Public Works
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Public Works’ mission is to provide essential public services such as clean water, wastewater management, safe streets, and maintenance of parks and buildings. This is done by seven year-round employees and additional seasonal employees.
Water Quality Reporting Forms
There are two forms, an initial questionnaire which needs to be filled out on the first contact which is designed to gather specific information about the home and types of treatment the home has. The water quality tracking form should be used for every subsequent reporting of water quality issues. If you have questions please contact Public Works on 763-427-3224.
Water Conservation – Responsible Lawn Irrigation
Summer generates an increase in water usage; this is due primarily to irrigation of lawns. The majority of new homes have an automatic sprinkler system and these systems are set up initially by the builder to run frequently to establish newly installed sod. Once the turf is established the irrigation system should be adjusted to water less frequently. To maintain a lawn takes approximately 1” of water per week during the summer, which equates to resetting the irrigation system to run 3 times a week for 20 minutes.
The City of Dayton has a tiered water billing system, the more water you use the more you are billed. Water used at the home is monitored by a meter that is installed where the water enters the home. Water entering the home is billable no matter what it is used for, so the water used for lawn maintenance is billed in the same way the water used for the laundry or showering is billed. A home with an automatic sprinkler system and an average winter bill of $86 may increase to $228 a billing cycle during peak use due to an unadjusted sprinkler system.
Reducing residential watering can save you money and help the City manage future infrastructure costs so improvements do not have to be made prematurely. In addition to preserving water outside, there are ways to conserve water within the household. Some of these things are simple such as turning off the faucet while brushing teeth, taking showers instead of baths, and using only full loads of laundry to be washed so that no water is wasted. Household water leaks may also occur, so make sure those repairs are completed as soon as possible.
