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Climax

What EPA’s and Minnesota’s records show in this utility’s water: nitrate, arsenic and other regulated chemicals; lead and copper; and violations since 2016, with the certification that handles each result.

Serves
223 people
Connections
116
Water source
Groundwater bought from another system
Based in
Climax, MN
County
Polk
Owner
Local government
The ZIP code it serves

56523

The short answer

1 result is above EPA’s legal limit. The worst: Arsenic, above the legal limit. 12 health-based violations since 2016.

What handles it

What was found

Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) and haloacetic acids (HAA5): Minnesota’s yearly summaries per water system, 2023 to 2025.

Arsenic: EPA’s violation records from 2020 on, with EPA’s 2012 to 2019 file for earlier years.

Fluoride and nitrate: EPA’s compliance monitoring file, samples taken from March 29, 2012 to Dec. 11, 2019. Newer results are in the utility’s annual water quality report.

Above the legal limit1

Arsenic

Comes from the source

Above the legal limit

14.8ppb

Limit violation, 2022

EPA recorded three violations of the legal limit for arsenic at this utility in 2022. The highest measured level, for Jan. 1, 2022 to March 31, 2022, was an average of 14.8 ppb, above EPA’s legal limit of 10 ppb. Earlier, from 2012 to 2019, EPA’s file shows a highest yearly average of 13 ppb, in 2018, and EPA recorded violations in 2016, 2017 and 2018.

What handles it

  • NSF/ANSI 58 look for “Arsenic (Pentavalent)<=50 ppb Reduction”
  • NSF/ANSI 53 look for “Arsenic (Pentavalent)<=50 ppb Reduction”

Below EPA’s limits3

Fluoride

Forms or is added in treatment

Below EPA’s limits

1.3ppm

Highest yearly average, 2012 to 2019

2019 average: 1.3 ppm

Averaged by year, the highest was 1.3 ppm, in 2016, below EPA’s legal limit of 4.0 ppm. Its highest single sample was 1.5 ppm. In 2019, the latest year on file, its two samples averaged 1.3 ppm.

What handles it

Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)

Forms or is added in treatment

Below EPA’s limits

5.2ppb

Highest yearly average, 2023 to 2024

2024 average: 2.8 ppb

Averaged by year, the highest was 5.2 ppb, in 2023, below EPA’s legal limit of 80 ppb. In 2024, the latest year on file, it averaged 2.8 ppb.

What handles it

  • NSF/ANSI 53 look for “Trihalomethanes (TTHM) Reduction”
  • NSF/ANSI 58 look for “Trihalomethanes (TTHM) Reduction”

Haloacetic acids (HAA5)

Forms or is added in treatment

Below EPA’s limits

2.2ppb

Highest yearly average, 2023 to 2025

2025: not found

Averaged by year, the highest was 2.2 ppb, in 2023, below EPA’s legal limit of 60 ppb. In 2025, the latest year on file, it wasn’t found.

What handles it

No certification claim covers this compound yet.

2 compounds tested and not foundBelow the reporting level in every sample. Not found is not the same as zero.
  • Lead
  • Nitrate

What handles it

A certification covers specific claims, not a whole standard. Look for these claims on the certifier’s listing, not the box. Wording varies a little: NSF writes “Lead Reduction,” WQA just “Lead.”

  • NSF/ANSI 53

    Claim: Arsenic (Pentavalent)<=50 ppb Reduction

    For: Arsenic

    Other certifiers’ wording: Arsenic (III) (50 ppb influent level)

  • NSF/ANSI 58

    Claim: Arsenic (Pentavalent)<=50 ppb Reduction

    For: Arsenic

    Other certifiers’ wording: Arsenic (Pentavalent)<=300 ppb Reduction; Arsenic (V) (300 ppb influent level)

At the tap, or for the whole house?

These come with the water itself, so a whole-house system certified for the same claims treats every tap and shower. A filter at the tap treats drinking water for much less. How whole-house systems compare.

Filters with those claims on a certifier’s listing

Disclosure: TapBuff earns a commission if you buy through some links on this page. It does not change which standard or filter we name. As an Amazon Associate, TapBuff earns from qualifying purchases. How TapBuff makes money

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The best reverse osmosis systems, ranked

Violations since 2016

Contaminant or ruleTypePeriodMeasuredStatus
ArsenicThe running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, AverageJuly 1, 2022 to Sept. 30, 20220.011 MG/LResolved
ArsenicThe running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, AverageApril 1, 2022 to June 30, 20220.012 MG/LResolved
ArsenicThe running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, AverageJan. 1, 2022 to March 31, 20220.015 MG/LResolved
ArsenicThe running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, AverageOct. 1, 2018 to Dec. 31, 20180.013 MG/LResolved
ArsenicThe running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, AverageJuly 1, 2018 to Sept. 30, 20180.013 MG/LResolved
ArsenicThe running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, AverageApril 1, 2018 to June 30, 20180.013 MG/LResolved
ArsenicThe running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, AverageJan. 1, 2018 to March 31, 20180.015 MG/LResolved
ArsenicThe running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, AverageOct. 1, 2017 to Dec. 31, 20170.013 MG/LResolved
ArsenicThe running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, AverageJuly 1, 2017 to Sept. 30, 20170.017 MG/LResolved
ArsenicThe running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, AverageApril 1, 2017 to June 30, 20170.023 MG/LResolved
ArsenicThe running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, AverageOct. 1, 2016 to Dec. 31, 20160.013 MG/LResolved
ArsenicThe running average was above the legal limit.EPA: Maximum Contaminant Level Violation, AverageJuly 1, 2016 to Sept. 30, 20160.012 MG/LResolved
Health-based violations only. Resolved and archived mean the utility returned to compliance or the state closed the record. 27 monitoring or reporting violations not shown.

What this report can’t tell you

  • Everything else. Total trihalomethanes (TTHM) and haloacetic acids (HAA5) results here are Minnesota’s own yearly summaries from 2023 on, with EPA’s national file for 2012 to 2019. Fluoride and nitrate come from EPA’s file alone, which ends in 2019. Climax’s own annual report, which it must send you every year, has newer results for those and the contaminants this page does not show.

  • Your own plumbing. Lead results are the 90th percentile across homes the utility samples. Your home’s service line, solder and fixtures decide yours. A certified lab test is the only way to know.

  • What it means for your health. This page reports what the records show and EPA’s limits and goals; it is not medical advice. If you are worried about a health effect, talk to a doctor or your local health department.

  • Anything after the latest data. SDWIS data is from 2026 Q3; UCMR 5 didn’t sample this utility; Minnesota’s yearly summaries cover 2023 to 2025; EPA’s compliance samples are from March 29, 2012 to Dec. 11, 2019.

Testing your own tap

Climax’s results are for the water it sends out. What your own service line, solder and fixtures add shows up only in a test of your tap, by a lab Minnesota certifies.

The lab Minnesota certifies closest to the area Climax serves, in a straight line. Call first: certification is test by test, and not every lab takes samples from homeowners.

  • RMB Environmental Laboratories, Inc. – Detroit Lakes

    Detroit Lakes, MN · about 73 miles

    Certified for bacteria, nitrate, lead and copper, metals

    (218) 846-1465

All 24 certified labs for Minnesota

Sources

PWSID MN1600001. Rebuilt from EPA data on Oct. 18, 2026.

Also in Polk County

All Minnesota utilities

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