Water System Report MN

Rochester

EPA ID: MN1550010 ยท 123,624 people served ยท 8 ZIP codes

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA records for Rochester (MN1550010): no drinking-water violations recorded since 2021. No violations appear in the federal EPA file for Rochester, which supplies 123,624 people.

Data: EPA SDWIS

C ยท 66
Avg Safety Score
123,624
People Served
8
ZIP Codes Served
0
Violations (since 2021)
Groundwater
Water Source
0.007 mg/L
Most recent lead 90th percentile on record (monitoring period ending 2025-12-31)
Zone 1
County Radon Potential ยท High
0
Contaminants Flagged
$325K
Median Home Value in ZIP Codes Served

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Rochester Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary - average Home Safety grade of mapped ZIPs: C

Demographics of ZIP Codes Served

$97,288
Median Household Income
141,005
Population of ZIP Codes Served (Census)
9%
Disadvantaged Population
30th
Poverty Percentile
20th
Energy Burden Percentile
51%
Pre-1986 Housing

The ZIP codes associated with Rochester have a median household income of $97,288 and about 141,005 residents live in those ZIP codes (Census; not the number of people this system supplies). Approximately 51% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

๐Ÿ’ง Where Does Your Water Come From?

Groundwater

Rochester's water is classified in EPA records as a groundwater source. Groundwater is naturally filtered through rock and soil, but it can be vulnerable to PFAS contamination, nitrates from agriculture, and industrial chemicals that seep into the water table.

Moderate Risk
Source Contamination Risk
20th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
10th
Superfund Site Proximity

Infrastructure Risk

44 yr
Estimated pipe age (modeled from housing age)
Copper
Likely pipe material (modeled)
26 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Stable
Decay Status
Installed 63% of expected lifespan used (estimate) End of life

PFAS in ZIP Codes This System Serves

PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been reported in samples from water systems associated with the ZIP codes in this system's area. These results can come from other water systems serving the same ZIP codes; check the UCMR5 section for any results reported for this system. 1 detection recorded.

State PFAS values in our reference data (health advisory / health-based guidance value (not a limit)); check current state rules: PFOA: 0.0079 ppt, PFOS: 2.3 ppt, PFHxS: 47 ppt, PFBS: 100 ppt, PFBA: 7000 ppt, PFHxA: 200 ppt
Health concern: Exposure to certain PFAS has been associated with some cancers and with immune and developmental effects; effects differ by compound. Many PFAS break down very slowly in the environment.
Recommended filter: An activated carbon filter certified under NSF/ANSI 53 or a reverse osmosis system certified under NSF/ANSI 58 for the PFAS listed in its certification. Find the right filter โ†’

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Minnesota

Bloomington
91,300 people
C 0 violations
Brooklyn Park
89,995 people
D 2 violations
Duluth
86,859 people
B 0 violations
Woodbury
82,643 people
D 1 violation
Maple Grove
82,000 people
C 0 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

PFAS Treatment
PFAS Treatment $500
Total Estimated Cost $500

Based on national averages for common remediation projects. Actual costs vary by property. Only issues flagged by EPA, FEMA, or state data for each ZIP code are included.

Cost of Inaction

Illustrative per-household cost scenario based on stated assumptions:

PFAS Exposure - Lifetime Cost $1,000

Per person (emerging research est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$165
10 years
$330
20 years
$660

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $500 (one-time) vs. $330 in estimated inaction costs over 10 years.

Individual costs vary by household size, property, and health factors. These estimates are for awareness, not financial advice.

System Overview

Rochester (EPA ID: MN1550010) is a community water system in Minnesota that serves approximately 123,624 people from groundwater sources.

This system provides water to 8 ZIP codes across 3 communities.

ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: C (66/100)

This is the average Home Safety Score for 1 of 8 service-area ZIP codes with all required score domains observed. It is not a grade for the water utility.

Model 4.0.0 uses SDWIS identity plus accepted ECHO SDWA lifecycle-based water compliance, the UCMR 5 PFAS MCL screen, EPA radon zone, and annual EPA AirData AQI across three equally weighted domains. Missing required evidence suppresses the score.

