The Prior Lake Water Treatment Facility opened in 2009. The facility can treat 7.5 million gallons per day when running at full capacity (peak water usage in the summer can reach 7 million gallons per day due to excessive irrigation). The facility also provides extra garage space for utility equipment and adds 1.5 million gallons to the City’s water storage capacity with an underground storage tank. The facility is connected to six of the seven production wells in the City.

The main purpose of water treatment is to remove iron and manganese from the water before it reaches your home or business. The facility does not soften water. Water hardness is measured by the amount of calcium and magnesium in the water. Since this facility is removing only iron and manganese, the hardness will not be reduced. This flowchart illustrates the water treatment process.

The total hardness of the water in Prior Lake is 19.3 grains per gallon. Use that figure as a guide to set your home water softener. Water softeners typically remove some iron naturally. Since much of the iron is removed at the facility, home water softeners should run more efficiently, using less salt to get the same results.

The water treatment facility is connected to six of the seven municipal production wells in the City.  The City also has a cooperative agreement with the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) for the City to sell water from the remaining well to the SMSC for treatment and use within their system, with the option to purchase up to 2.2 million gallons of water per day back from their system.  Actual purchases from the SMSC average 545,000 gallons per day over the past three years.

This six minute video explains the many functions of Prior Lake's Water Treatment Facility.

For more information, contact the Prior Lake Public Works Department at (952) 447-9896.