Wellhead Protection

Keeping Our Water Clean

Clean and safe drinking water is vital to our way of life; it is a critical component of our economy and a healthy lifestyle.

The increasing demand of our growing communities emphasizes the importance of the need to protect our precious water resources.
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Drinking water from a municipal system is so readily available that the everyday user may begin to take it for granted. However, unforeseen impacts to the source of a community’s water supply can be detrimental to the overall health and well being of the community. Users must be aware of the potential impacts that may result from negligence or lack of concern. It is the responsibility of the entire community to maintain a safe and healthy water supply system, now and into the future.

More information is provided in the Wellhead Protection Plan Amendment Part I and Part II, and in our Wellhead Plan brochure.


Dakota County Well Index

Dakota County has approximately 30,000 unused wells, many of which may be buried or forgotten. Unused wells that have not been professionally sealed can be a source of groundwater contamination, threatening the quality of the water in city water wells, your neighbor’s well, or even your own well.

Private wells are still a very common source of water supply for a number of communities.

Dakota County has implemented a program that assists current well owners and regulates the drilling of new wells, both public and private. Funding is available through this program to help well owners properly seal and abandon unused wells.

For more information about this program, visit the Dakota County environmental website.