Fertile, MN: High Radon Risk — 62/100 (2026)
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated 2026-06-03
Recent monitoring in Fertile shows middle-tier safety for MN — some systems are clean; others have logged EPA violations.
How Fertile Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
What You Should Know About Fertile Water
- Homes built before 1986: 77% — older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,400 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 13.81 — above typical levels.
Who Supplies Your Water in Fertile
A single utility carries the primary residential water load in Fertile, MN — the dominant provider across 1 federally tracked system.
Overview
We track water quality and home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Fertile, Minnesota, covering 1 community water system serving approximately 1,838 people.
No EPA violations recorded across any ZIP codes in Fertile — an excellent indicator of water quality.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Fertile: C (62/100)
The score combines three factors:
| Factor | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| Water Quality | EPA violations and compliance history |
| Lead Levels | 90th percentile lead concentration vs EPA action level |
| Radon Risk | EPA radon zone classification |
Water Sources
Fertile water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Lead data: not yet available for Fertile
- 0 ZIP codes exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 1 (High Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 56540 | C | Fertile | 789 |
All ZIP Codes in Fertile
- 56540 [C]
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Lead/copper: EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data
- Radon: EPA Map of Radon Zones
Updated daily.
Health Outcomes in Fertile
Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). Water contamination can correlate with respiratory and chronic health conditions.
Compared to National Average
Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national
Housing & Infrastructure in Fertile
With 77% of homes built before 1986, lead solder in plumbing is a potential concern. The EPA banned lead solder in 1986, but many older homes retain original plumbing.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).
Housing Age Profile
Federal plumbing rules changed in two stages — lead pipes were phased out before 1970, and lead solder was banned in 1986 — but in Fertile, where the median build year is 1951, most of the housing was already in place before those rules took effect. The materials installed under older standards remain embedded in a substantial portion of the residential inventory today.
Over half of homes in Fertile were built before 1986, when lead solder was banned. Older plumbing may leach lead into drinking water, especially with corrosive water chemistry.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.
Cost Context: What Remediation Means for Fertile Homeowners
For most Fertile homeowners, estimated remediation represents a moderate equity share — manageable with planning.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Fertile. The estimated $1,600–$3,300 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 23% below the Minnesota average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Fertile
Why children are most at risk: The CDC states there is no safe level of lead exposure for children. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.
Wherever 77% of local housing was built before solder rules changed — as is the case in Fertile — a faucet-level sample closes the gap that aggregate utility data cannot.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Flood & Climate Risk in Fertile
Taken together, Fertile's 2 NFIP flood insurance claims and 100% FEMA flood zone coverage place it in the moderate range of exposure. That middle position has specific implications for water quality. The contamination pathways that flooding can open — surface water overwhelming treatment facility intake, floodwaters infiltrating private wells, distribution pressure changes creating backflow — are not constant risks in a moderate-exposure community. But they do become active during significant flood events, and the claim record here indicates enough of those events to make flood timing an occasional factor in local water quality conversations.
Fertile has a moderate flood history with 2 FEMA claims averaging $10,766 per payout. 100% of ZIP codes fall within FEMA flood zones. Flood events can contaminate drinking water and overwhelm treatment systems.
How flooding affects water quality: Flood events can introduce sewage, agricultural runoff, and industrial chemicals into water supplies. Even after floodwaters recede, contamination can persist in wells and aging infrastructure. Flood damage can add significantly to the estimated <strong>$2,400</strong> remediation cost per household.
Residents in flood-prone areas should consider flood insurance even outside FEMA zones — over 25% of flood claims come from low-to-moderate risk areas. After any flood event, test your water before drinking.
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data, FEMA flood zone designations.
What You Can Do in Fertile
- Test your water at home. City-level data shows averages — your tap may differ. NSF-certified test kits cost $20-40 and give results in days.
- Install a certified water filter. An NSF-certified pitcher or under-sink filter removes most common contaminants.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 77% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Fertile, MN