If you are interested in contaminant testing that you do not see listed below, please call 952-891-7000 or dcwatertestrequest@co.dakota.mn.us.
Free water testing for selected communities in 2025
As part of the Community-Focused Sampling Program, private well owners can receive free water testing for both outdoor and indoor faucets. Dakota County aims to provide all private well owners a free water test over the next five years. Communities will have free testing opportunities on a rotating basis.
Households and businesses in the following cities and townships are eligible for a free water test kit:
- Coates
- Empire
- Hampton
- New Trier
- Rosemount
- Vermillion
- Hampton Township
- Vermillion Township
Test your water for common contaminants based on Minnesota Department of Health recommendations. A postcard was mailed in March 2025 to well owners in these communities with instructions on how to receive a kit. Or, you can complete the following online form.
Complete a free water testing form
Once you receive the water test kit, watch the Community-Focused Sampling Program video tutorial.
Other free testing
Free coliform bacteria test is also available if your well is flooded.
Other water testing options
For our pre-paid sample kits, test results will be emailed to you from Dakota County with information explaining the results and any recommendations.
- Coliform bacteria — $21
- Nitrate — $21
- Manganese — $21
- Arsenic — $21
- Lead — $21
- Fluoride — $21
Find out more about drinking water contaminants.
Pre-paid drop off sample kit
This option involves ordering a kit from the lab. Only a recently ordered test kit (no household bottles) will be accepted. If you are requesting a bacteria test, this is the preferred method for sample delivery.
Complete the online water test order form, select the contaminants you wish to test for and select the “Sample Drop off" option. Once you have completed the form and paid for the sample kit, a sample kit will be mailed to you from the lab. Follow the directions in the kit for sample collection and drop off.
Samples can only be dropped off at the Dakota County Western Service Center, 14955 Galaxie Ave., Apple Valley.
In the atrium, there is a small refrigerator located near the elevators. Place the samples and paperwork in the box from the lab and place the box in the refrigerator.
Samples for bacteria should be collected after noon on a Tuesday or Wednesday morning and should be dropped off in the refrigerator immediately after sampling. If samples are collected Wednesday morning, they must be dropped off Wednesday morning before 9 a.m. If the testing does not include bacteria, the samples can be dropped off any time during open hours, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Drop off unavailable Tuesday, Dec. 24 or Tuesday, Dec. 31 due to the holidays.
Pre-paid mail in sample kits
Complete the online water test order form, select the contaminants you wish to test for and select the “Sample Return Shipping" option. Once you have completed the form and paid for the sample kit, a sample kit will be mailed to you from the lab. Follow the directions in the kit for sample collection and return mailing.
If you order a coliform bacteria test for a mail in sample, it will likely exceed the holding time of 30 hours. The lab will still test the sample, but the results will not be valid.
Annual water testing
Residents can conduct annual water testing through the county. Water testing is an inexpensive and effective way of assuring a safe and healthy water supply.
State and local health authorities recommend that private drinking water supplies are tested annually for total coliform bacteria and nitrate.