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Groundwater and Wellhead Protection
Groundwater
Like most suburbs in the Twin Cities, Fridley's drinking water is sourced from groundwater located in underground aquifers. Wells throughout the city pump the water from the ground and bring it to treatment plants. You can read more about about Fridley's drinking water on our drinking water page.
Protecting Our Groundwater
It is important to protect the quantity and quality of our groundwater to ensure that there is safe drinking water now and into the future. Underground aquifers take recharge once depleted, especially when hard surfaces like roads and parking lots prevent rain from infiltrating into the ground. If harmful chemicals contaminate the groundwater, it is very difficult and expensive to fix and can lead to a closure of a well.
Conserving water, promoting groundwater recharge, and properly disposing of chemicals help protect our water supply.
Private Wells
Private wells can be a potential pathway for contaminants into the groundwater if not managed correctly. Well owners are responsible for testing, inspecting, protecting and sealing their wells.
Locating Wells
Wells can often look like:
- A pipe or ring sticking up from your basement floor or in the yard
- A pipe or ring behind false paneling or in an offset room in the basement
- A glass block in the stoop
However, many wells have been buried or sealed over time. It is more likely that your property has a well if it was built within two years of the water service being constructed. Check out our Well Screening Tool to see if it is more or less likely that your property has a well:
Managing Wells
Wells that are not properly managed can contaminate our drinking water and are a safety hazard. If you have a well on your property, it is your responsibility to regularly inspect your well and protect it from damage. Property owners should follow the guidance in the Well Owner's Handbook. A hardcopy of the Well Owner's Handbook is available at the Fridley Civic Campus.
Wellhead Protection Plan
The City has a Wellhead Protection Plan to protect the City's drinking water and groundwater resources. You can view the 2018 Wellhead Protection Plan Part 1 and Part II online, or watch the the presentations to the City Council and Environmental Quality and Energy Commission.
More Information
For further questions regarding a well on your property or the Wellhead Protection Plan for the City of Fridley, please call 763-572-3554 or e-mail FridleyEngineering@FridleyMN.gov.