Water System Report MN

Northfield

EPA ID: MN1660010 ยท 20,790 people served ยท 2 ZIP codes

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA records for Northfield (MN1660010): no drinking-water violations recorded since 2021. Across the monitored periods in available EPA data, Northfield has no violations listed for its service population of 20,790.

Data: EPA SDWIS

20,790
People Served
2
ZIP Codes Served
0
Violations (since 2021)
Groundwater
Water Source
0.003 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
$328K
Median Home Value in ZIP Codes Served

Service Area Map

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

Service area boundary

Demographics of ZIP Codes Served

$104,897
Median Household Income
27,794
Population of ZIP Codes Served (Census)
23%
Disadvantaged Population
40th
Poverty Percentile
40th
Energy Burden Percentile
46%
Pre-1986 Housing

The ZIP codes associated with Northfield have a median household income of $104,897 and about 27,794 residents live in those ZIP codes (Census; not the number of people this system supplies). Approximately 46% 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

Northfield'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
70th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
20th
Superfund Site Proximity

Wastewater Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 70th percentile nationally for proximity to wastewater discharge points.

Infrastructure Risk

28 yr
Estimated pipe age (modeled from housing age)
PEX or Copper
Likely pipe material (modeled)
40 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Stable
Decay Status
Installed 41% 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

South Saint Paul
20,664 people
D 0 violations
New Hope
20,963 people
C 0 violations
Willmar
21,045 people
1 violation
Sartell
20,300 people
C 0 violations
Andover
21,455 people
B 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

Northfield (EPA ID: MN1660010) is a community water system in Minnesota that serves approximately 20,790 people from groundwater sources.

This system provides water to 2 ZIP codes across 2 communities.

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
0.003 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

2 of 2 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 Northfield (MN1660010) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Northfield water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot contains zero violation records for Northfield 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 Northfield serve?

Northfield serves approximately 20,790 people across 2 ZIP codes in Minnesota.

Where does Northfield 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
290
Detections
1
Latest sample
8/7/2023
Highest analyte
PFBA: 8.5 ppt
Analyte Max detected EPA MCL (compliance required from 2029) Status
PFBA 8.5 ppt No federal MCL โ€”

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†’

How Water Systems Appear in Rankings

Water systems are evaluated by violation history, contaminant detections, and service population. Larger systems with more service connections appear in more rankings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use a water filter? ▼
No EPA drinking-water violations since 2021 are on record for Northfield; 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 Northfield serve? ▼
Northfield serves approximately 20,790 people with drinking water across 2 ZIP codes.
What is Northfield's water source? ▼
Northfield draws water from groundwater sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in Northfield's water? ▼
The most recent 90th-percentile lead result on record is 0.003 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 Northfield? ▼
The ZIP codes mapped to Northfield have a median household income of $104,897 (Census ZIP-code estimate). Demographic data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and EPA EJScreen.
Where does Northfield get its water? ▼
Northfield'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.). Northfield, MN: Serves 21K People. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/mn1660010/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-mn1660010,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Northfield, MN: Serves 21K People}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/mn1660010/}
}
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