Well water testing — know what's in the glass before closing.
Coliform, E. coli, nitrate, arsenic, lead, hardness, TDS — sampled to MDH chain-of-custody and analyzed by a Minnesota Department of Health-certified laboratory. Pressure tank, well head, and pump evaluation in the same visit.
Acreage wells, glacial-drift arsenic, agricultural nitrate.
Most Eden Prairie homes pull from municipal supply, but private wells remain on Cedar Forest acreage, the Pioneer Trail corridor, and parcels at the Chanhassen border. Two regional realities drive testing: naturally occurring arsenic in glacial drift and bedrock aquifers across Hennepin County, and nitrate signal from upstream agricultural land use. Sanitary defects — a failed pitless adapter, a cracked grout seal, a low casing — let surface water and coliform in. Every one of these is detectable with a properly collected sample and a chain-of-custody panel.
What the panel and the well head reveal.
Six recurring findings on Eden Prairie private wells — chemistry, bacteriology, and the mechanical conditions that drive them.
Coliform / E. coli
Indicator bacteria in a treated drinking-water well. Sanitary defect or fecal contamination. Not potable until cleared.
Arsenic exceedance
Naturally occurring in glacial-drift aquifers. Above 10 ppb requires treatment — typically point-of-entry adsorption.
Nitrate over 10 mg/L
Agricultural and septic signal. Above the federal MCL the water is unsafe for infants and pregnant women.
Low casing height
Casing under 12 inches above grade lets surface water reach the sanitary seal. Common cause of total coliform.
Pressure tank fault
Waterlogged or low-precharge tank causes pump short-cycling. Premature pump failure and pressure swing.
Hardness & TDS
Hardness over 180 mg/L and elevated TDS drive scale, fixture wear, and softener load. Treatable, not unsafe.
What gets measured.
Standard transactional panel for an Eden Prairie private well. Optional add-ons listed; we tailor the panel to history and proximity to known sources.
| Analyte | Why it matters | Standard | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total coliform / E. coli | Sanitary defect or fecal contamination | Absent in 100 mL | High |
| Nitrate (as N) | Agricultural & septic signal | ≤ 10 mg/L | High |
| Arsenic | Glacial-drift natural occurrence | ≤ 10 ppb | High |
| Lead | Plumbing leach & old solder | ≤ 15 ppb action | Medium |
| Hardness | Scale, softener load | < 180 mg/L target | Low |
| Total dissolved solids | Mineralization, taste | < 500 mg/L target | Low |
Three steps. Lab and mechanical results in hand.
Inspect well, casing, pressure tank
Casing height above grade, sanitary cap and vent, pitless adapter, pressure tank precharge and cycle, pump amperage and run time. Mechanical findings logged before sampling.
Collect to MDH chain-of-custody
Cold tap closest to the pressure tank, sanitized spigot, purge to fresh well water. Sterile bottles for bacteriological, preserved bottles for metals. Same-day lab delivery for bacti.
Lab report + recommendation
Bacti results in 24–48 hr. Chemistry in 5–10 business days. Each analyte against the federal or MDH benchmark, with treatment recommendation where indicated.
Private-well home under contract? Sample now to fit the timeline.
Bacti results in 24–48 hours. Chemistry returns inside contingency.