Lead pipes in Stearns County, Minnesota
How many lead pipes are in Stearns County, MN?
Water systems based in Stearns County reported 17 lead service lines, 1,819 galvanized lines that need replacing and 2,521 lines of unknown material to EPA (Q3 2026). Saint Cloud has the most, with 1,078 lead and galvanized lines.
Who pays in Minnesota
Minnesota set a goal in 2023 to remove every lead service line by 2033 and put $240 million of state money, plus federal funds, into a Public Facilities Authority grant program that covers both public and private costs. As a result the big Minnesota programs, including Minneapolis, Saint Paul and Rochester, replace the private side for free.
Every Stearns County water system with lead lines
Systems are grouped by the county EPA lists as their main service area. Some serve towns in neighboring counties too.
| Water system | Lead | Galv. | Unknown | Program |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saint Cloud Saint Cloud | 0 | 1,078 | 900 | Not confirmed |
| Sauk Centre Sauk Centre | 6 | 159 | 1 | Not confirmed |
| Belgrade Belgrade | 0 | 116 | 39 | Not confirmed |
| Brooten Brooten | 0 | 110 | 22 | Not confirmed |
| Paynesville Paynesville | 1 | 97 | 253 | Not confirmed |
| Cold Spring Cold Spring | 3 | 75 | 350 | Not confirmed |
| Melrose Melrose | 2 | 54 | 138 | Not confirmed |
| Waite Park Waite Park | 0 | 45 | 377 | Not confirmed |
| New Munich New Munich | 0 | 27 | 6 | Not confirmed |
| Richmond Richmond | 2 | 18 | 218 | Not confirmed |
| Kimball Kimball | 0 | 17 | 0 | Not confirmed |
| Rockville Rockville | 0 | 10 | 101 | Not confirmed |
| Holdingford Holdingford | 2 | 3 | 58 | Not confirmed |
| Freeport Freeport | 0 | 3 | 46 | Not confirmed |
| Albany Albany | 1 | 2 | 0 | Not confirmed |
| Avon Avon | 0 | 2 | 0 | Not confirmed |
| Roscoe Roscoe | 0 | 2 | 8 | Not confirmed |
| Saint Joseph Saint Joseph | 0 | 1 | 4 | Not confirmed |
Systems over the new 10 ppb lead action level
Richmond (85 ppb, 2024-01 to 2026-12). See all systems over 10 ppb.
Common questions
How many lead pipes are in Stearns County, MN?
Water systems based in Stearns County reported 17 lead service lines, 1,819 galvanized lines that need replacing and 2,521 lines of unknown material to EPA (Q3 2026). Saint Cloud has the most, with 1,078 lead and galvanized lines.
Who pays to replace lead service lines in Stearns County?
It depends on your water utility. Minnesota set a goal in 2023 to remove every lead service line by 2033 and put $240 million of state money, plus federal funds, into a Public Facilities Authority grant program that covers both public and private costs. We have not confirmed a homeowner program for a utility in this county yet, so ask your utility before you hire a contractor.
How do I find out if my house has a lead service line?
Look up your address on your water utility's service line inventory map, or check the pipe where it enters your home: lead is dull gray, soft, scratches to shiny silver, and a magnet won't stick. See our step-by-step guide.
Other Minnesota counties
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