At a glance
- What it is certified to test
- 4 of the 9 common well tests on the MN list (see which)
- Price
- no per-test price printed on the lab’s website when we read it (15 Nov 2026): ask for a quote
- Turnaround
- not stated on the state list or the lab’s website: ask when you order
- Homeowner samples
- yes (Minnesota list)
Lab facts
- Listed by
- Minnesota (Minnesota Department of Health - MNELAP / Well Management)
- Address
- 32640 County Road 133, St. Joseph, MN 56374 · Open in Google Maps
- County
- Stearns
- Phone
- (320) 251-5090
- Website
- trautcompanies.comNot on the state list: found and checked by us, 15 Nov 2026
- Certificate
- The MDH Accredited Labs in Minnesota Accepting Drinking Water Samples from Private Well Users (version October 2026) prints no certificate ID or expiry date for this lab.
- Public / homeowner samples
- Public samples: yes (per state)Listed on MDH 'Accredited Labs Accepting Drinking Water Samples from Private Well Users'
Tests on the state list
| Contaminant | On this state list |
|---|---|
| Coliform / E. coli | Named on the official list |
| Nitrate | Named on the official list |
| Arsenic | Subcontracted |
| Lead | Subcontracted |
| PFAS | Not named on this list |
| Uranium | Not named on this list |
| Radon (water) | Not named on this list |
| Manganese | Not named on this list |
| VOCs | Not named on this list |
Groups as written on the state list (4)
- bacteria
- nitrate
- arsenic
- lead
- Named on the official list The state list names this analyte (or a column for it) for this lab.
- Group-level certification Certified for a parent group (e.g. 'Inorganics') that includes this analyte. Confirm the specific test with the lab.
- Partial group certification The list marks the group as 'Partial'. Confirm this analyte with the lab.
- Subcontracted The lab sends this analyte to another accredited lab (MDH 'X*').
X* on the MDH list = sample is subcontracted to a lab accredited for that analyte.
Homeowner service and turnaround (lab’s own website)
- Takes homeowner samples: yes. The lab’s site says: “our Minnesota Department of Health-certified Water Analysis Lab offers comprehensive water testing services for homeowners” source
- Prices: no price printed on the lab’s website when we read it on 15 Nov 2026: ask for a quote.
From the lab’s own website, read 15 Nov 2026 and re-read by a second checker; next check due by 13 Feb 2027. Certification fields come from the state list only.
Nearest labs that take homeowner samples
No other lab that takes homeowner samples is within 25 miles of this lab; the nearest is 40 miles away. Distances are straight-line from the address on the state list (approx. = ZIP-code centre). “Takes homeowner samples” comes from a state list column or the lab’s own website, as named.
| Lab and tests named on its list | Town | Distance | Tests in common with this lab | Price printed | Turnaround printed | Homeowner samples: source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water Laboratories, Inc. Coliform / E. coli, Nitrate, Arsenic, Lead | Elk River, MN | 40 mi | 4 | from $36 | – | Minnesota list |
| Engel Water Testing, Inc. Coliform / E. coli, Nitrate, Arsenic, Lead | Minnetrista, MN | 51 mi | 4 | – | – | Minnesota list |
| A.W. Research Laboratories, Inc. Coliform / E. coli, Nitrate, Arsenic, Lead | Brainerd, MN | 52 mi | 4 | from $30 | Results are typically completed withi... | Minnesota list |
| EMSL Analytical, Inc. Coliform / E. coli, Nitrate, Arsenic, Lead | New Hope, MN | 59 mi | 4 | – | – | Minnesota list |
| Instrumental Research, Inc. Coliform / E. coli, Nitrate, Arsenic, Lead | Fridley, MN | 59 mi | 4 | – | – | Minnesota list |
Price and turnaround as printed on each lab’s own website and checked by a second reader; – = not published or not read yet.
Around this lab: Stearns County, MN
- Private wells: about 50,248 people, 32% of Stearns County’s 154,708 residents (USGS, 2015); rank 4 of 87 counties in Minnesota by people on wells.
- At house sale: Stearns County has a septic system rule (Stearns County SSTS ordinance (section not located; county site renders by script and blocks automated reads)). What it requires
- EPA radon zone (indoor air): Zone 1: highest potential (average indoor radon may be greater than 4 pCi/L). EPA says the zone map should not decide whether one home needs testing.
- Arsenic above 10 µg/L (USGS model): about 1,218 private-well users (95% range 980 to 1,522; 2010 base), rank 31 of 87 in the state. A screening estimate, not a measurement of any well.
- Older homes (Census ACS 2020–2024): 44% of 66,625 housing units were built before 1980, below the state share of 52%. Homes built before 1986 are more likely to have lead solder or fittings, so test tap water for lead there.
- PFAS in public water nearby (public supply, not your well): 8 public systems serving this county reported EPA UCMR 5 results; 1 had a PFOA or PFOS sample at or above 4.0 ng/L.
County figures describe where the lab is, not the lab. Sources: USGS 2015 water use and 2017 arsenic estimates, EPA radon zones, Census ACS table B25034 (2020–2024), EPA UCMR 5 (2023–2026); details and links on the sources page.
Before you send a sample
Call the lab to confirm it's currently certified for the exact test and method, that it accepts samples from homeowners, and how to collect and ship them. Bacteria samples have short holding times. Status can change between list updates. To check a status, contact the Minnesota certification program.
Is this your lab?
Labs can ask for corrections through the agency that publishes their state list. Homeowner service, prices and turnaround above come only from the lab’s own website. To ask us to correct or remove this listing, write to us (how we handle listings).
MDH Accredited Labs in Minnesota Accepting Drinking Water Samples from Private Well Users. Fetched 2026-11-15 (UTC). File SHA-256 f2a52ac3aa4f…
Open the official source list