If you live in Fargo, you already know the Red River. You’ve watched it rise every spring, maybe sandbagged against it, and almost certainly heard the flood sirens. But the Red River of the North isn’t just Fargo’s most famous natural hazard — it’s also the city’s primary drinking water source. And that presents a unique set of water quality challenges that most residents don’t think about until something goes wrong.
Fargo’s Water Supply: A Prairie River Under Pressure
Fargo’s water treatment plant draws from the Red River of the North, which flows northward through some of the most productive agricultural land on the continent. The river drains roughly 45,000 square miles of farmland in Minnesota and North Dakota before eventually emptying into Lake Winnipeg in Canada.
That agricultural dominance matters for water quality. The Red River watershed receives heavy applications of nitrogen-based fertilizers, and spring snowmelt carries nitrates, pesticides, and sediment into the river system. Fargo’s water treatment plant uses conventional treatment — coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection — to bring this water up to drinking water standards.
The city serves approximately 130,000 people in the Fargo-Moorhead metro area, and the treatment plant has the capacity to handle the variable water quality that comes with a surface water source in an agricultural region. But that variability is the challenge: the Red River’s water quality shifts dramatically with the seasons, flood events, and upstream agricultural activity.
Agricultural Runoff and Nitrates
Nitrate contamination is the signature water quality issue for communities across the Upper Midwest that rely on surface water in agricultural watersheds. The Red River frequently carries elevated nitrate levels, particularly during spring runoff and after heavy rains that flush fertilizer from cropland into tributaries.
Fargo’s water treatment plant monitors nitrate levels closely. The EPA’s maximum contaminant level (MCL) for nitrate is 10 mg/L (measured as nitrogen), and Fargo’s treated water consistently stays below that threshold. But the raw water entering the plant can spike significantly higher during runoff events, putting pressure on the treatment process.
This is a shared challenge across the region. Des Moines, Iowa operates one of the world’s largest nitrate removal facilities specifically because the Raccoon River carries such heavy agricultural loads. Fargo hasn’t needed that level of specialized treatment yet, but as farming intensifies and weather patterns shift, the pressure on Red River water quality isn’t going away.
PFAS Concerns at Hector International Airport
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have emerged as a concern in Fargo, particularly around Hector International Airport. Like airports and military bases across the country, Hector used aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) for decades in firefighting training exercises. AFFF contains PFAS compounds that don’t break down in the environment — earning them the nickname “forever chemicals.”
The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality has been investigating PFAS contamination around Hector Airport, and elevated PFAS levels have been detected in groundwater near the facility [NEEDS VERIFICATION]. The question for Fargo residents is whether this contamination has reached — or could reach — the city’s drinking water supply.
The EPA’s 2024 PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation set enforceable limits of 4 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOA and PFOS individually, plus a hazard index for mixtures of other PFAS compounds. These are extraordinarily low thresholds, and many water systems nationwide are working to meet them.
The Flooding Factor
Fargo has experienced catastrophic flooding in 1997, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2013 — and lesser flood events in many other years. Flooding doesn’t just threaten property; it directly impacts water quality. When the Red River overtops its banks, it picks up contaminants from agricultural fields, septic systems, industrial sites, fuel storage tanks, and wastewater treatment infrastructure.
During major flood events, Fargo’s water treatment plant faces raw water with dramatically elevated turbidity, bacteria counts, and chemical contaminants. The plant has managed these events successfully, but the stress on infrastructure is real. The Fargo-Moorhead Area Diversion Project, a massive flood control initiative, aims to reduce flood risk — which will also help stabilize water quality during spring runoff.
Infrastructure and Growth
Fargo is one of the fastest-growing cities in the Upper Midwest, and that growth puts pressure on water infrastructure. The city has invested in upgrading its water treatment plant and distribution system, but aging pipes remain a concern in older neighborhoods. Lead service lines, while less prevalent than in some older industrial cities, may still exist in Fargo’s pre-1986 housing stock.
The city tests for lead at customer taps as required under the EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule. Results have generally been within compliance, but individual homes with lead service lines or lead solder in plumbing can see higher levels — especially after water sits in pipes overnight.
What Fargo Residents Can Do
Request your water quality report. Fargo publishes annual Consumer Confidence Reports detailing what’s in the treated water. Review it for nitrate levels, disinfection byproducts, and any detected contaminants.
Test your home’s water. If you live in a pre-1986 home, test for lead at the tap. If you’re near Hector Airport or other potential PFAS sources, consider testing for PFAS as well. The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality can provide guidance on certified labs.
Run the tap before drinking. If your home has older plumbing, flush the tap for 30 seconds to two minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. This clears water that’s been sitting in contact with lead solder or pipes.
Consider a home filter. NSF-certified activated carbon filters can reduce many contaminants. For PFAS specifically, granular activated carbon or reverse osmosis systems offer the best removal rates.
If you’re concerned about your water quality, a certified water treatment professional can test your water and advise on solutions.