Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
LUMPKINS ROBERT L
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
ECOLAB INC [ECL] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
ECOLAB INC., 370 WABASHA STREET N		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
11/12/2012
(Street)

SAINT PAUL, MN 55102		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 11/12/2012   M   5,946 A $ 24.8325 56,042.82 D  
Common Stock 11/12/2012   F(1)   2,114 D $ 69.84 53,928.82 D  
Common Stock 11/12/2012   M   5,269 A $ 27.07 59,197.82 D  
Common Stock 11/12/2012   F(1)   2,042 D $ 69.84 57,155.82 D  
Common Stock 11/12/2012   M   6,700 A $ 29.29 63,855.82 D  
Common Stock 11/12/2012   F(1)   2,809 D $ 69.84 61,046.82 D  
Common Stock 11/12/2012   M   5,467 A $ 29.29 66,513.82 D  
Common Stock 11/12/2012   F(1)   2,292 D $ 69.84 64,221.82 D  
Common Stock               4,684 I By grantor retained annuity trust

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 24.8325 (2) 11/12/2012   M     5,946 (2) 05/09/2003 05/09/2013 Common Stock 5,946 (2) (2) 0 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 27.07 11/12/2012   M     5,269 11/01/2003 11/01/2013 Common Stock 5,269 (3) 0 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 29.29 11/12/2012   M     6,700 05/07/2004 05/07/2014 Common Stock 6,700 $ 0 0 D  
Stock Option (Right to Buy) $ 29.29 11/12/2012   M     5,467 05/07/2004 05/07/2014 Common Stock 5,467 (4) 0 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
LUMPKINS ROBERT L
ECOLAB INC.
370 WABASHA STREET N
SAINT PAUL, MN 55102		   X      

Signatures

 /s/ David F. Duvick, as Attorney-in-Fact for Robert L. Lumpkins   11/14/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Reflects the reporting person's payment of the exercise price and witholding taxes for a stock option issued in accordance with Rule 16b-3 by delivering or withholding shares of Ecolab common stock.
(2) Option granted under the Ecolab Inc. 2001 Non-Employee Director Stock Option Plan. The option was originally reported as a grant of 2,973 shares at a price of $49.665 per share, and was adjusted following the company's two-for-one stock split paid June 6, 2003. Option granted in lieu of $36,906.40 of non-employee director compensation earned by reporting person over the period from November 1, 2002 to May 9, 2003.
(3) Option granted under the Ecolab Inc. 2001 Non-Employee Director Stock Option Plan. Option granted in lieu of $35,654.31 of non-employee director compensation earned by reporting person over the period from May 10, 2003 to November 1, 2003.
(4) Option granted under the Ecolab Inc. 2001 Non-Employee Director Stock Option Plan. Option granted in lieu of $40,028.70 of non-employee director compensation earned by reporting person over the period from November 2, 2003 to May 7, 2004.

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