Water Utility

Compliant to Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) Rule, 63 FR 44511, August 19, 1998, Vol. 63, No. 160; the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states the purpose of a CCR is to improve public health protection by providing educational material to allow consumers to make educated decisions regarding any potential health risks pertaining to the quality, treatment, and management of their drinking water supply.

Medina’s Consumer Confidence Drinking Water Report(PDF, 238KB) is based on the many water samples that are drawn from the water system by the Minnesota Department of Health. The City strives to provide good quality water, as well as excellent service, and we rely on the residents to notify us of any irregularities in the delivery of that water.

The City of Medina has the following three separate water systems, which each have their own set of challenges. Medina is also supplied with water by Orono for the Keller Estates Addition, and Maple Plain supplies water to the far southwest corner of the City.

MORNINGSIDE SYSTEM (Accounts beginning with 03)

This system consists of two wells and a pressure tank. The Medina Meadows subdivision is south of Morningside. As part of this subdivision, a water main was connected with the City of Orono’s water system. The new homes will be served by the Orono system with a connection to the Morningside system. Existing Morningside homes are still supplied with the same water, but with an inter-connection to Orono. Both cities will have access to alternate water supplies in case of an emergency.

INDEPENDENCE BEACH SYSTEM (Accounts beginning with 02)

The Independence Beach System has two wells and a pressure tank.  Due to high iron content, water quality is improved by monthly flushing of the line which takes place the second Thursday of each month between the hours of 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. You will want to make sure to put off any clothes washing until after the flushing is complete, as it can discolor your laundry. If you ever experience discoloring of clothing, the Culligan Soft Water Company has provided the following recipe to get the rust out:

Purchase 6 ounces of oxalic acid (available at a local drug store, ALWAYS USE RUBBER GLOVES and KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN AND ANIMALS).  Use double tubs.  In one tub, fill with 8 gallons of water.  Add 4 tablespoons of oxalic acid.  In the other tub, fill with 8 gallons of water and add 4 to 5 tablespoons of baking soda.  Put the clothes into the acid solution for 2 minutes.  Wring out by hand (USE GLOVES).  Then, put the clothes into the tub with the baking soda solution for 2 to 3 minutes and wring out by hand.  Finally, rinse with fresh water.

HAMEL SYSTEM (Accounts beginning with 01)

This system is by far the largest in Medina, covering the area from the City of Plymouth border on the east and Willow Drive on the west. In 2016 the City added Well 8 to its system, with a connection to the newly expanded pump house 3 and the Water Treatment Plant. The system now consists of wells 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, with a 400,000-gallon elevated tank and a treatment plant with 200,000-gallon storage. The treatment plant removes iron, manganese, radium and alpha emitters, which has kept the City in compliance with radium and alpha emitters since the Treatment Plant went online in September 2006.  

The Consumer Confidence Drinking Water Report is published annually to provide information about Medina's water quality. Click the link to view Medina's Consumer Confidence Drinking Water Report: 

2024 Consumer Confidence Drinking Water Report(PDF, 238KB)

For a printed copy of the Consumer Confidence Drinking Water Report, or for any concerns or questions about the water quality, call Public Works at 763-473-8842.

Consumer Confidence Drinking Water Reports - Prior Years

2023-Consumer-Confidence-Drinking-Water-Report.pdf(PDF, 240KB)

2022-Consumer-Confidence-Drinking-Water-Report.pdf(PDF, 309KB)

2021-Consumer-Confidence-Drinking-Water-Report.pdf(PDF, 335KB)

2020-Consumer-Confidence-Drinking-Water-Report.pdf(PDF, 252KB)

2019-Consumer-Confidence-Drinking-Water-Report.pdf(PDF, 236KB)

A wellhead protection area is defined as the surface and subsurface area surrounding a water well or wellfield, supplying a public water system, through which contaminants are reasonably likely to move toward and reach such water well or wellfield.  The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) required states to develop and obtain EPA approval for wellhead protection programs (WHPP).  The Minnesota Department of Health is authorized to enforce the SDWA by Minnesota Statute. 

Where does my drinking water come from?

Where does your drinking water come from? Is it safe to drink? Is there anything you can do to keep your drinking water safe? These are all important questions to ask to protect yourself and your family.

