Corcoran Private Well Water Guide

Corcoran, MN is quietly tucked away in the northwest corner of the Twin Cities. Over 6,000 residents and businesses draw water from two different sources:

• city water is purchased from the City of Maple Grove, MN
• very deep private wells.

We have outlined city water contaminants and hardness for residents with municipal water.

Well water conditions can vary tremendously – even between two neighboring homes. For that reason, this guide will offer a broad range of results that we have found through our service in the area.

If you would like the most accurate information possible, please contact us for a Free, No Obligation Water Test. Only once your water has been tested, you can then determine if any treatment is required.

Corcoran Water Softener Recommendations

The national average for water hardness is 5gpg (grains per gallon). Well water in the Corcoran area can have hardness from 18-30gpg, which is 4-7x harder than average.

A water softener will protect your water heater, plumbing, and appliances from hard water damage.

Do You Have Rusty Water in Corcoran?

While a water softener is important, in Corcoran it is usually less important than a well designed iron filter system.

Rust stains and discoloration begin quickly at 0.3ppm of Iron. Test results range from 2ppm all the way up to 16ppm, with average levels in the 4-7ppm range.

Additional water chemistry challenges in addition to high levels of iron have made Iron Filters very popular in Corcoran. Water softeners alone are only marginally effective at removing iron in Corcoran, and often result in stained laundry and fixtures.

Does Bacteria Make Your Water Smells Like Rotten Eggs?

Iron Bacteria is very common in Corcoran. It’s almost always found in wells with higher iron levels. Orange slime, and an irridescent sheen in toilet tanks are good indicators of these troublesome microbes.

Hydrogen sulfide gas can also be produced by “sulfur bacteria” in the groundwater. This bacteria can grow in the well, the water heater, or even inside plumbing.

Sulfur bacteria produce a slime and can promote the growth of other bacteria, such as iron bacteria. The slime can clog wells, plumbing, and irrigation systems. Hydrogen sulfide gas in water can cause black stains on silverware and plumbing fixtures. It can also corrode pipes and other metal components of the water distribution system.

Iron Filters that use aeration are effective at removing Hydrogen Sulfide gas, BUT NOT BACTERIA. Iron Bacteria requires a disinfectant like chlorine or ozone.

Miscellaneous Water Contaminants

There are over 7,500 different contaminants found in groundwater in the United States. As a homeowner, business, or even municipality it’s not cost effective or necessary to test for all of them.

Manganese, Tannins, Nitrates, and Coliform Bacteria are not widely found in Corcoran, but they could possibly occur. As the owner/operator of a private well, these contaminants would be cost effective to test each year.

2019 Corcoran Water Report
2018 Corcoran Water Report
2017 Corcoran Water Report
2016 Corcoran Water Report

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.

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.

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.

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.

*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.

This information was compiled from Maple Grove’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.