LINO LAKES, Minn. — Friends and families of inmates at the Lino Lakes state prison said they're concerned about their loved ones' health, after routine testing at the facility showed high levels of lead in the water.

According to the Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC), three out of 10 water samples collected at the Lino Lakes prison on July 29 tested above the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) action level of 15 parts per billion (ppb). The contaminated samples were found in two living units and a kitchen area.

KARE 11 obtained the results in an email from the DOC. A water sample collected in a kitchen showed 22.7 ppb. A sample collected in one cell showed 63.7 ppb, while another cell showed 65.6 ppb.

"Since 2023, when elevated lead levels were first detected at the Minnesota

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