Water & Sewer Utilities
The City of Wheaton provides water, sewer, and garbage services to approximately 800 commercial and residential customers. The Wheaton Utility Billing and Public Works staff are typically available from 8:00 am – 4:30 pm, and 8:00 am – 3:00 pm, respectively.
Utility bills are sent at the end of the month, and (per City Ordinance) due the 15th. Although utility bills may be mailed to a renter, payment of utility bills are the ultimate responsibility of the property owner, and unpaid charges will be assessed to a parcel’s property taxes. Property owners who sell their property “contract for deed” will receive a copy of the utility bill until the purchaser has fulfilled the requirements of the contract, and the final transfer of property has been recorded by the Traverse County Recorder’s Office.
Residents must read their water meters and report their meter readings with their payments (see right-hand corner of your billing postcard). An accurate read must be taken at least every other month; if a meter reading is not reported, our office will use an estimate of usage based on previous history. If no meter reading is received after an estimation is used, Public Works staff will read the water meter, and the property owner will be charged a $20 fee.
The City of Wheaton Utility Handbook can be accessed here.
▼New Construction: Bring Water/Sewer Service to New Property
▼Charges on a New Utility Account
▼Rates
▼New Construction: Bring Water/Sewer Service to New Property
▼Maintenance of Equipment, Service & Infrastructure
▼Water Service
▼Sanitary Sewer Service
►New Construction: Bring Water/Sewer Service to New Property [back to top]
General Information
Wheaton City Ordinances 405, 406, 409, 410, and 415 give construction requirements and specifications for utility service. Residents must review these ordinances and design their project accordingly. Owners who request utility service to a building that has not had water and/or sewer service before must complete and submit a “Permit Application for Water and/or Sewer Connection” form to the Wheaton City Council for approval (or if only an outdoor water fixture is to be installed, the owner must complete and submit an “Application for Separate Outdoor Water Service” form).
Making the Connection
- Owner pays permit fee and submits Application for Connection.
- If the property does not have access to a water and/or sewer mainline, upon approval by the City Council, engineering specifications will be drawn-up. Property owner will be responsible for the cost and coordination of the mainline installation, per the specifications of the City.
- Property owner will be responsible for the cost and installation of water and sewer service lines, from the property to the mainlines.
- Owner orders and purchases new meter, remote reader and installation valves throughWheatonCity Hall.
- All meters must be mounted horizontally.
- Property owner must install meter and remote reader, including transmitting wire (unless the dwelling has a finished basement or the property owner requires that the transmitting wire be concealed – installation and coverage of the transmitting wire will then be the owner’s responsibility). Owner must then complete and submit an “Application for Water, Sewer, and Garbage Service” form, or if only an outdoor water fixture is to be installed, owner must complete and submit an “Application for Separate Outdoor Water Service” form.
►Charges on a New Utility Account [back to top]
- Payment of $100 deposit (which may be refunded, with interest, after one year of non-delinquent payments).
- $50 Reconnect Fee, if Water Is Off
- Monthly utility charges (see Utility Rates below)
General Information
Water, Sewer, and Garbage services are bundled as a group. If no water is used, the residential service base fees will be $22.68 per month. Commercial users are charged the same rates, but tax is charged on water service at a rate of 6.875% and tax on garbage is paid at a rate of 17%.
- Water Service : $6.00 base fee + $0.035 cents per cubic foot
- Garden Water Service (if metered separately): $0.035 cents per cubic foot
- Sanitary Sewer Service: $9.00 base fee + $0.07 cents per cubic foot (after 2000 cubic feet, $0.05 cents per cubic foot)
- Garbage Removal Service: $7.00 base fee + tags on bags
- Stormwater Service: No Charge
- MinnesotaStateWater Testing Fee: $6.36 per year (billed in July)
Due to recent sewer improvement projects, all properties will be charged the $9.00 sewer base fee per month, whether utility service is turned-on/active or turned-off/inactive.ContactCity Hallif the property’s sewer service line is capped or removed – if the Public Works Department can verify that no buildings are attached to the sanitary sewer system, the sewer base fee will no longer be charged for the parcel.
