From Field to Faucet | Nitrate Risks in Karst Regions

A free, lunch-hour webinar will cover tips for well owners to protect their drinking water from nitrate and other contaminants in southeast Minnesota’s karst landscape.

Nitrate contamination in well water, which can enter water from fertilizers and waste, is a growing concern in southeastern Minnesota, where karst geology allows water – and pollutants – to move quickly from the surface into groundwater. High nitrate levels threaten human health and water quality. Martin Larsen, a conservation and feedlot technician with Olmsted Soil & Water Conservation District, will explain how karst landscapes work; why they are vulnerable to nitrate pollution; and what landowners can do to protect drinking water.

Well-water testing and conservation practices that reduce nitrate loss in soil also will be covered in the session.

To register for the webinar, go online at: z.umn.edu/NitrateRisks. For those unable to view the webinar live, a link to a video recording will be sent to them.

Southeast Minnesota residents who rely on a private well for drinking water can request a free water-testing kit through the state’s Tap-In initiative launched in 2024 from regional concern with high levels of nitrate in private wells. Each kit is tested for nitrate, lead, manganese, arsenic and coliform bacteria at no charge. Residents must live in one of Tap-In’s nine counties: Mower, Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Houston, Olmsted, Rice, Wabasha or Winona.