Minnetonka Water Softener and Drinking Water Guide

The City of Minnetonka has over 260 miles of water mains, 18 deep water wells, 10 storage facilities and 8 water treatment plants. These treatment plants deliver an average of 8 million gallons of water per day to Minnetonka’s residents and businesses.

Minnetonka city water may sometimes contain small levels Iron and Manganese that bleed through the city’s treatment system. This level can result in discolored water, staining, and a metallic taste and odor. If rust stains continue to occur, a Whole House Filter may be added to stop the Iron that a Softener cannot.

Soft Water
National Hardness Average
Minnetonka Water Hardness

Minnetonka Water Softener Recommendations

The national average for water hardness is 5gpg (grains per gallon). Minnetonka water hardness is 18gpg, which is almost 4x harder than average.

A water softener will protect your water heater, plumbing, and appliances from hard water damage. A high efficiency water softener will offer the same protection, but will use far less water and salt.

See how a family in Minnetonka can save 1,000’s of gallons of water each year with a High Efficiency Water Softener – Click Here

Need the Right Water Softener or Filter for Your Home in Minnetonka, MN?

Contact us for a FREE water test and site inspection. We’ll get you a FREE quote to help you get the water quality you want.

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Minnetonka Water Reports

The City of Minnetonka does regular water testing and publishes the results in Annual Drinking Water Reports. These reports explain which water contaminants, and what levels have been found.

2019 Minnetonka Water Report
2018 Minnetonka Water Report
2017 Minnetonka Water Report
2016 Minnetonka Water Report
2015 Minnetonka Water Report
2014 Minnetonka Water Report
2013 Minnetonka Water Report
2011 Minnetonka Water Report
2010 Minnetonka Water Report
2009 Minnetonka Water Report
2008 Minnetonka Water Report
2007 Minnetonka Water Report
2006 Minnetonka Water Report

The EPA has two standards for drinking water contaminants:

MCL: Maximum Contaminant Level
The legal limit for a certain contaminant

MCLG: Maximum Contaminant Level GOAL
The level with ZERO HEALTH RISKS, aka the “Health Limit”

All water contaminants meet the EPA’s “Legal Limit”. Contaminants that exceed the EPA’s Health Limit have been highlighted below.

Inorganic Contaminants

Inorganic contaminants include natural and manmade salts and metals. You are mostly exposed to inorganics through drinking water, most do not easily pass through skin. Carbon Filters (refrigerator and faucet filters) have almost ZERO impact on these contaminants. Reverse Osmosis very effective at removing inorganic contaminants.

Contaminant	Amount Found	Health Limit	Legal Limit	Potential Effects
Arsenic	1.68-2.01	0	10	Skin damage or problems w/ circulatory systems, increased risk of cancer
Barium	0.15-0.17	2	2	Increase in blood pressure
Fluoride	0.99-1.3	4	4	Bone disease;children may get mottled teeth
Nitrate	0.37-0.71	10	10	Blue-baby syndrome

Organic Contaminants

Organic contaminants can come from either natural sources like algae, or man-made chemicals. You can be exposed through drinking water, absorption through skin (bathing), and inhalation. This makes a Hybrid Filter System, or Whole House Carbon Filter a good preventative tool.

Contaminant	Amount Found	Health Limit	Legal Limit	Potential Effects
Carbon Tetrachloride	0.15-0.3	0	5	Liver problems; increased risk of cancer
Trichloroethylene	0.03-0.1	0	5	Liver problems; increased risk of cancer

Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts

Disinfectants are added to kill bacteria. Disinfectants like Chlorine react with other chemicals and create “Disinfection Byproducts. These chemicals enter the body through inhalation, absorption through skin, and drinking water. A Whole House Carbon Filter is a good preventative tool in addition to a Drinking Water System for these compounds.

Contaminant	Amount Found	Health Limit	Legal Limit	Potential Effects
Chlorine	0.2-2.8	4	4	Eye/nose irritation; stomach discomfort
Chloroform	6.94-20	5.7	80	Nervous system depression, increase in kidney and liver tumors
Haloacetic Acids	3.0-10.4	0	80	Increased risk of cancer
Total Trihalomethanes	1.2-25.2	0	60	Increased risk of cancer

Microbial Contaminants

Microbes like bacteria and virus come from a variety of sources. These include water main breaks, leaky septic systems, livestock, and wildlife. Microbial contaminants are mainly consumed through drinking water. Carbon Filters and Water Softeners do not offer any protection against microbes, but UV Treatment is very effective.

Contaminant	Amount Found	Health Limit	Legal Limit	Potential Effects
Total Coliform Bacteria	1%	0	5	Not a health threat itself; it is used to indicate whether other potentially harmful bacteria may be present

*Upon re-testing, 0% Coliform Bacteria was detected.

Radionuclide Contaminants

Radionuclides in water may occur naturally, or come from oil and gas production or mining activities. These can be inhaled, or consumed through drinking water.

Contaminant	Amount Found	Legal Limit	Potential Effects
Alpha Emitter	7.1-12	15.4	Increased risk of cancer
Combined Radium	3.7-5.4	5	Increased risk of cancer
Radon	26-183	NA	Increased risk of cancer

This information was compiled from Minnetonka’s water treatment reports, the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA), Minnesota Department of Health(DOH), World Health Organization(WHO), and Environmental Working Group(EWG). Please contact us if there are any missing contaminants, or levels that differ from those outlined on this page.