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From the days when raw sewage flowed into rivers and lakes, Minnesota’s water bodies have come a long way. However, there is still work to be done in the restoration and protection of our waters.
Groundwater is the source of drinking water for about 75% of all Minnesotans and provides almost all of the water used to irrigate crops. Its purity and availability is critical to the health of the state.
Minnesota samples a network of shallow monitoring wells designed to provide early detection of contamination in the groundwater.
This long-term data gathering initiative helps track trends in water bodies around the state. The MPCA is grateful for every volunteer who has dedicated time to monitoring their favorite lake or stream.
The MPCA's chloride reduction program assists communities and organizations across Minnesota in identifying sources of chloride.
Permit addresses the most common causes of contaminated groundwater, including releases of petroleum, volatile organic compounds, and other hazardous substances.
The chemical 1,4-dioxane, a likely carcinogen, was found in private wells near Bunker Lake Blvd. and Crosstown Blvd.
The chemical 1,4-dioxane, a likely carcinogen, was detected in a private residential well in the Eastbrook Terrace area in Andover.
A training and certification program for evaluating aquatic life in Minnesota’s rivers and streams.
The MPCA uses the Environmental Quality Information System (EQuIS) to store water quality data from more than 17,000 Minnesota sampling locations.
Help your school get a recycling program organized and operating successfully.
The MPCA and its many partners collect a wide variety of data on environmental conditions and pollution sources.
An index of biological integrity (IBI) is a particularly powerful tool that provides an accurate measure of the condition of the biological communities and are a direct determinant of the attainment of aquatic life uses.
Trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene have contaminated groundwater and caused vapor intrusion issues at this site.
Systems to treat drinking water have been installed to address groundwater contamination in two St. Louis Park and three Edina municipal wells.
In early 2024, Minnesota became the first U.S. state to establish a product stewardship program for boat wrap, which must provide free collection, transportation, reuse, recycling, and disposal.
This page provides assistance for local units of government with development and implementation of their SSTS program.
The MPCA provides climate change technical assistance to Minnesotan, including one-on-one consultation or small group facilitation, to assess current capacity, build on strengths, and address underlying needs.
Study funded by the $850 million settlement that Minnesota reached with 3M in 2018 focused on the area served by the Valley Branch Watershed District’s Project 1007 rainwater conveyance system in the East Metro.
Protecting and restoring water quality is one of the MPCA's core areas of focus.