Other Charges
- Turn-Off Water: Monday – Friday,8 am – 3 pm; No Charge
- Turn-Off Outside Regular Hours: $50.00
- Turn-On Water*: $50.00 (Unless Turn-On/Turn-Off required for repairwork, then no charge)
- Meter Read Fee: $20.00
- Hydrants: $10.00 in the Spring & $10.00 in the Fall (to verify meter was installed and uninstalled)
- Utility Deposit $100.00; Interest rate set by the Minnesota Department of Commerce
►Maintenance of Service, Equipment & Infrastructure [back to top]
General Information
The City will maintain all residential water meters and outside readers after original installation, unless the equipment is tampered with, damaged by the property owner, or damaged due to owner negligence (in these three cases, the owner will be responsible for all repair or replacement costs).
- If a meter cannot be repaired or maintained, the City will furnish a replacement meter and/or reader.
- If a meter or reader is tampered with, damaged, or removed, the City may estimate water loss and bill the owner based on past meter history.
- Owner must provide access to the meter and reader for maintenance and/or replacement.
Water Leaks
The City ofWheatonencourages all residents to address water leaks as soon as possible. Excess water can cause a great amount of damage and cost. Repairs may be necessary on the mainline, the water service line (that runs under the street/alley to the building), within the building before the meter, and within the building after the meter. Residents are encouraged to call City Hall at 320/563-4110 if an out-of-place, growing puddle of water is spotted – especially during winter or dry months.
Repairs to the water system must be made immediately, and Public Works staff may help in determining the leak’s location. Repairs to the mainline are the financial responsibility of the City. Leaks to water service lines and building plumbing are the responsibility of the property owner.
Why is a property owner responsible for a leak in the street on the water service line? Per City Ordinance 405.10, the water service line from the mainline to the house is owned by the property owner. This is considered to be a private line from the city’s water mainline to the house. It is the homeowner’s responsibility to maintain the water line and keep it in good repair.
The homeowner is also responsible for the curb stop. The curb stop must be maintained and kept in good condition, and be accessible for operation by the Public Works Department. The Public Works Department may install new covers and replace broken bolts when the work does not require the excavation of cement or blacktop. The charge for this service is for the cost of materials-only and will be billed to the property owner. If more extensive repair is needed, the property owner will be notified and billed.
Turning-On Water Service
The Public Works Department requests that an appointment be made to have water service turned-on. A property owner, tenant, or authorized representative must be present in order for the water to be turned-on, in case leaks are detected and a meter read will be taken. Please call 320/563-4110 to scheduled an appointment. The City ofWheatonrequires that the property owner (or a representative) be present when turning-on the water.
Turning-Off Water Service
Property owners request for water service to be shut-off for a variety of reasons – if a building will be vacant for an extended period of time, or vacant during the winter months without heat, the City recommends that water be turned off to prevent freezing or potential flooding. Each building should have two shut-off’s:
- Interior Shut-Off’s – Inside each building, there should be a water shut-off valve that turns-off the water to the whole house. This valve is located on the water pipe that comes up from the floor or through the wall in the front part of the basement (closest to the street).
- Exterior Shut-Off’s/Curb Stop – Outside of each building, on or near the boulevard, close to the ground, there should be a water “curb-stop.” Curb stops are important, as they are a back-up for the interior water shut-off and allow the Public Works Department to turn-off water service without entering the property (which could be very important if a leak is found and the property owner can’t be reached). Per City Ordinance 405.03, curb stops must be in good repair.
The Public Works Department requests at least 48 hours notice for a water shut-off, though every effort will be made to accommodate customer needs and emergency needs. Please call 320/563-4110 to schedule an appointment. The City ofWheatonrequires that the property owner (or a representative) be present when turning-off the water. An interior water meter read will be taken and used for final billing purposes.
General Information
The City ofWheatonoperates and maintains a water filtration plant, a water tower, water hydrants, and a distribution system.
