Wellhead Protection Plan

The IGH Wellhead Protection Plan is designed to protect groundwater aquifers that supply municipal drinking water wells. The plan identifies potential sources of contamination that could pollute local groundwater wells and aquifers. The ultimate goal of this plan is help ensure that the City continues to provide its customers with a safe and abundant supply of clean drinking water for generations to come.

Wells can become polluted when substances harmful to human health get into the groundwater supply. Water from polluted wells can become dangerous to drink when the level of contamination rises above health standards.

The City regularly samples the water from wells and provides an annual Water Quality Report to residents.

How Can You Help Protect the Water Supply?

Private Wells

While the wellhead protection program is only required for public water supply wells, individual residential wells can also potentially transmit contamination to the aquifer. If a residential well is poorly constructed, not maintained, or improperly abandoned, that well becomes a potential avenue for contamination to enter the aquifer. All homeowners with their own wells are encouraged to monitor the health of their own well through water quality sampling. While the City does not have the resources to test each residential well for contaminants, the process is relatively inexpensive for property owners and is highly recommended. More information about private well testing is available from the Minnesota Department of Health website.

Seal Unsued Wells Properly

Minnesota law states that any private well that is no longer used must either have a permit to be maintained or must be abandoned (sealed) by a licensed well contractor. If your property has a well that is no longer active, the well may be in violation of Minnesota Well Code and may need to be sealed. More information about well sealing can be found are the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) website. Fortunately, property owners within a wellhead protection area are eligible for grants and cost-sharing to assist with sealing their wells.

To read a Well Sealing pamphlet from the MDH, click here.

Well Sealing Grants Available

If you are looking at sealing your well, grants may be available. Contact the City at 651-450-4309 for more information.

Household Hazardous Wastes

Household waste can threaten local water supplies if it is disposed of improperly. This includes automotive products (batteries, fuels, oils, other fluids), lawn and garden products, paints, fluorescent light bulbs, and many other items. Visit the Dakota County website for more information about proper waste disposal and drop-off.

How Do Class V Wells Threaten Your Drinking Water?

Class V Wells are typically shallow disposal systems used to place fluids below the land surface. Examples include: motor vehicle waste disposal wells, large capacity cesspools, storm water drainage wells, aquifer remediation wells, and large capacity septic systems.

Improper management of Class V wells can potentially contaminate drinking water supplies by allowing contaminants to enter your drinking water.
If your drinking water becomes contaminated due to mismanaged Class V wells, you may need to drill a new well or if you are the owner of the Class V well, pay thousands of dollars for cleaning up costs.

What Can You Do to Properly Manage Class V Wells?

Register your Class V well(s) with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 5 at: http://www.epa.gov/safewater/uic/7520s.html
Follow all recommendations to properly manage your Class V well(s) from the EPA or the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH).
Contact the City to determine if your Class V well is located within a Drinking Water Protection Area.
Route waste to approved holding tank(s) and disposing of it properly off-site or convert to a “dry shop”.
Regularly maintain all allowed and/or waivered shallow disposal wells.