Public water system · MN1190009
ActiveEmpire
At a glance
Empire (PWSID MN1190009) is an active community water system in Dakota County, Minnesota. It reports serving 3,152 people through 819 service connections. Its primary water source is groundwater, and EPA lists it as owned by a local government. EPA's records list one violation for this system; it is not health-based, and the most recent began in January 2000.
Dataset updated . Source: EPA SDWIS/ECHO public records.
Population served
3,152
Service connections
819
Primary source
GW
Groundwater
System type
CWS
Community water system
System record
How does Empire compare with other water systems in Dakota County?
By EPA's size categories, Empire is a small system (501 to 3,300 people). Dakota County has 134 active public water systems. Its population served is roughly in line with the county average of 2,920 people per system, and accounts for 0.8% of the 391,319 people reported by systems filed under the county. Across Minnesota, the 6,465 active systems average 820 people each. Nationally, the average active community water system reports serving 6,703 people, so Empire is about half of that figure.
What does “community water system” mean?
A community water system serves at least 15 connections used by year-round residents, or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents. Homes, apartments and mobile-home parks are served by these. Minnesota has 987 active community water systems, 15% of the state's 6,465 active systems. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers. 6,261 Minnesota systems (97%) list groundwater as their primary source.
Who owns and regulates Empire?
EPA lists Empire as owned by a local government. The MN state drinking water program is its primacy agency, the regulator with primary enforcement responsibility for the system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. 33 of the 134 active systems in Dakota County (25%) are also owned by a local government.
Does Empire have drinking water violations?
EPA's records list one violation for this system; it is not health-based, and the most recent began in January 2000. By type: 1 monitoring and reporting. The contaminant or rule involved is Nitrate. EPA lists 1 as archived. Archived means the violation was not marked resolved but is more than five years past the end of the noncompliance period, so it no longer counts toward current compliance status.
| Began | Violation | Contaminant or rule | Health-based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-01-01 | Monitoring and reportingMonitoring, Regular · code 03 | Nitratecode 1040 | No | Archived |
The one violation in EPA's records.Labels and codes come from EPA's SDWIS reference tables. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found. "Health-based" marks violations of a legal limit or required treatment.
Empire: frequently asked questions
Who runs Empire?
Empire (PWSID MN1190009) is a community water system owned by a local government. It is regulated by the MN state drinking water program.
How many people does Empire serve?
Empire reports serving 3,152 people through 819 service connections in Dakota County, Minnesota.
Where does Empire get its water?
EPA SDWIS lists this system's primary water source as groundwater. Groundwater means the system draws its water from wells or springs fed by underground aquifers.
Does Empire have any drinking water violations?
EPA's records list one violation for this system; it is not health-based, and the most recent began in January 2000. A monitoring or reporting violation means a required test or report was missed or late; it does not by itself mean a contaminant was found.
Is Empire's water safe to drink?
AquaCensus shows EPA compliance records, not current water test results, so it cannot say whether the water is safe at a given moment. EPA's records list one violation for this system; it is not health-based, and the most recent began in January 2000. For current results, consult the system's annual water quality report, EPA ECHO, or the MN state drinking water program.
Where can I find Empire's water quality report?
As a community water system, Empire must deliver an annual water quality report, called a Consumer Confidence Report, to its customers by July 1 each year, covering the previous calendar year. The system can provide a copy on request.
Other water systems in Dakota County
| Water system | County | Population served | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eagan | Dakota | 68,223 | Community | Groundwater |
| Lakeville | Dakota | 67,300 | Community | Groundwater |
| Burnsville | Dakota | 61,747 | Community | Surface water |
| Apple Valley | Dakota | 50,300 | Community | Groundwater |
| Inver Grove Heights | Dakota | 34,189 | Community | Groundwater |
| Rosemount | Dakota | 26,500 | Community | Groundwater |
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About this data
Source: U.S. EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and SDWA violation records, via EPA ECHO, as published October 1, 2026 — AquaCensus refreshes it quarterly. See the methodology for how records are matched, cleaned and scored.
Cite as: AquaCensus, “Empire, PWSID MN1190009, Minnesota”, https://aquacensus.com/water-systems/minnesota/empire-mn1190009 (data as of October 1, 2026).