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MANGANESE IN DRINKING WATER <br />The level at which manganese benefits one person <br />could overlap with the level at which it is harmful to <br />another person. Adults and children get enough <br />manganese through their diet. Infants get enough <br />manganese from breast -milk, food, or formula. Food <br />often has a higher manganese level than water; <br />however, there are many types of food that can actually <br />block manganese from getting into the body. Water <br />does not have the same characteristics as food, so your <br />body can more easily absorb manganese in water. <br />Manganese in Minnesota's Water <br />Manganese occurs naturally in groundwater across <br />Minnesota. Based on an MDH study, groundwater in <br />southeastern Minnesota tends to have low levels of <br />manganese (below 50 µg/L). Southwestern Minnesota <br />tends to have higher levels —some over 1,000 µg/L. <br />There are no clear patterns in the other parts of the <br />state. <br />Although public water systems are not required to test <br />for manganese, some Minnesota community public <br />water systems test for manganese either before or after <br />treating water. Based on test results and treatment <br />practices, MDH estimates about 90 percent of <br />Minnesotans using community public drinking water <br />systems receive water with levels of manganese below <br />100 µg/L. About 3 percent of Minnesotans on <br />community public water systems receive water with <br />levels above 300 µg/L. It is important to remember <br />certain types of household water treatment units may <br />reduce manganese to safe levels. <br />What MDH is Doing <br />MDH has health -based guidance for manganese in <br />water (see Human Health -Based Water Guidance <br />Table). MDH gathered data to find patterns of where <br />manganese occurs in Minnesota's groundwater (see <br />Initial Assessment of Manganese in Minnesota <br />Groundwater). MDH also participated in an effort by the <br />Minnesota Ground Water Association to create a report <br />about manganese called Manganese in Minnesota's <br />Groundwaters. <br />What Other Groups are Doing? <br />Researchers at the University of Minnesota received <br />funding to investigate Risks to Infants from Manganese <br />in Drinking Water. <br />Resources <br />Home Water Treatment <br />(www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environ <br />ment/ water/factsheet/hometreatment) <br />Human Health -Based water Guidance Table <br />(https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/env <br />ironment/risk/guidance/gw/table.html) <br />Initial Assessment of Manganese in Minnesota <br />Groundwater (PDF) <br />(www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environ <br />ment/ water/dots/swp/mnreport.pdf) <br />Manganese in Minnesota's Groundwaters (PDF) <br />(www.mgwa.org/documents/whitepapers/01 <br />manganese/Manganese in Minnesotas Groun <br />dwaters.pdf) <br />Risks to infants from managanese in drinking water <br />(https://consortium.umn.edu/risks-infants- <br />manganese-drinking-water) <br />Search for Accredited Laboratories <br />(www.health.state.mn.us/labsearch) <br />The Wells and Increased Infant Sensitivity and <br />Exposure (WIISE) Study (PDF) <br />(www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environ <br />ment/risk/dots/studies/wiisereport.pdf) <br />Minnesota Department of Health <br />Environmental Health Division <br />651-201-4700 <br />health.drinkingwater@state.mn.us <br />www.health.state.mn.us <br />For any health related question, please contact Health Risk <br />Assessment Unit at 651-201-4899, health.risk@state.mn.us. <br />March 25, 2021 <br />To obtain this information in a different format, call: 651-201- <br />4700. <br />2 <br />