Violation History

No accepted violation records in the 2021-2026 window - The accepted EPA ECHO 2026Q2 snapshot contains zero violation records for this system whose record year falls from 2021 through 2026, inclusive. This is not a tap-water safety guarantee.

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule evidence attributed directly to this water system:

Lead Level Exceeds Action Level Sample Date
0.007 mg/L No 2025-12-31

No copper action-level exceedance record appears for this PWSID in the accepted LCR snapshot. This does not establish a clean copper measurement.

Radon Risk in Service Area

8 of 8 ZIP records with known zones are in EPA Radon Zone 1.

The EPA recommends testing all homes regardless of radon zone. County radon zones cannot replace an in-home radon test.

ZIP Codes Served

Coverage: Service area ZIP codes sourced from EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 (March 2026 release). These ZIPs reflect the actual deployment footprint recorded by MN or modeled from parcel and building-footprint data.

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View available EPA compliance records for Rochester (MN1550010) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Rochester water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot contains zero violation records for Rochester in the inclusive 2021-2026 record-year window. This is a compliance-record finding, not a guarantee about water at a specific tap.

How many people does Rochester serve?

Rochester serves approximately 123,624 people across 8 ZIP codes in Minnesota.

Where does Rochester get its water?

The primary water source is groundwater.

Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Detected

This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). PFAS compounds were detected; the table compares each one with the EPA MCL where one exists (April 2024 rule, compliance required from 2029) and with this state's enforceable standard where one exists.

Samples collected
1740
Detections
2
Latest sample
2/22/2024
Highest analyte
PFHxS: 3.9 ppt
Analyte Max detected EPA MCL (compliance required from 2029) Status
PFHxS 3.9 ppt 10 ppt Below EPA MCL

EPA's April 2024 PFAS rule sets MCLs of 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS and 10 ppt for PFHxS, PFNA and HFPO-DA (GenX); water systems must comply from 2029. Other PFAS compounds have no individual federal MCL. A state standard is shown only where this system's state has its own enforceable PFAS limit. Detection results are EPA UCMR5 samples, not a measurement at your tap.

Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) โ€” per-system federal sampling, 2023โ€“2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program โ†’

Understand PFAS health context and filtration โ†’

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water from Rochester safe to drink? ▼
Rochester has 0 recorded violations since 2021. The C shown is a ZIP-area score, not a grade for this utility; see the violation table for what was violated.
Should I use a water filter? ▼
No EPA drinking-water violations since 2021 are on record for Rochester; this page does not establish contaminant levels at your tap. That is a compliance record, not a guarantee about the water at your tap; a certified filter can target a specific contaminant you are concerned about.
How many people does Rochester serve? ▼
Rochester serves approximately 123,624 people with drinking water across 8 ZIP codes.
What is Rochester's water source? ▼
Rochester draws water from groundwater sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in Rochester's water? ▼
The most recent 90th-percentile lead result on record is 0.007 mg/L (sample period ending 2025-12-31). This is at or below the EPA lead action level, which triggers system action and is not a safe level; the EPA health goal for lead is zero.
What is the demographic profile of the ZIP codes associated with Rochester? ▼
The ZIP codes mapped to Rochester have a median household income of $97,288 (Census ZIP-code estimate). Demographic data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and EPA EJScreen.
Where does Rochester get its water? ▼
Rochester's water is classified in EPA records as a groundwater source. Groundwater is naturally filtered through rock and soil, but it can be vulnerable to PFAS contamination, nitrates from agriculture, and industrial chemicals that seep into the water table. Based on the available data, the modeled source-contamination category is moderate; test local water to assess actual exposure.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Rochester, MN: Serves 124K People. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/mn1550010/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-mn1550010,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Rochester, MN: Serves 124K People}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/mn1550010/}
}

What You Can Do

1

Test your water

Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter โ†’

2

Check your specific ZIP code

Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report โ†’

3

Contact your utility

Rochester (EPA ID: MN1550010) - request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

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