The Minnesota Department of Health Wednesday gave a report to the Minnesota Department of Corrections stating that it did not find any health concerns in the water samples collected from Stillwater Prison. The full report can be found on MDH’s website.

According to a news release from MDH, staff collected water samples throughout the prison in locations such as cells from every block, common areas, kitchens, recreational areas and more. The samples also included water from the well and processed water before it entered the prison, MDH said.

Around 465 tests were conducted on the samples to look for bacteria, iron, manganese, lead, copper and total suspended solids. The lab also tested a subset of the samples for pesticides.

“The good news is that treated water coming into the facility and at all sampled locations meets federal Safe Drinking Water Act standards,” MDH Assistant Commissioner Dan Huff said. “However, we did note some instances of discolored water, build-up of minerals from water on fixtures and iron staining on some sinks. We’re recommending a series of actions for DOC that should help address these issues.”

MDH officials noticed discolored water at some places while collecting samples. Most of the discolored water was found at hot water taps, MDH said. While these taps aren’t considered to be sources of drinking water, inmates and staff sometimes use them for showering and other uses.

In response to the discolored water, MDH gave a series of recommendations for the DOC to implement in the prison:

• Developing and following a written water management plan to maintain water quality within the facility
• Cleaning fixtures and aerators
• Conducting systematic, facility-wide flushing
• Having a licensed plumber conduct an inspection and then implementing any recommended actions from that inspection
• Informing incarcerated people and staff about the sampling results and instructing them to use only cold water for drinking

The Office of Ombuds for Corrections (OBFC) stated that its staff served as impartial observers of the water testing and reviewed the MDH’s report.

The Office stated that it never received any complaints about water-borne illness at the prison, and it hasn’t been able to substantiate any claims related to a lack of clean drinking water.

Beyond the concerns over access to safe water, there are concerns about high temperatures during hot weather, OBFC said. Many of the facilities are outdated, don’t have air conditioning and are underfunded, according to an OBFC news release.

“It is abundantly clear that the conditions we often require staff and incarcerated people to endure are troubling,” Ombudsperson Margaret Zadra said. “MCF-Stillwater is an aging facility with multi-story open-faced cells, does not have air conditioning, and has been under-resourced for decades. Resolutions for these conditions should be prioritized in the upcoming legislative session.”