Water System Report MN

Forest Lake

EPA ID: MN1820005 ยท 11,800 people served ยท 2 ZIP codes

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA records for Forest Lake (MN1820005): no drinking-water violations recorded since 2021. Water monitoring history at Forest Lake, as reported to the EPA, contains no recorded violations; 11,800 residents are counted in its service population.

Data: EPA SDWIS

C ยท 66
Avg Safety Score
11,800
People Served
2
ZIP Codes Served
0
Violations (since 2021)
Groundwater
Water Source
0.002 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
$397K
Median Home Value in ZIP Codes Served

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Forest Lake Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

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

Demographics of ZIP Codes Served

$111,594
Median Household Income
50,005
Population of ZIP Codes Served (Census)
3%
Disadvantaged Population
25th
Poverty Percentile
15th
Energy Burden Percentile
36%
Pre-1986 Housing

The ZIP codes associated with Forest Lake have a median household income of $111,594 and about 50,005 residents live in those ZIP codes (Census; not the number of people this system supplies).

๐Ÿ’ง Where Does Your Water Come From?

Groundwater

Forest Lake'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
70th
Superfund Site Proximity

Superfund Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 70th percentile nationally for proximity to Superfund (NPL) sites. Groundwater sources near contaminated sites may face elevated risk from industrial chemicals.

Infrastructure Risk

31 yr
Estimated pipe age (modeled from housing age)
Copper
Likely pipe material (modeled)
37 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Stable
Decay Status
Installed 46% 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

White Bear Township
11,699 people
1 violation
Hugo
12,047 people
B 0 violations
Saint Peter
12,198 people
0 violations
Grand Rapids
11,346 people
1 violation
Lake Elmo
10,978 people
D 14 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

Forest Lake (EPA ID: MN1820005) is a community water system in Minnesota that serves approximately 11,800 people from groundwater sources.

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

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

This is the average Home Safety Score for 1 of 2 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
0.002 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

1 of 2 ZIP records with known zones is in EPA Radon Zone 1. 1 of 2 ZIP records with known zones is in EPA Radon Zone 2.

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 Forest Lake (MN1820005) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Forest Lake water safe to drink?

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

Forest Lake serves approximately 11,800 people across 2 ZIP codes in Minnesota.

Where does Forest Lake get its water?

The primary water source is groundwater.

Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: No PFAS Reported Above Reporting Levels

This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). No PFAS compounds were reported above UCMR5 minimum reporting levels.

Samples collected
116

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 Forest Lake safe to drink? ▼
Forest Lake 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 Forest Lake; 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 Forest Lake serve? ▼
Forest Lake serves approximately 11,800 people with drinking water across 2 ZIP codes.
What is Forest Lake's water source? ▼
Forest Lake draws water from groundwater sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in Forest Lake's water? ▼
The most recent 90th-percentile lead result on record is 0.002 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 Forest Lake? ▼
The ZIP codes mapped to Forest Lake have a median household income of $111,594 (Census ZIP-code estimate). Demographic data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and EPA EJScreen.
Where does Forest Lake get its water? ▼
Forest Lake'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.). Forest Lake, MN: Serves 12K People. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/mn1820005/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-mn1820005,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Forest Lake, MN: Serves 12K People}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/mn1820005/}
}

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

Forest Lake (EPA ID: MN1820005) - request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

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