Water Department
Water Department Overview
The City of Dayton’s Water Department is responsible for monitoring and maintaining the City's water and sewer infrastructure to ensure reliable service and system efficiency.
The municipal water system includes approximately
- 36.2 miles of water main
- 3,300 service connections
- 667 hydrants
- On average, the City delivers 543,505 gallons of water per day, totaling more than 198 million gallons annually.
New residents are encouraged to contact the Utility Billing Department to establish a water and sewer account for their property.
Utility Billing Department
For more information, please contact Public Works Directly at (763) 427-3224.
Report a Concern to the Water Department
Gopher State One Call
Under state law, if you are planning to do any work on your property that involves excavation more than six inches deep, you need to contact the Gopher State One Call system 48 hours before you plan to dig. Gopher State One Call will notify any known parties who have underground utilities in the area that a locate has been ordered. The operators are then required by law to mark their utilities with paint or flags within 48 hours. There is no fee for this service. The number for Gopher State One Call system locate is (651)454-0002.
If your yard or boulevard has been marked with paint or small flags, this means that someone is planning to perform work in the area, and has called Gopher State One Call system for a utility locate. If you have questions please contact Gopher One by visiting the Gopher State One Call website.
Private Owned Utilities
When a property owner or tenant has any type of privately-owned underground facility (underground sprinkler systems, invisible fences, pool heaters, etc.), they are responsible to locate those facilities or hire someone to locate them. For more information about locating privately-owned facilities, visit the Gopher State One Call website
If you notice water leaking near the meter, it’s essential to determine the source of the leak by contacting a plumber. If the issue lies with the water meter connections or surrounding plumbing, the responsibility falls on the homeowner. Maintenance, repair and replacement of these elements are the homeowner’s responsibility.
The City will replace the water meter if it is damaged. If you have additional questions or need a staff member to help determine the leak source, please contact Public Works at (763) 427-3224 or email publicworks@daytonmn.gov
Water Shut Off
Please contact Public Works Department at 763-427-3224 or email publicworks@daytonmn.gov to schedule an appointment. We require 48-hour notice unless the repair is an emergency.
After hours emergency, please dial 911.
There are two forms, an initial questionnaire form is designed to gather specific information about the home and types of treatment. The water quality tracking form should be used for every subsequent report of water quality issues. If you have questions, please contact Public Works at publicworks@daytonmn.gov or call (763) 427-3224.Initial Water Quality Questionnaire
Resident Water Quality Tracking Form
Final Odor Study Report PHASE 1
To help maintain a high level of water quality, the City of Dayton flushes hydrants in Fall & Spring. Flushing hydrants also provide a way to verify operation for maintenance or repair. The process of flushing the water system may result in low water pressure, cloudy or discolored water during the days the system is being flushed. Please be aware of the water quality while doing laundry to avoid staining. The discolored water is not dangerous to your health and is safe to drink. Water can be cleared up by running the cold water in your laundry tub.
To find out when your neighborhood will be flushed, please watch for signs in your neighborhood.
Providing water to residents is one of the City of Dayton's most important and fundamental services. Each year, the city will send out a Utility Bill in the Summer with the link to the report. It provides information about the city’s tap water and how it compares to standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency. View the Dayton Drinking Water Report
The Wellhead Water Treatment Plant is designed to improve the water quality in the northeast area of Dayton. The treatment will remove Iron and Manganese from the water which can cause odor and discoloration. Staff will also be able to decrease the amount of Chlorine required to disinfect the water. Work is progressing on the well head water treatment plant on a revised timeline after a long pause while the City completed various requirements for accessing the $4,000,000 Federal funding for the project. The new timeline has a completion date of January 2026.
Both pressure vessels are installed in the building (each vessel weighs 80,000 pounds), block walls and roofing are in place. Brick fascia will be installed in the coming weeks, plumbing will begin in June and will last through December. Electrical is another long timeline lasting from June until completion in January 2026. There is a detailed timeline available below.
If you have questions about the project contact Martin Farrell, Public Works Director at mfarrell@daytonmn.gov
Like most cities, Dayton treats its drinking water to improve its quality before it’s delivered to residents and businesses. The city’s water treatment procedure includes:
- Disinfection: Chlorine is added at state-mandated levels to remove microscopic organisms.
- Fluoridation: Flouride is added to support oral health and reduce tooth decay.
- Hardness: Our treatments do not reduce hardness levels. Residents and businesses may choose to use home-softening devices if hardness is an issue. Please refer to the softener setting below or contact the Public Works Department at (763) 427-3224 if you have additional questions.
North West System (Historic Village)
- Iron content .5 parts per million
- Hardness 30 grains
- Softener setting should be 35
North East System
- Iron content .5 parts per million
- Hardness 38 grains
- Softener setting should be 40
South System (Maple Grove)
- 19-22 grains
- 370 parts per million
- Softener setting should be at 40.5
Water Quality Testing
The City tests water daily to verify the water meets all healthy and safety standards. If you would like the water tested at your property, please contact publicworks@daytonmn.gov or (763)427-3224 to schedule an appointment.
Make an Impact Outdoors
By being mindful of water usage, residents can make an impact on water conservation efforts in Dayton. Did you know only 1 inch of water per week, including rainfall, is needed for a healthy lawn? Here are helpful tips to improve your lawn and conserve water:
- Water only when your lawn needs it rather than set a schedule.
- Wait to mow & mow high it will help improve lawn quality and lessen the need for irrigation.
- water your lawn before sunrise or after sunset when the temperature is low to retain moisture in the your lawn.
- For more information and helpful tips, please view the Department of Natural Resources Water Conservation page. DNR: Water Conservation
Make an Impact Indoors
You can find ways to conserve water inside your home to save money on your water bill annually. Here are some tips for conducting in-home audits:
- Take shorter showers and use a timer. Replace showerhead with and efficient showerhead.
- Old toilets use more water to flush. To save water, purchase a toilet with the WaterSense label and dual flush.
- When doing laundry, only use full loads of laundry and use less detergent with cold water. High efficiency, front load washing machines use as little as 15 gallons.
- Fix leaks to save water and money. Toilet leaks can waste over 200 gallons of water every day.
- For more helpful tips, please view the Department of Natural Resources Water Conservation for Residents website. DNR: Water Conservation for Residents
Resources
University of Minnesota Lawn Care Calendar
University of Minnesota Environmental Benefits of Healthy Lawns
University of Minnesota: Water Wisely
