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:

If the well screening tool indicates that you have a higher probability of a well, we recommend looking through Minnesota Department of Health's website on finding lost wells. You  may also reach out to the City at 763-574-3554 or WellSealing@FridleyMN.gov for information on finding a well contractor and other resources.



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.

Well Sealing Grant
Sealing unused wells or obtaining a maintenance permit is required as part of a home sale and can slowdown the sale process. Don't wait until listing your home to seal your well. Often, funds are available to help offset the cost of well sealing. The City has a first-come, first-serve well sealing grant available to residents in a Drinking Water Supply management Area. This grant will fund up to 60% of your well sealing costs up to $1,000. Please note you must receive City approval before work is performed and all work must take place after 07/30/2024. 
 
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 For questions, to submit your application for approval, or to learn about other grant operations for sealing wells outside of the Drinking Water Supply Management Area please call 763-572-3554 or email WellSealing@FridleyMN.gov

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.