Monitoring Violations MN

Hibbing

EPA ID: MN1690022 · 16,028 people served · 2 ZIP codes

Not yet resolved: 2 EPA violations at Hibbing, affecting about 16,028 residents.

Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02

D · 49
Avg Safety Score
16,028
People Served
2
ZIP Codes Served
5
Violations (5yr)
Groundwater
Water Source
0.032 mg/L
Max Lead Level — Exceeds Limit
Zone 2
Radon Risk · Moderate
4
Contaminants Flagged

Service Area Map

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

Service area boundary — Grade D

Service Area Demographics

$55,694
Median Household Income
16,815
Service Area Population
23%
Disadvantaged Population
40th
Poverty Percentile
40th
Energy Burden Percentile
83%
Pre-1986 Housing

The Hibbing serves a community with a median household income of $55,694 and an estimated 16,815 residents across its service area. Approximately 83% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

💧 Where Does Your Water Come From?

Groundwater

Hibbing's water is pumped from underground aquifers. 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
30th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
40th
Superfund Site Proximity

About 2% of homes in St. Louis County, Minnesota rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.

Infrastructure Risk

59 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Galvanized Steel or Copper
Pipe Material
10 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Stable
Decay Status
Installed 86% of expected lifespan used End of life

Detected Contaminants

How Hibbing compares to EPA limits

Lead 1 mg/L (action level) (EXCEEDS LIMIT)
0 EPA Limit: 0.015 mg/L (action level)
Brain damage in children, kidney & blood pressure in adults

What This Means For You

Lead at 1 mg/L (action level) exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.015 mg/L (action level). Brain damage in children, kidney & blood pressure in adults. Consider reverse osmosis filtration.

Stage 1 DBP Rule at 2 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.

Surface Water Treatment Rule at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.

Lead and Copper Rule at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.

Lead was detected in this water system. reverse osmosis filtration can reduce exposure.

Find a certified water filter →

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Minnesota

Red Wing
16,459 people
C 0 violations
Buffalo
16,711 people
C 0 violations
Bemidji
15,147 people
C 8 violations
Monticello
15,087 people
C 6 violations
Alexandria
15,000 people
C 3 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Lead Pipe Replacement Flood Insurance Radon Mitigation
Lead Pipe Replacement $2,490
Flood Insurance $600
Radon Mitigation $400
Total Estimated Cost $3,490

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

If water quality issues in this service area are not addressed, the estimated financial impact per household is:

Estimated Healthcare Costs $1,000

Annual per household (CDC est.)

Lead Exposure — Child Lifetime Cost $10,000

Per affected child (EPA est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$7,780
10 years
$15,560
20 years
$31,120

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $3,490 (one-time) vs. $15,560 in estimated inaction costs over 10 years.

Estimates based on published EPA, CDC, and peer-reviewed research. Individual costs vary by household size, property, and health factors. These are conservative lower-bound estimates intended for awareness, not financial advice.

System Overview

Hibbing (EPA ID: MN1690022) is a community water system in Minnesota that serves approximately 16,028 people from groundwater sources.

This system provides water to 2 ZIP codes across 1 community.

Average Home Safety Score: D (49/100)

Based on water quality violations, lead levels, and radon risk across all ZIP codes served by this system.

Violation History

5 monitoring/reporting violations recorded. These are procedural violations (missed tests or late reports), not necessarily water safety issues.

Recent Violations

Date Contaminant Type Status
November 1, 2025 Lead and Copper Rule Monitoring Resolved
October 1, 2025 Stage 1 DBP Rule Monitoring Unresolved
October 1, 2024 Stage 1 DBP Rule Monitoring Unresolved

Contaminants Detected

The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:

Contaminant Category Violations Health-Based
Stage 1 DBP Rule Treatment Failure 2 No
Lead Inorganic 1 No
Surface Water Treatment Rule Treatment Failure 1 No
Lead and Copper Rule Treatment Failure 1 No

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this system:

ZIP Code Lead Level Exceeds Limit Sample Date
55746 0.032 mg/L Yes N/A
55747 0.032 mg/L Yes N/A
Lead exceeds EPA action level in at least one sampling location. Consider using a certified NSF/ANSI 53 or NSF/ANSI 58 filter rated for lead removal.

Radon Risk in Service Area

Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)

The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.

Need help with your water quality?

Typical cost: Water test: typically $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400

Find the Right Water Filter

Free tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — this helps flush lead from your pipes.

ZIP Codes Served

Coverage: 1 ZIP code confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 1 additional ZIP inferred from SDWIS registry data. The EPA-confirmed set is the most reliable; SDWIS-inferred entries may be narrower than the real deployment area.

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Hibbing (MN1690022) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Hibbing water safe to drink?

Hibbing has only monitoring/reporting violations, which are procedural in nature. The system meets federal health-based standards.

How many people does Hibbing serve?

Hibbing serves approximately 16,028 people across 2 ZIP codes in Minnesota.

Where does Hibbing get its water?

The primary water source is groundwater.

Contact Your Water Utility

Public-record contact information for the water utility serving this system. Use these channels to request water quality reports, ask about service, or report issues directly.

Contact information from Hibbing Consumer Confidence Report.

ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility, does not act as its agent, and does not provide customer support for it. Contact details shown are public-record information from CCR filings. For service issues, contact the utility directly using the information above.

Treatment regime

How this utility classifies its treatment process and what each reported treatment chemical does.

Treatment classification
Minimal — disinfection only
Disinfection (typically chlorine) without additional filtration or coagulation stages. Common for groundwater systems where source water meets federal standards after disinfection alone.

Treatment chemicals and what each one does

Chemical names are reported verbatim by the utility. Purpose categories are ZipCheckup annotations based on standard drinking-water treatment practice.

Disinfectant
Inactivates bacteria, viruses, and parasites in the treated water.
chlorine
Fluoridation
Added at low levels per state or local public-health policy for dental health.
fluoride

Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from Hibbing Consumer Confidence Report.

Treatment intensity is a ZipCheckup-derived classification based on the chemicals and processes the utility reports. Chemicals and contamination sources are taken verbatim from the utility's CCR filing. Routine federal monitoring and contaminant testing shown elsewhere on this page determine whether the water meets safety standards, not the treatment classification.

Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Tested Clean

This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). No PFAS compounds were detected.

Samples collected
116

Current MCL reflects the lowest state-enforceable limit (NYS 10 ppt for PFOA/PFOS, effective August 2020). The federal final MCL of 4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS (EPA April 2024 rule) is not enforceable until April 2029. Detections above 4 ppt but below 10 ppt are below current MCL but above the future federal limit.

Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) — per-system federal sampling, 2023–2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program →

Understand PFAS health context and filtration →

PFAS Substances Detected in This System

This water system's Consumer Confidence Report disclosed the following PFAS compounds. Levels are from the utility's most recent reporting cycle.

Substance Detected level EPA limit Status
Perfluorobutanesulfonate (PFBS)
Not yet EPA-regulated
0.68 ppt No federal limit set
Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA)
Not yet EPA-regulated
2.4 ppt No federal limit set
Perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS)
Not yet EPA-regulated
0.62 ppt No federal limit set
Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)
Not yet EPA-regulated
0.82 ppt No federal limit set

In April 2024, EPA finalized the first National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for six PFAS. Public water systems have until 2029 to comply. EPA — PFAS regulation overview →

Source: Consumer Confidence Report disclosed by Hibbing.

ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. PFAS detection data is sourced from public Consumer Confidence Reports filed by the utility itself.

Learn more about PFAS health effects and filtration →

Lead Service Line Inventory

Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:

25
Confirmed Lead
39
Galvanized — Replacement Required
5,724
Unknown Material
175
Confirmed Non-Lead

Federal LCRI rule (effective October 2024) requires every public water system to inventory its service lines and complete lead-line replacement within 10 years.

Federal Regulatory Status · 2026Q1
LCRR inventory submission: Reported all required service line types
Latest tap sample on 2025-01-01 exceeded the federal lead action level (0.015 mg/L).
Population served: 16,028
Reported to Minnesota

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Service Line Inventory (Phase 2) · Submitted 2026

ZipCheckup is not affiliated with the utility or state agency. Inventory figures render verbatim from the public LCRI submission cited above; ZipCheckup does not perform inspections or replacements.

Learn about lead in drinking water →

Notable events and violations

This section summarizes events the utility chose to disclose in its most recent Consumer Confidence Report, plus any federal compliance violations the utility recorded against itself. Both lists are utility-authored — ZipCheckup does not audit, judge, or reorder them.

Notable events from the utility's CCR

These bullet entries are the utility's own narration of operational, regulatory, or infrastructure events during the reporting period.

Notable events from Hibbing Consumer Confidence Report:
  • Lead exceeded its limit (31.5 ppb, MCL/AL 15)

ZipCheckup note: items above reflect what the utility published in its most recent CCR. Federal violation records are also tracked separately by the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) — the SDWIS record is the authoritative federal source for any specific regulatory action.

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

Is water from Hibbing safe to drink?
Hibbing has a D safety grade based on 5 recorded violations. Some contaminants may exceed EPA limits — independent testing is recommended.
What contaminants are in Hibbing's water?
Detected contaminants include Lead, Stage 1 DBP Rule, Surface Water Treatment Rule, Lead and Copper Rule. Each is compared against EPA maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) in the detailed breakdown above.
Should I use a water filter?
Given 4 contaminants above EPA limits, a certified water filter can provide an extra layer of protection. The best type depends on specific contaminants in your water.
How many people does Hibbing serve?
Hibbing serves approximately 16,028 people with drinking water across 2 ZIP codes.
What is Hibbing's water source?
Hibbing draws water from groundwater sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in Hibbing's water?
The maximum detected lead level is 0.032 mg/L. This exceeds the EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L. A lead-certified filter is recommended, especially for homes with young children.
What is the demographic profile of Hibbing's service area?
The Hibbing service area has a median household income of $55,694. Demographic data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and EPA EJScreen.
Where does Hibbing get its water?
Hibbing's water is pumped from underground aquifers. 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 available data, the source contamination risk is moderate.

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 →

2

Check your specific ZIP code

Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report →

3

Contact your utility

Hibbing (EPA ID: MN1690022) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

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