAS, lead, and all priority contaminants to non-detectable levels; recommended for east metro households with confirmed or suspected PFAS issues
- Bluevua RO100ROPOT-LITE Countertop RO (~$299) — countertop RO; no installation required; good for renters in affected east metro communities
Private well users: Test first (contact MDH), then filter based on results. If PFAS confirmed above EPA MCLs, you may be entitled to a free granular activated carbon system through the state program — check before purchasing privately.
Resources
- Minneapolis water quality: minneapolismn.gov/water
- St. Paul water quality / PFAS dashboard: stpaul.gov/SPRWS
- Minnesota PFAS well testing guidance: health.mn.gov
- MPCA PFAS east metro: pca.state.mn.us/PFAS
- Private well advisory lookup: Minnesota Department of Health well water program
Related Articles
- PFAS in Drinking Water: What It Is, Where It's Found, and How to Filter It
- Chloramine in Drinking Water: What Standard Carbon Filters Miss
- Lead in Drinking Water Filters: What Brita Won't Tell You
- Best Water Filter for Well Water
Sources: Saint Paul Regional Water Services: 2025 Water Quality Report · Clean Air and Water: Minneapolis Water Quality 2025 · FOX 9: PFAS Contamination Spreads in Twin Cities East Metro, July 2025 · MPCA: Site-Specific PFAS Water Quality Criteria · MPCA: Developing Water Quality Criteria for PFAS · Planet Detroit / Minnesota Lead Coverage · EWG Tap Water Database: Minneapolis