Lake Elmo, MN Water Quality (ZIP 55042)

Quick Answers

Is ZIP 55042 tap water safe to drink? PFAS compounds have been detected in 55042's water at an average of 0.07 ppt across 3 compounds. A certified pitcher filter or reverse osmosis system is recommended, especially for sensitive populations.

What filter should I use in 55042? A reverse osmosis system (NSF/ANSI 58) removes 90%+ of PFAS, lead, and arsenic. For smaller households, an NSF-53 certified pitcher (Clearly Filtered, ZeroWater) works. Standard Brita cartridges are not certified for PFAS.

ZIP 55042 Water Quality Summary

EPA testing has detected PFAS "forever chemicals" in the water system serving ZIP 55042 (Lake Elmo, MN). Monitoring found a peak of 0.14 ppt across 1 system, averaging 0.07 ppt over 3 detected compounds.

Contamination Level: LOW – Low contamination – PFAS detected but at lower levels; monitoring continues.

Top Detected Compounds in ZIP 55042

• PFBA: 0.14 ppt
• PFOA: 0.01 ppt
• PFPEA: 0 ppt

Lead in ZIP 55042 Water

EPA Lead and Copper Rule testing recorded 4 lead samples for the system serving 55042, with a 90th-percentile high of 0.004 mg/L (within the EPA 0.015 mg/L action level). There is no safe level of lead for children; homes built before 1986 should use a certified NSF/ANSI 53 lead filter.

About the Data

Source: EPA UCMR5 monitoring (2023-2025), Lead and Copper Rule samples, and SDWIS violation records tied to the water system that serves 55042 in Lake Elmo, MN.

Beyond water: other exposures in Lake Elmo, MN

Drinking water is one exposure route. These are the other federal datasets that cover ZIP 55042 and Washington County, MN.

Radon risk in Washington County, MN

The EPA places Washington County, MN in Zone 1 - the EPA's highest-risk category, where the predicted average indoor radon level is above 4 pCi/L. Zone maps predict the radon potential of an area from geology and existing indoor readings - they do not describe any individual home. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among people who have never smoked, and the only way to know your own level is a test kit.

Lead paint risk in Washington County, MN

Census figures show 33% of homes in Washington County, MN were built before 1980, and 8% before 1950. Lead-based paint was banned for residential use in 1978, so older housing stock is the strongest available proxy for lead-paint exposure. This is a statistic about the county's housing, not a test of any particular property - if your home predates 1980, a lead swab test is the way to check.

Air quality in Washington County, MN

Modelled annual fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) for Washington County, MN averages 6.4 µg/m³, within the EPA's annual PM2.5 standard of 9 µg/m³. PM2.5 is the pollution fraction small enough to reach deep into the lungs. These are CDC modelled estimates for the county as a whole, not a reading taken at this ZIP code.

Superfund sites near 55042

There are 2 EPA Superfund (National Priorities List) sites within about five miles of 55042: Oakdale Dump (about 2.9 miles); Baytown Township Ground Water Plume (about 3.8 miles). Distances are measured from the ZIP code's geographic centre, so the distance from a specific address will differ. Proximity to a listed site is a fact about location - it is not itself evidence of exposure.