Public Water Supply
WHAT IS A COMMUNITY PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY?
Community public water supply serves at least 25 persons or 15 service connections year-round. Community public water supplies include cities, manufactured home parks, etc. These systems are required to provide a safe and adequate supply of water under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) of 1974 which was established to protect the quality of water in the U.S. This law focuses on all waters actually or potentially designed for drinking use, whether from above ground or underground sources. Currently there are almost 1,000 community water supplies in Minnesota.
WHAT IS COTTONWOOD'S WATER SUPPLY STRUCTURE?
Currently Cottonwood operates a very basic system that is classified as a Class D Water System. Public Water Suppliers can obtain a license that is one class above the operation system. The Public Works Supervisor, Allen Olsen, is licensed to operate at a Class C Water System.
The treatment regime for Cottonwood's Water Supply is as follows:
The treatment regime for Cottonwood's Water Supply is as follows:
- Chlorine for disinfection
- Fluoride for dental disease prevention
- Polyphosphates for corrosion control to prevent the release of metals into drinking water.
ROLE OF THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (MDH) COMMUNITY PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY UNIT
The MDH Community Water Supply Unit is responsible for making sure community water supply systems meet the standards of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) of 1974.
The activities of the Unit include:
The activities of the Unit include:
- Sanitary Surveys: A sanitary survey is an on-site review of the adequacy of the water source, facilities, equipment, operation and maintenance of a public water supply system for producing and distributing safe drinking water. Sanitary surveys for community water supply systems are conducted once every 18 months.
- ample Collection: Required water samples are collected by MDH or the public water supply. All community water supplies are tested for contaminants such as pesticides, solvents, and metals.
- Technical Assistance: Field staff provides on-site technical assistance to community water supply systems in resolving contamination events and other water system problems.
- Training and Education: Each community water supply is required to have at least one certified operator. MDH staff participate in water supply training throughout the state. Additionally, an informational newsletter is sent quarterly to each certified water operator.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION FOR COMMUNITY PUBLIC WATER SUPPLIERS
Public notification ensures that consumers will know if there is a problem with their drinking water. These notices alert consumers if there is risk to public health. Some types of public notification are required under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974. Learn more at Public Notification Rule.
The rule ensures that consumers will know if there is a problem with their drinking water. These notices alert consumers if there is risk to public health.
The Summary of Rule for Public Notification:
The rule ensures that consumers will know if there is a problem with their drinking water. These notices alert consumers if there is risk to public health.
The Summary of Rule for Public Notification:
- if the water does not meet drinking water standards;
- if the water system fails to test its water;
- if the system has been granted a variance (use of less costly technology); or
- if the system has been granted an exemption (more time to comply with a new regulation).
Cottonwood's Sanitary Sewer System
The City of Cottonwood Public Works Department provides for the operation, maintenance, and treatment of wastewater to an environmentally safe level for returning the water back to the ecological system.
Cottonwood has 8.8 miles of sanitary sewer mains. Cottonwood also has 4 sewer ponds located east of Highway 23 that total about 21 acres.
Each year about half of the City’s sanitary sewer mains are inspected and cleaned. This routine maintenance helps to prevent blockages and sewer backups.
As a resident, you can play a key role in preventing sanitary sewer backups. To help prevent backups, please dispose of the following items properly, not by dumping in a drain or flushing down the toilet:
· Diapers
· Diapers
· Disposable/flushable wipes
· Sanitary napkins
· Rags or shop towels
· Garage waste products such as oil, grease, gasoline, antifreeze
· Household waste such as ashes, grease, corrosives, glass, metals, paint, poisons, or solvents
· Yard waste such as sand, soil, or mud.
Many products marketed as “flushable” are not really flushable. Although the wipe product when flushed may or may not make it through the private property owner’s own sanitary sewer service line, these products do not break down like toilet paper or paper towels. This means that clumps of these sturdy and non-degradable products can and do plug sanitary sewer lines and lift stations causing blockages and backups. If the product you are using doesn’t break down or fall apart like toilet paper or paper towel, or if the product contains any cloth or mesh fibers or if it continues to stay intact after being wet and used, the product can cause blockages in your service line and/ or the city’s sewer system and should be thrown in the trash rather than being flushed down the toilet. Flushing anything down the drain that could cause a blockage, including but not limited to grease, or non-degradable wipes is a “prohibited discharge” that violates the City’s sewer use ordinance.
Inflow and infiltration (I&I) is also a potential cause of sewer backups. I&I refers to clear water getting into the sanitary sewer system. This might occur through cracks or leaks in sewer pipes and manholes or from sump pumps incorrectly connected to the sanitary sewer system. Particularly during large rain events, I&I can cause the sanitary sewer system to overflow resulting in sewer backups.
Because of the potential for I&I to create system issues, City ordinance prohibits property owners from disposing of clear water into the sanitary sewer system. This includes water from any roof, surface or ground sump pump, foundation drain, or swimming pool.
Sanitary sewer problems should be reported to the City of Cottonwood’s Public Works Department. The City will work with you to identify the cause of the problem. If there is a blockage in one of the City’s main sewer lines, the City will attempt to clear the blockage.
The sewer line from your home, business or other property to the City sewer main is your responsibility. That means that you as the property owner are responsible for clearing any blockages. Property owners must schedule service and pay the cost of clearing any blockage located in the individual sewer line on their property.
If you have questions regarding the City’s sanitary sewer maintenance program, sewer backup response or a specific incident, please contact the Public Works Department at 507-423-6488, Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4 PM. Outside regular business hours, emergencies can be reported to the Public Works Supervisor, Allen Olsen at 507-828-4643.