Hennepin County, Minnesota: drinking water report. Hennepin County encompasses Minneapolis and its western suburbs, serving about 1.3 million residents.
Hennepin County encompasses Minneapolis and its western suburbs, serving about 1.3 million residents. Minneapolis draws from the Mississippi River, treating water at two plants – the Columbia Heights and Fridley facilities. Suburban communities use a mix of Mississippi River water purchased from Minneapolis, independent surface water intakes, and groundwater wells tapping the Prairie du Chien-Jordan and Mount Simon-Hinckley aquifers.
Minnesota has been at the forefront of PFAS awareness since 3M's manufacturing operations in the east metro contaminated groundwater across a wide area. While the worst contamination is in neighboring Washington County, Hennepin County has not been spared. UCMR5 data shows PFAS detections in several county water systems, and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's statewide monitoring has identified additional contamination in groundwater used by suburban utilities.
According to the Minnesota Department of Health, the state has adopted health-based guidance values for 15 PFAS compounds – more than almost any other state. Hennepin County's Mississippi River source picks up PFAS from upstream municipal and industrial discharges, though concentrations are generally lower than in the east metro groundwater plume.
Minneapolis residents drinking treated Mississippi River water face lower PFAS levels than those on groundwater in the western suburbs, but the river is not pristine – it collects contributions from the entire upper watershed.
Check your water to see data specific to your provider. Activated carbon or reverse osmosis filters address PFAS at the household level. Our water filter guide covers effective options. Pull your detailed report for historical data, and visit our Minnesota page for the statewide picture.