Seventy percent of the people in Minnesota obtain their drinking water from groundwater, either from private or public wells. Groundwater is pumped from underground geological formations called aquifers. Aquifers contain water in cracks and crevices in bedrock, or in pore spaces between soil particles.

How is water pumped into households?

A well is the most common way to obtain groundwater for household use. A well is basically a hole in the ground, held open by a pipe (casing) that extends to an aquifer. A pump draws untreated water from the aquifer for distribution through the plumbing system.

How do wells potentially contaminate drinking water sources?

Many times, there are layers of rock and soil that lie between an aquifer and the land surface, or between aquifers, which act as natural barriers and protect against the spread of contamination. However, a well provides an open channel between the land surface and an aquifer – or between a shallow aquifer and a deeper aquifer. This open channel (well) may allow contamination to enter aquifers (drinking water supplies) and bypass these protective barriers.

Why is this important?

Properly managing private wells is important because it can keep contamination from entering drinking water supplies. If contamination enters your drinking water it may threaten the quality of your water, your neighbor’s, or the City’s. If contamination levels reach high enough thresholds, it may require the installation of a water treatment system or the drilling of a new well. Both items may cost thousands of dollars.

What can you do to protect your drinking water?

• When landscaping your yard, keep the top of your well at least 1 foot above the soil surface. Slope the soil away from the well casing to allow surface water to drain away from your well.
• Do not pile snow, leaves, or other materials around the well. This will help keep insects, dirt, and other contaminants from entering your well.
• Consider the location of your well when making physical changes to your property. Follow all MN Dept. of Health required setbacks from buildings and potential contaminant sources.
• Hire a licensed well driller to seal unused wells.
• When working near your well, be careful not to disturb or damage the well casing.
• Inspect your well regularly for physical changes or damage. Be sure all well covers and connections are properly attached and in good condition. If damage is detected, contact a licensed well driller to determine steps needed to repair the well.
• Do not mix or work with hazardous chemicals like pesticides, fertilizers, paints or motor oil, near your well.
• Take steps to prevent a cross connection and back-siphonage of materials into your plumbing system and well.

Where can I get additional information?

Click the link below to view Medina's Wellhead Protection Plan:

City of Medina Wellhead Protection Plan(PDF, 7MB)

Learn more by visiting the below websites:

• Minnesota Department of Health - Wells and Borings
• Minnesota Department of Health - Laws and Rules
•  Minnesota Rural Water Association 

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established the Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) to protect public health and reduce exposure to lead in drinking water.  The most common sources of lead in drinking water are lead pipes and brass or bronze faucets and fixtures.  The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), as mandated by the EPA, has recently required water systems to maintain and report an inventory of service line materials.

 Medina has completed and submitted our service line materials inventory to the MDH.

The service line inventory is publicly available, and you can check the materials for your service line by visiting the Lead Inventory Tracking Tool (LITT) at https://maps.umn.edu/LSL/.  You may also contact us in Public Works at 763-473-8842.

As of 10/18/2024, our inventory contains all non-lead service lines.

Learn more about the lead and copper ruling by visiting the following webpages:  

 https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/environment/water/rules/lcrr.html

https://www.epa.gov/dwreginfo/lead-and-copper-rule

Click the link to view Medina's 2023 Lead & Copper Test Results(PDF, 4MB)

Click the link to view Medina's Service Line Inventory Certification Notice(PDF, 454KB)

Click the link to view the MN Lead Inventory Tracking Tool

Click to view Medina's Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) and Trihalomethane (THM) Test Results(PDF, 5MB).

Manganese occurs naturally in rocks and soil across Minnesota and is often found in Minnesota ground and surface water. Your body needs some manganese to stay healthy, but too much can be harmful.  Click the link below to read background information about manganese, as provided by the Minnesota Department of Health:

Manganese In Drinking Water

Medina operates an automatic meter reading system that provides customer water consumption data to the Finance Department for utility billing purposes. Public Works is in the process of performing an upgrade of the water meter reading system, which includes mandatory replacement of outdated radios.  Public Works Staff have been working to swap out radios located on the exterior of homes.

• The project began in 2022 and is expected to be completed in 2026.
• All technicians are employees of the city, carry identification credentials, and travel in city-marked vehicles.
• For radios which are located on the interior of homes, access will be necessary to install the mandatory upgrade.  The city will contact the residents to arrange an appointment.  The replacement process takes around 15 minutes, and water will not be disrupted.
• There is no cost to residents for this upgrade.