Manganese Information

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has recently developed guidance for manganese consumption in drinking water.  Manganese is a mineral naturally occurring in rocks and soil which can be absorbed into water and food.  Your body needs manganese to stay healthy, though like many other minerals, excessive amounts can cause complications with extended years of overexposure.  A person who has a healthy liver and kidneys is able to excrete excess dietary/most manganese.

Drinking Water Guidelines:

  • Infants younger than one year – manganese levels no more than 0.1 mg/L
  • Persons one year or older – manganese levels no more than 0.3 mg/L

(mg/L = milligrams per Liter)

Minnesota groundwater can naturally have levels of manganese higher than the MDH guidance.  Independence Beach and Medina Morningside residents are currently being notified of the new guidance’s because testing showed manganese levels at these water sources ranged from 0.225 mg/L to 0.262 mg/L.  Private well manganese levels are not monitored by the City.

Common household water treatment filters and softeners have been proven to reduce manganese in your drinking water.  The best way to identify those levels within your home is to sample and pay for an analysis.  Laboratory analysis pricing is approximately $30.

Accredited Local Testing Sites:

Water Laboratories, Inc.             Elk River            763-441-7509   waterlabs.net
Traut Water Analysis Lab           Waite Park        320-251-5090   trautcompanies.com

What Can Residents Do?

Several things you can do to filter manganese out of your drinking water. Certain types of home water treatment devices remove or reduce manganese (some refrigerator water filters, pour-through pitchers, units that attach to faucet, water softeners, etc.).

If you already have a home water treatment device that removes or reduces manganese, you may want to test the water levels coming from the tap you use for drinking and cooking. This will give you a general idea of the manganese level in you water. If you choose to test your water, we recommend using one of the accredited labs listed on MDH’s webpage.

If you do not have a home water treatment device that removes or reduces manganese, you may want to consider installing one on the tap used for drinking, cooking and preparing infant formula. Bottled water is a short-term alternative. Look for bottled water that is not labeled “mineral water.”Treatment devices should be certified to remove manganese. All home water treatment units require maintenance. Visit the MDH webpage on Home Water Treatment to learn more.

Related Information on Manganese:

Learn more by visiting the MDH webpage   If you have questions or concerns you can contact MDH at 651-201-4700 or health.drinkingwater@state.mn.us

MDH general manganese information
MDH Quick Fact Sheet
Information about home water treatment systems
MDH Toxicology Summary for Manganese