1. Private wells are prohibited within Wheaton City limits.
2. All water is metered; customers are charged a base fee for the access to water service and a rate (per cubic foot) for usage – see “Rate” section for further information.
3. In most cases, residents will have both an inside water meter and an outside meter reader. If you need help finding the meter and/or meter reader, please contactWheatonCity Hallat 320/563-4110.
4. The outside meter reader is connected to the inside meter by two wires – occasionally, these wires are broken and the outside meter reader will cease to function. In others cases, the outside meter reader may be affected by weather conditions and will stop moving. You are strongly encouraged to periodically compare the inside and outside readings. If you notice any discrepancies, please contactWheatonCity Hallat 320/563-4110 and we will correct the problem.
5. The inside meter is the only device that measures water flow and usage, and therefore, your actual consumption will be billed from the reading on the inside meter, should there be any discrepancies.
6. Upon return of payment, customers are asked to write their current meter reading(s) on the bill payment stub. If we do not receive a meter reading by the 20th of the month, usage will be estimated. Estimations will not be used two months in a row – instead, a Public Works employee will be sent to manually read your meter and a $20.00 charge will be added to your utility bill.
7. Bulk water is available for purchase. Please contact City Hall at 320/563-4110 for more information.
8. The City ofWheatonencourages water conservation. A water leak may be obvious (water has filled your basement, or you can hear the sound of water flowing through your plumbing), or the leak may be silent. Depending on the nature of the leak, significant water may pass through your water meter if the leak is not repaired. Unintended water usage (such as a hose that is left on overnight, an unrepaired leaky toilet, or a recharging softener) will be billed to the customer.
Outdoor Water Service & Metering Policy
Owners of single-family, residential properties may apply for water service for irrigation and other outdoor uses at a reduced rate, receiving a waiver for standard sanitary sewer charges. The water may only be used for lawncare and gardening purposes, and must be metered separately. The property owner is responsible for all water meter, external meter reader, and installation costs; the meter equipment must be ordered through City Hall, 320/563-4110.
See Also Outdoor Water Service & Metering Policy for Privately Owned Hydrants
See Also Ordinance #405, “Water Service” & Ordinance #406, “Water Meters”
►Sanitary Sewer Service [back to top]
General Information
The City of Wheaton operates and maintains several lift stations, sanitary sewer collection system, and three sanitary sewer ponds. Charges for Sewer Service are dependent upon a property’s water metering device; therefore, Items #2 – #6 are identical to those in the aforementioned Water Service Section.
1. Private septic systems are prohibited withinWheatonCitylimits, unless specifically approved by the City Council.
2. Sewer fees are based on metered water usage; customers are charged a base fee for the access to sewer service and a rate (per cubic foot) for usage – see “Rate” section for further information.
3. In most cases, residents will have both an inside water meter and an outside meter reader. If you need help finding the meter and/or meter reader, please contactWheatonCity Hallat 320/563-4110.
4. The outside meter reader is connected to the inside meter by two wires – occasionally, these wires are broken and the outside meter reader will cease to function. In others cases, the outside meter reader may be affected by weather conditions and will stop moving. You are strongly encouraged to periodically compare the inside and outside readings. If you notice any discrepancies, please contactWheatonCity Hall at 320/563-4110 and we will correct the problem.
5. The inside meter is the only device that measures water usage, and therefore, your actual consumption will be billed from the reading on the inside meter, should there be any discrepancies.
6. Upon return of payment, customers are asked to write their current meter reading(s) on the bill payment stub. If we do not receive a meter reading by the 20th of the month, usage will be estimated. Estimations will not be used two months in a row – instead, a Public Works employee will be sent to manually read your meter and a $20.00 charge will be added to your utility bill.
7. Users who use water exclusively for lawn and gardening purposes may receive a waiver of a portion of their sewer charges if such water is metered separately (base fees will not be waived). Customers must request, purchase, and install a separate water meter in order to receive the waiver.
See Also Ordinance #409, “Sewer Service” and Ordinance #410, “Sewer Use”
